Electron microscopy and in situ testing of mechanical deformation of carbon nanotubes

In this paper, the electron diffraction technique to determine the helicity and atomic structure of carbon nanotubes is reviewed, as well as different mechanical test methods, tensile test, bending test, compression test and vibration test of carbon nanotubes by in situ electron microscopy are summarized while the relationship between mechanical properties and structures revealed by experiments is addressed. Except for these, the electric current and electron beam irradiation effect and some other novel electron microscopy experiments are also incorporated.