Direct measurement of torsional properties of single fibers

In order to characterize the torsional behavior of micron-scale specimens, a direct technique is established based on the principle of torsion balance. The technique applies twist to the specimen and balances the resulting torque against a torsion wire of known torsional rigidity. The torsional rigidity of the torsion wire is determined by a torsion pendulum. To measure the rotation of the torsion wire, a sensitive angle detector, comprising a thin cross-beam attached between the torsion wire and the fiber specimen and a laser displacement sensor, is developed. The presented technique permits the measurement of torque in single fibers as low as 10(-9) Nm with a reasonable resolution. Using this technique, torsion tests on micro-diameter copper wires, silver wires and carbon fibers were performed. The longitudinal shear modulus and other torsional properties of these samples, such as yielding shear strength, were obtained.