Chapter 9:Service Behaviours

Relative to traditional bulk materials, nanomaterials are used not only as structural units but also as functional units. Like the traditional bulk materials, damage and failure also occur in nanomaterials and nanodevices under the influence of service or external conditions. Similar phenomena have also been observed in the investigation of one-dimensional (1D) ZnO nanomaterials and nanodevices. Typical characterisation includes structural damage, performance degradation, stability degradation, functional failure, short life etc. Problems are exposed under some experimental or service conditions such as illumination, currents or electric fields, external pressure or forces, some chemical gases or solvents, and so on. These problems seriously obstruct the process of the investigation of 1D ZnO nanomaterials and nanodevices. For the above phenomena, the concepts of nanodamage and nanofailure in nanomaterials and nanodevices have been proposed by our group, and have attracted more and more attention. To guarantee the stability, reliability, safety, and long life of the nanodevices when applied in daily life and other areas, it is necessary to investigate the nanodamage and nanofailure security service parameters and mechanisms of 1D ZnO nanomaterials and nanodevices thoroughly under simulated and actual applied conditions before the large-scale industrialization of 1D ZnO nanodevices. In addition, the investigation into nanodamage and nanofailure would not only guide us in improving and promoting the properties of existing applied nanodevices, but also guide us in developing and designing some new potential nanodevices to satisfy/meet the needs of daily life or industrialisation. To facilitate investigating the nanodamage and nanofailure phenomena, damage and failure mechanisms, and security service parameters of 1D ZnO nanomaterials and nanodevices, typical nanodamage and nanofailure were classified per their service conditions. The current classifications mainly include: electrical, mechanical, electromechanical, and chemical nanodamage and nanofailure.