Multiwall carbon nanotubes can be bent by changing the current density of the electron beam in a transmission electron microscope. The effect could be observed in a small fraction of nanotubes in the investigated samples. The bending can be varied continuously, is reversible, and highly reproducible. On removing the force which makes them bend, they relax to their originally straight shape without any damage, thus exhibiting spring-like behavior. Possible mechanisms for this effect are discussed.
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Knechtel et al. (1998) studied this question.
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