Effect of cold working of the metal on the conductance of platinum, copper, and silver nanocontacts

Cold metal working, which leads to strengthening and changes in various physical properties of metals on a macroscopic level, can have a significant effect on the conductance of nanowires drawn from these materials when they break. This effect is studied for Ag, Cu, Pt, and a number of other metals. Molecular hydrogen is found to affect the characteristics of breaking in silver nanowires.