Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)-Nanoindentation of Polyethylene Oxide (PEO) Nanofibers

Today nanofibers have been an object of interest for different kind of applications like sensor, Bio-sensor, Tissue, actuators, etc, because of their extraordinary properties in comparison to film and bulk materials. Properties like the huge surface to volume ratio that increases the sensitivity of the fiber. We investigate the properties of the Polymers nanofibers for its application as sensors and as actuator element. Hence, are very important the geometrical, mechanical and electrical properties of the fibers in order to determine for example the working range, the sensibility and the minimal detection limits of the fiber.
The mechanical characteristics of PEO nanofiber are not sufficiently described in the literature, because its small size is not ease to manipulate it to do a mechanical test. This study supplements the existing literature in the field of electrospun polyethylene (PEO) nanofibers mechanical properties investigated with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) nanoindentation. This study based on the method developed by the reference [1, 2 and 5] and we compare the results obtained with the results on the reference [1, 2 and 4].