Cindy, somehow I am reading your email message (below) well after you sent
it.

We have developed miniaturized testing stages that operate inside of
electron microscopes.  One operates inside of an SEM, the other is adapted
to a TEM sample holder, affording the higher magnification and thus higher
resolution of TEM.  We have made mechanics measurements on individual
carbon nanotubes, as an example.  I am potentially interested in
collaborating with you.  Currently my group is working on measuring the
tensile loading response of carbon nanotubes, and also has the goal of
making local mechanics measurements on extremely thin composite
samples--where we load and directly observe both the nanofiber and the
matrix surrounding it, simultaneously and as a function of load.

You can download papers (see Science paper, and separately PRL paper on
tensile loading of single walled carbon nanotube ropes in particular) at:

http://bucky5.wustl.edu/recentpapers/recentpapers.htm

In principle, we can adapt our testing stages to allow simultaneous
measurement of electrical conductivity.  One might suppose that your
nanofibers are insulating, but simply to let you know--we will be adding
this capability in the future.

Please consider sending me some of the TEM images obtained at NREL.

Sincerely, Rod Ruoff

At 04:49 PM 1/14/01 -0500, Cindy Prorok wrote:
>Hi Everyone,
>  I once again would be very grateful for a bit of advice. Our group just
>developed
>a 2 nanometer diameter alumina fiber.  We got some nice
>TEM's (that were produced at National Renewable Energy Labs) and it
>shows them as entangled relatively straight whisker-like
>rods of uniform diameter and with an aspect ratio of 50+.  Since one of
>the principal applications is its use in composites we would
>like to know if there is a way to measure any of its mechanical
>properties (tensile strength?).  Assuming we could extract a single
>fiber, is there a way to do that through AF microscopy?  And what about
>electrical resistivity, as it might be pertinent to
>microelectronics and MEMS (or NEMS?).  Thanks for any advice.
>Hope everyone enjoyed the Holidays.
>
>Cindi Prorok
>Argonide Nanomaterials
>407-322-2500
>www.argonide.com
>
>
>
>