Abstract The ideal strength of a defect-free material, which is the stress causing a material failure, is one of the fundamental mechanical properties. In this study, we investigate ideal strengths of some face-center cubic nanostructures using molecular statics simulations and an elastic stability criterion. The simulation results show that ideal strength depends strongly on loading direction, loading mode (tension or compression), side surface orientation, shape of cross-section, and size. Consequently, nanostructures can exhibit the “smaller is stronger” trend, the “smaller is weaker” trend, and the “size-independent strength plateau” trend. Our semi-analytic model for prediction of ideal strengths of nanostructures is in good agreement with molecular statics simulation results.

中文翻译：

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由弹性不稳定性引起的纳米材料的理想强度

摘要 无缺陷材料的理想强度，即导致材料失效的应力，是基本的机械性能之一。在这项研究中，我们使用分子静力学模拟和弹性稳定性标准研究了一些面心立方纳米结构的理想强度。仿真结果表明，理想强度很大程度上取决于加载方向、加载模式（拉伸或压缩）、侧面方向、横截面形状和尺寸。因此，纳米结构可以表现出“越小越强”趋势、“越小越弱”趋势和“与尺寸无关的强度平台”趋势。我们用于预测纳米结构理想强度的半解析模型与分子静力学模拟结果非常吻合。