Tensile versus AFM testing of electrospun PVA nanofibers: Bridging the gap from Microscale to nanoscale |
| |
| Authors: | Benedikt R. Neugirg Matthias Burgard Andreas Greiner Andreas Fery |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Physical Chemistry II, University of Bayreuth, Germany;2. Department of Macromolecular Chemistry II, Bavarian Polymer Institute, University of Bayreuth, Germany;3. Leibniz‐Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V, Institute of Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Germany |
| |
| Abstract: | Design and application of mechanically extraordinary nanofibers requires their full comprehension, based on conclusive testing methods. Electrospun polymer nanofibers, for instance, show a progressive and pronounced increase in their Young's moduli when diameters decrease below the µm scale. Measurement of mechanical properties in this diameter range is challenging and in the vast majority of reports, two classes of methods are commonly used: highly sensitive tensile testing and atomic force microscopy three‐point deformation testing. Despite the methods' inherent dissimilarity, we resolve their conformity for the first time, with respect to the determination of Young's moduli. Here, we benchmark them against each other for electrospun polyvinyl‐alcohol nanofibers, a well‐defined model system. Our results provide an experimental basis for a comprehensive understanding of nanofiber structures and its implications on their mechanical properties. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 2418–2424 |
| |
| Keywords: | atomic force microscopy (AFM) electrospinning fibers mechanics mechanical properties modulus nanofibers tensile testing |
|
|
