Brittle or plastic? Revisiting the mechanical behavior of benzoic acid crystals | Synapse
June 4, 2026
Brittle or plastic? Revisiting the mechanical behavior of benzoic acid crystals
Key Points
The aim is to explore the mechanical behavior of benzoic acid crystals, specifically whether they exhibit brittle or plastic characteristics.
Observation of single crystals of benzoic acid
Analysis of mechanical bending properties along the (001) direction
Identification of weak edge-to-edge aromatic interactions contributing to slip planes
Single crystals showed 1D plastic bending due to specified slip plane
Formation of low-energy slip planes facilitated the bending behavior
Weak aromatic interactions were identified as a key factor in the observed mechanical properties
Abstract
The single crystals of benzoic acid exhibit 1D plastic bending along (001) due to the formation of a low-energy slip plane through weak edge-to-edge aromatic interactions.