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Size-dependent Creep Master Curve of Individual Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers

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Abstract

While there is great interest in polymer nanofibers due to their high strength, methods to measure their time-temperature superposition (TTS) curves are lacking. The objective of this work is to demonstrate one such method and thereby to predict room temperature creep compliance over many decades of time. A complimentary measurement is also presented to estimate the associated activation energy. The experimental method is demonstrated for polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers using an on-chip surface micromachined stepper motor actuator. It is first shown that the method yields good agreement with previous room temperature measurements. Subsequently, data up to 95 °C, near the glass transition temperature, is presented. Time-temperature superposition master curves are then constructed, and activation energies for two narrow diameter ranges (221 ± 27 nm and 150 ± 9 nm) are determined. The activation energy of the 221 nm fiber agrees well with the bulk PAN value, while the 150 nm fiber is 50% larger, indicating the importance of higher chain packing and reduced chain mobility in thinner fibers. TTS curves spanning 7 (221 nm) and 9 (150 nm) decades are presented. Over this time span the creep compliance increases by a factor of approximately 10 for each. This work demonstrates a viable method to measure polymer nanofiber TTS curves from which quantitative activation energy can be determined, and from which creep compliance values over time can be predicted.

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Funding

This work was supported by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) under award CMMI-1334630.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    R. Shrestha & M. P. de Boer

  2. Department of Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

    J. Cai & M. Naraghi

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  1. R. Shrestha
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  2. J. Cai
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  3. M. Naraghi
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  4. M. P. de Boer
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Correspondence to M. P. de Boer.

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Shrestha, R., Cai, J., Naraghi, M. et al. Size-dependent Creep Master Curve of Individual Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers. Exp Mech 60, 763–773 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-020-00593-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-020-00593-6

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