http://www.springerlink.com/content/v5651r66662761n6/ 

We reviews recent studies on in-situ quantitative mechanical characterization of metallic nanowires with diameters from a few nanometers to hundreds of nanometers, with particular emphasis placed on tensile loading geometry. Critical challenges and pitfalls in manipulating, clamping, and quantitatively testing nanowire specimens, with drastically different dimensions, are discussed. Two general experimental strategies are employed in our works: microelectrochemical systems-based technology for testing of larger-diameter metal nanowires (D ∼ 30–300 nm), and insitu transmission electron microscopyatomic force microscopy platform for testing of ultrathin metallic nanowires (D < 20 nm). Size-dependent mechanical behaviors of gold nanowires, as well as the transition of different deformation mechanisms at corresponding length scales, are clearly revealed.

Full Text PDF attached