Joint strength measurements of individual fiber-fiber bonds: an atomic force microscopy based method.

We are introducing a method to measure tensile strength of individual fiber-fiber bonds within a breaking force range of 0.01 mN-1 mN as well as the energy consumed during breaking. Until now, such a method was not available. Using a conventional atomic force microscope and a specifically designed sample holder, the desired force and the breaking behavior can be analyzed by two different approaches. First, dynamic loading can be applied, where force-versus-distance curves are employed to determine the proportions of elastic energy and energy dissipated in the bond. Second, static loading is utilized to study viscoelastic behavior and calculate viscoelastic energy contributions. To demonstrate the capability of the proposed method, we are presenting results for breaking strength of kraft pulp fiber-fiber bonds in tensile opening mode. The procedure is by no means restricted to cellulose fibers, it has the potential to quantify joint strength of micrometer-sized fibers in general.