biostudies-literatureYin SNSF | Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences | Division of Materials ResearchNSF | Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences | Division of Materials Research (DMR)2004https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6494841biostudies-literatureUnknown10(1)Although hydrogen embrittlement has been observed and extensively studied in a wide variety of metals and alloys, there still exist controversies over the underlying mechanisms and a fundamental understanding of hydrogen embrittlement in nanostructures is almost non-existent. Here we use metallic nanowires (NWs) as a platform to study hydrogen embrittlement in nanostructures where deformation and failure are dominated by dislocation nucleation. Based on quantitative in-situ transmission electron microscopy nanomechanical testing and molecular dynamics simulations, we report enhanced yield strength and a transition in failure mechanism from distributed plasticity to localized necking in penta-twinned Ag NWs due to the presence of surface-adsorbed hydrogen. In-situ stress relaxation experiments and simulations reveal that the observed embrittlement in metallic nanowires is governed by the hydrogen-induced suppression of dislocation nucleation at the free surface of NWs.Nature communicationsHydrogen embrittlement in metallic nanowires.PMC64948411709318Chang THZhu YYin SRichter GGao HCheng GfalseHydrogen embrittlement in metallic nanowires.Although hydrogen embrittlement has been observed and extensively studied in a wide variety of metals and alloys, there still exist controversies over the underlying mechanisms and a fundamental understanding of hydrogen embrittlement in nanostructures is almost non-existent. Here we use metallic nanowires (NWs) as a platform to study hydrogen embrittlement in nanostructures where deformation and failure are dominated by dislocation nucleation. Based on quantitative in-situ transmission electron microscopy nanomechanical testing and molecular dynamics simulations, we report enhanced yield strength and a transition in failure mechanism from distributed plasticity to localized necking in penta-twinned Ag NWs due to the presence of surface-adsorbed hydrogen. In-situ stress relaxation experiments and simulations reveal that the observed embrittlement in metallic nanowires is governed by the hydrogen-induced suppression of dislocation nucleation at the free surface of NWs.2019-01-01T00:00:00Z2019 May2026-05-07T03:45:22.916Z2019-06-06T23:10:22ZS-EPMC64948413104360110.1038/s41467-019-10035-0