Young's modulus studies of electrospun TiO2-carbon nanotubes

TiO2 (anatase)-multi-walled carbon nanotube composite nanofibers with an average diameter of 63 nm were prepared via sol-gel chemistry in combination with an electrospinning process. The obtained nanocomposite fibers were characterized with scanning-electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and transmission-electron microscopy. The elastic modulus of the individual nanofiber was determined by atomic-force microscopy three-point bending on a mesoporous membrane as a support. The results were compared with the elastic modulus of TiO2 (anatase) nano/ibers with an average diameter of 53 nm, prepared by the same electrospinning process. The mean of elastic moduli for TO2 and TO2-carbon nanotube nanofibers were found to be 75.6 GPa and 156.9 GPa, respectively.