Elastic Modulus of Single Cellulose Microfibrils from Tunicate Measured by Atomic Force Microscopy

The elastic modulus of single microfibrils from tunicate (Halocynthia papillosa) cellulose was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Microfibrils with cross-sectional dimensions 8 x 20 nm and several micrometers in length were obtained by oxidation of cellulose with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperiditie-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO) as a catalyst and subsequent mechanical disintegration in water and by sulfuric acid hydrolysis. The nanocellulosic materials were deposited on a specially designed silicon wafer with grooves 227 nm in width, and a three-point bending test was applied to determine the elastic modulus using an AFM cantilever. The elastic moduli of single microfibrils prepared by TEMPO-oxidation and acid hydrolysis were 145.2 +/- 31.3 and 150.7 +/- 28.8 GPa, respectively. The result showed that the experimentally determined modulus of the highly crystalline tunicate microfibrils was in agreement with the elastic modulus of native cellulose crystals.