Tensile test of a single nanofiber using an atomic force microscope tip

In this study, an approach using an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip to stretch a single electrospun polyethylene oxide (PEO) nanofiber is demonstrated. One end of the nanofiber is attached to a movable optical microscope stage and the other end of the nanofiber to a piezoresistive AFM cantilever tip. The nanofiber is stretched by moving the microscope stage and the force is measured via the deflection of the cantilever. The elastic modulus of PEO nanofiber is found to be about 45 MPa. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.