TY - JOUR A1 - Fortini, Renata A1 - Meyer-Plath, A. A1 - Kehren, D. A1 - Gernert, U. A1 - Agudo Jácome, Leonardo A1 - Sturm, Heinz T1 - Measurement of flexural rigidity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes by Dynamic Scanning Electron Microscopy T2 - Fibers N2 - In this work the flexural rigidity of individual large diameter multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was investigated. The bending modulus were obtained by detecting the resonance frequencies of mechanically excited cantilevered carbon nanotubes using the so-called dynamic scanning electron microscopy technique, and applying the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. For the nanotubes studied, we determined a modulus of up to 160 GPa. This agrees with values reported by other authors for MWCNTs produced by catalytic chemical vapor deposition, however, it is 6-8 times smaller than values reported for single and multi-walled carbon nanotubes produced by arc-discharge synthesis. Toxicological studies with carbon nanotubes have been showing that inhaled airborne nanofibers that reach the deep airways of the respiratory system may lead to serious, asbestos-like lung diseases. These studies suggested that their toxicity critically depends on the fiber flexural rigidity, with high rigidity causing cell lesions. To complement the correlation between observed toxicological effects and fiber rigidities, reliable and routinely applicable measurement techniques for the flexural rigidity of nanofibers are required. PB - MDPI KW - Flexural rigidity KW - Bending modulus KW - Resonance frequency KW - Carbon nanotubes KW - Fiber toxicology PY - 2020 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-bam/frontdoor/index/index/docId/51419 AN - OPUS4-51419 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-514190 SN - 2079-6439 VL - 8 IS - 5 SP - 31 AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany