Measurement of the Elastic Modulus of Single Bacterial Cellulose Fibers Using Atomic Force Microscopy

The ability of the atomic force microscope to measure forces with subnanonewton sensitivity at nanometer-scale lateral resolutions has led to its use in the mechanical characterization of nanomaterials. Recent studies have shown that the atomic force microscope can be used to measure the elastic mod...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Langmuir 2005-07, Vol.21 (14), p.6642-6646
Main Authors: Guhados, Ganesh, Wan, Wankei, Hutter, Jeffrey L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteria
Cellulose - chemistry
Chemistry
Elasticity
Exact sciences and technology
General and physical chemistry
Microscopy, Atomic Force - methods
Nanotechnology
X-Ray Diffraction
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Summary:The ability of the atomic force microscope to measure forces with subnanonewton sensitivity at nanometer-scale lateral resolutions has led to its use in the mechanical characterization of nanomaterials. Recent studies have shown that the atomic force microscope can be used to measure the elastic moduli of suspended fibers by performing a nanoscale three-point bending test, in which the center of the fiber is deflected by a known force. We extend this technique by modeling the deflection measured at several points along a suspended fiber, allowing us to obtain more accurate data, as well as to justify the mechanical model used. As a demonstration, we have measured a value of 78 ± 17 GPa for Young's modulus of bacterial cellulose fibers with diameters ranging from 35 to 90 nm. This value is considerably higher than previous estimates, obtained by less direct means, of the mechanical strength of individual cellulose fibers.
ISSN:0743-7463
1520-5827
DOI:10.1021/la0504311