title: What holds paper together: nanometre scale exploration of bonding between paper fibres.
abstract: Paper, a man-made material that has been used for hundreds of years, is a network of natural cellulosic fibres. To a large extent, it is the strength of bonding between these individual fibres that controls the strength of paper. Using atomic force microscopy, we explore here the mechanical properties of individual fibre-fibre bonds on the nanometre scale. A single fibre-fibre bond is loaded with a calibrated cantilever statically and dynamically until the bond breaks. Besides the calculation of the total energy input, time dependent processes such as creep and relaxation are studied. Through the nanometre scale investigation of the formerly bonded area, we show that fibrils or fibril bundles play a crucial role in fibre-fibre bonding because they act as bridging elements. With this knowledge, new fabrication routes can be deduced to increase the strength of an ancient product that is in fact an overlooked high-tech material.
authors: Institute of Physics, Montanuniversität Leoben, 8700 Leoben, Austria.
authors: Franz J
authors: FJ
authors: Schmied
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Teichert
authors: Lisbeth
authors: L
authors: Kappel
authors: Ulrich
authors: U
authors: Hirn
authors: Wolfgang
authors: W
authors: Bauer
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Schennach
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D008422:Materials Testing; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010209:Paper; D010316:Particle Size
references: J Theor Biol. 2008 Aug 7;253(3):434-45
references: 18485371
references: Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2013 Feb 14;15(6):1798-801
references: 23262787
references: Science. 2006 Apr 14;312(5771):242-6
references: 16614215
references: Nat Mater. 2003 Dec;2(12):810-4
references: 14625541
references: Rev Sci Instrum. 2012 Jul;83(7):073902
references: 22852699
references: J Phys Condens Matter. 2013 Jan 30;25(4):045002
references: 23220767
references: Phys Rev Lett. 1986 Mar 3;56(9):930-933
references: 10033323
references: Adv Mater. 2011 May 3;23(17):1935-61
references: 21433116
references: Macromol Biosci. 2006 Sep 15;6(9):697-702
references: 16967482
references: Biophys J. 2008 Oct;95(8):3956-63
references: 18641067
references: Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2012 Oct 22;51(43):10740-5
references: 23037938
references: Phys Rev Lett. 2000 Jun 12;84(24):5552-5
references: 10990992
references: ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2011 Oct;3(10):4024-31
references: 21902239