Polymer materials of reduced size and dimensionality, such as thin films, polymer nanofibres and nanotubes, exhibit exceptional mechanical properties compared with those of their macroscopic counterparts. We discuss here the abrupt increase in Young's modulus in polymer nanofibres. Using scaling estimation we show that this effect occurs when, in the amorphous (non-crystalline) part of the nanofibres, the transversal size of regions consisting of orientation-correlated macromolecules is comparable to the nanofibre diameter, thereby resulting in confinement of the supramolecular structure. We suggest that in polymer nanofibres the resulting supramolecular microstructure plays a more dominant role in the deformation process than previously thought, challenging the commonly held view that surface effects are most significant. The concept we develop also provides a way to interpret the observed--but not yet understood--temperature dependence of Young's modulus in nanofibres of different diameters.

This article reviews and discusses some open problems concerning polymer materials of reduced sizes and dimensions. Such objects exhibit exceptional physical properties when compared with their macroscopic counterparts. More specifically, abrupt increases in polymer nanofiber elastic modulus have been observed when diameters drop below a certain value. In addition, temperature dependence of elastic modulus is highly influenced by fiber diameter. Mechanical (macroscopic) analyses have failed to provide satisfactory explanations for the mechanisms ruling such features, calling for detailed microscopic examination of the systems in question. A hypothesis bridging the current knowledge gaps is presented. The key element of this hypothesis is based on confinement of the supermolecular microstructure of polymer nanofibers and its dominant role in the deformation process. This suggestion challenges the commonly held view suggesting that surface effects are the most significant parameters impacting mechanical and thermodynamic nanofiber behaviors. The review will focus on the mechanical and thermodynamic properties of electrospun polymer nanofibers, selected as representatives of nanoscale polymer objects.

Electrospun polymer nanofibers demonstrate outstanding mechanical and thermodynamic properties as compared to macroscopic-scale structures. Our previous work has demonstrated that these features are attributed to nanofiber microstructure [Nat. Nanotechnol. 2, 59 (2007)]. It is clear that this microstructure is formed during the electrospinning process, characterized by a high stretching rate and rapid evaporation. Thus, when studying microstructure formation, its fast evolution must be taken into account. This study focuses on the dynamics of a highly entangled semidilute polymer solution under extreme longitudinal acceleration. The theoretical modeling predicts substantial longitudinal stretching and transversal contraction of the polymer network caused by the jet hydrodynamic forces, transforming the network to an almost fully stretched state. This prediction was verified by x-ray phase-contrast imaging of electrospinning jets of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(methyl methacrylate) semidilute solutions, which revealed a noticeable increase in polymer concentration at the jet center, within less than 1 mm from the jet start. Thus, the proposed mechanism is applicable to the initial stage of the microstructure formation.

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We study the unzipping dynamics of individual DNA hairpins using nanopore force spectroscopy at different voltage ramp rates and temperatures. At high ramp rates the critical unzipping voltage is proportional to logV , whereV is the voltage ramp. At low ramp values we observe a crossover to another regime with a weaker dependence onV. Here we report on the dependence of these two regimes on temperature. Remarkably, the unzipping kinetics can be well described by a simple two-states model that predicts the existence of two asymptotic regimes: quasi-equilibrium unzipping at low-voltage ramps and irreversible unzipping at high ramp rates.