Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Nanomaterials

Dear Colleagues,

Today, nanomaterials are pervasively utilized in various technologies and application domains, including nano-electronics, sensors, energy storage and conversion devices such as batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, solar cells, lightweight structures, packaging and biomedical applications. Many of these applications require operation under mechanically and thermally demanding conditions, which necessitate the accurate experimental characterization and modelling of the mechanical and thermal behavior of these nanomaterials. In this context, macroscopic testing approaches, combined with mechanistic constitutive models, have provided significant information. Yet, innovations in methodologies for the direct nano-scale testing, characterization and modelling of mechanical and thermal properties, including elastic, plastic, fatigue, damage and fracture, thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, heat capacities, atomic diffusivities and residual stresses, are urgently needed. In addition, there is an immediate need for innovative methodologies that can determine mechanical and thermal properties at interfaces and surfaces at the nano-scale, such as adhesion/surface energies, thermal contact resistances and surface diffusion at the interfaces and surfaces of nanomaterials.

This Special Issue will provide an overview of recent research outlining the latest advances in nano-scale mechanical, thermal, experimental and model-based characterization methods for nanomaterials. In particular, methodologies that enable these properties to be determined in situ under the actual loading configurations that the nano-components are exposed to in their niche will be explored. In addition, experimental and modelling approaches that quantify and decipher the impact of interface and surface will be investigated, considering the increased significance of interface and surface effects compared to bulk at the nano-scale. We invite authors to contribute original research articles and review articles. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Nano-electronics;
• Nano-sensors and nano-probes, including force and stress sensors;
• MEMS/NEMS based characterization methods;
• Nanocomposites;
• Light-weight structures;
• Nano-fluids;
• Nano-membranes;
• Nano-materials for bio-applications;
• Surface nano-textured materials;
• Superlattices.

Dr. Houman Zahedmanesh
Dr. Kristof Croes
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• nanoscale
• nanomaterials
• mechanical and thermal properties
• characterization
• modelling
• in-situ testing
• interfaces
• surface impact