title: Robust determination of Young's modulus of individual carbon nanotubes by quasi-static interaction with Lorentz forces.
abstract: Young's modulus of an individual multi-wall carbon nanotube has been determined by the method of quasi-static transverse bending due to a Lorentz force observed in situ in a transmission electron microscope. The deflection of the nanotube allows the determination of Young's modulus using Euler-Bernoulli's beam equation. Because we determine the specific dependence of the deflection on the position along the nanotube axis, it is possible to gain insight into the type of mountings and furthermore allows for an estimation of the homogeneity of the nanotube. Both properties have been found to be of importance to determine Young's modulus. It was found to be higher by up to a factor of 1.6 compared to the value obtained by assuming rigid mountings.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research IFW Dresden, PF 270116, 01171 Dresden, Germany. markus.loeffler@ifw-dresden.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Löffler
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Weissker
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mühl
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gemming
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Büchner
mesh_terms: D055119:Elastic Modulus; D004548:Elasticity; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000032:analysis*; D053770:Nanowires / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon