Anisotropic Fracture of Two-Dimensional Ta₂NiSe₅

Anisotropic two-dimensional materials present a diverse range of physical characteristics, making them well-suited for applications in photonics and optoelectronics. While mechanical properties play a crucial role in determining the reliability and efficacy of 2D material-based devices, the fracture behavior of anisotropic 2D crystals remains relatively unexplored. Toward this end, we herein present the first measurement of the anisotropic fracture toughness of 2D Ta₂NiSe₅ by microelectromechanical system-based tensile tests. Our findings reveal a significant in-plane anisotropic ratio (∼3.0), accounting for crystal orientation-dependent crack paths. As the thickness increases, we observe an intriguing intraplanar-to-interplanar transition of fracture along the a-axis, manifesting as stepwise crack features attributed to interlayer slippage. In contrast, ruptures along the c-axis surprisingly exhibit persistent straightness and smoothness regardless of thickness, owing to the robust interlayer shear resistance. Our work affords a promising avenue for the construction of future electronics based on nanoribbons with atomically sharp edges.