Journal article
Pyrolytic carbon resonators for micromechanical thermal analysis
Biomaterial Microsystems, Nanofabrication, National Centre for Nano Fabrication and Characterization, Technical University of Denmark1
Nanofabrication, National Centre for Nano Fabrication and Characterization, Technical University of Denmark2
National Centre for Nano Fabrication and Characterization, Technical University of Denmark3
Center for Intelligent Drug Delivery and Sensing Using Microcontainers and Nanomechanics, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark4
Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark5
Drug Delivery and Sensing, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark6
Nanoprobes, Drug Delivery and Sensing, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark7
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne8
Thermal analysis is essential for the characterization of polymers and drugs. However, the currently established methods require a large amount of sample. Here, we present pyrolytic carbon resonators as promising tools for micromechanical thermal analysis (MTA) of nanograms of polymers. Doubly clamped pre-stressed beams with a resonance frequency of 233 ± 4 kHz and a quality factor (Q factor) of 800 ± 200 were fabricated.
Optimization of the electrical conductivity of the pyrolytic carbon allowed us to explore resistive heating for integrated temperature control. MTA was achieved by monitoring the resonance frequency and quality factor of the carbon resonators with and without a deposited sample as a function of temperature.
To prove the potential of pyrolytic carbon resonators as thermal analysis tools, the glass transition temperature (Tg) of semicrystalline poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) and the melting temperature (Tm) of poly(caprolactone) (PCL) were determined. The results show that the Tg of PLLA and Tm of PCL are 61.0 ± 0.8 °C and 60.0 ± 1.0 °C, respectively, which are in excellent agreement with the values measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).
Language: | English |
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Publisher: | Nature Publishing Group UK |
Year: | 2019 |
Pages: | 58 |
ISSN: | 20557434 and 20961030 |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1038/s41378-019-0094-x |
ORCIDs: | Boisen, Anja , Keller, Stephan Sylvest , 0000-0003-3576-9277 and 0000-0003-3340-2930 |