Preliminary results towards the mechanical characterization of cellulose nanofibers using HarmoniX mode atomic force microscopy

The characterization of mechanical properties of cellulose based nanomaterials at the nanometer scale is fundamental in the development and optimization of a broad range of technological products where these nanomaterials are used for their unique physical and chemical properties. HarmoniX is an atomic force microscopy (AFM) based technique which takes advantage of the use of a T-shaped cantilever, the torsion of which is excited during the surface scan in tapping mode. This results in a torsional signal that can be analyzed in real time to map, simultaneously to the topographic reconstruction, sample mechanical properties like the elastic modulus, tip-sample adhesion, or energy dissipation during the indentation cycle. Here we report preliminary results concerning the capability of HarmoniX to characterize the mechanical properties of nanocellulose fibers from hazelnut tree shells previously separated from their matrix via chemical treatment.