Range Of Fiber Diameters Research Articles

Electrospun nanofiber reinforcement of dental composites with electromagnetic alignment approach

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is commonly used as a base acrylic denture material with benefits of rapid and easy handling, however, when it is used in prosthetic dentistry, fracturing or cracking problems can be seen due to the relatively low strength issues. Besides, acrylic resin is the still prominent material for denture fabrication due to its handy and low cost features. Numerous proposed fillers that are used to produce PMMA composites, however electrospun polyvinylalcohol (PVA) nanofiber fillers for production of PMMA composite resins are not studied as much as the others. The other focus of the practice is to compare both mechanical properties and efficiency of aligned fibers versus non-aligned PVA nanofibers in PMMA based dental composites. Field-controlled electrospinning system is manufactured and provided good alignment in lab scale as one of contributions. Some novel auxiliary electrodes in controlled structure are augmented to obtain different patterns of alignment with a certain range of fiber diameters. Scanning electron microscopy is used for physical characterization to determine the range of fiber diameters. Non-woven fiber has no unique pattern due to chaotic nature of electrospinning process, but aligned fibers have round pattern or crossed lines. These produced fibers are structured as layer-by-layer form with different features, and these features are used in producing PMMA dental composites with different volume ratios. The maximum flexural strength figure shows that fiber load by weight of 0.25% w/w and above improves in the maximum level. As a result, mechanical properties of PMMA dental composites are improved by using PVA nanofibers as a filler, however the improvement was higher when aligned PVA nanofibers are used. The maximum values were 5.1MPa (flexural strength), 0.8GPa (elastic modulus), and 170kJ/m3 (toughness) in three-point bending test. In addition to the positive results of aligned and non-aligned nanofibers it was found that they both have a non-toxic feature.

Electrospinning and direct writing: why polymer melts are excellent fluids for 3D printing

Event Abstract Back to Event Electrospinning and direct writing: why polymer melts are excellent fluids for 3D printing Paul Dalton1, Tomasz Jungst1, Almoatazbellah Youssef1, Andrei Hrynevich2, Gernot Hochleitner1 and Jürgen Groll1 1 University of Würzburg, Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, Germany 2 RWTH Aachen, Biomedical Engineering Science, Germany Introduction: Many different fluids have been used with nozzle-based direct writing techniques, including polyelectrolytes, colloidal inks, hydrogel inks and polymer solutions[1]. A key property of any material to be 3D printed is to maintain fidelity once delivered from the nozzle, and methods such as coagulation baths or rapid solvent evaporation are often used to preserve structural fidelity of the 3D printed object. Near field solution electrospinning has been used to direct write electrospun scaffolds[1], however the layer-by-layer accuracy of fiber placement and remains challenging. Here, the direct writing of non-conductive polymer melts[2] provides both the microscale fidelity and stacking capacity to 3D print objects. Materials and Methods: A custom-built, electrically-heated and pneumatically-driven melt electrospinning writing (MEW) device was used in combination with poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) (PURASORB PC12 Corbion). Instrument parameters included spinneret gauges of 22-25 G, spinneret to collector gaps of 6 mm, applied voltage of 4-6 kV, and operated at 85 °C. The speed where the fiber becomes straight, termed the “critical translation speed” (CTS), was determined for each of the samples by increasing the speed of the collector stage. No post-processing was performed. Results and Discussion: Molten PCL can be direct written readily using MEW. The fiber diameters range from 2 µm to 30 µm, depending on the instrument parameters. Figure 1 shows lines of fibers collected as speeds slower increase. The buckling due to viscoelastic forces generated patterns typical of falling fluids, and are sensitive to fluctuations in fiber diameter changes. Figure 1B-D shows very consistent fluid deposition over long time periods (hours). Figure 1: A) Schematic of the MEW jet, depicting the formation of a Taylor cone and the cooling of the melt jet during the direct writing process. B-E Increasing the stage speed shows structures typical of viscous fluids. The diameter of the fibers can also be finely controlled using stage movement. Figure 2A-B shows the electrified polymer melt above the CTS as it exits the spinneret and is drawn along the stage. Increasing the stage speed (Figure 2B), the fiber was mechanically pulled which allowed a reduction in filament diameter. A standard woodpile structure was made, and accurate stacking could be achieved up to 1mm in height, depending on the fiber spacing. Depending on the instrument parameters, suspended fibers between intersections were produced (Figure 2C), or fibers could be directly piled upon each other (Figure 2D). Figure 2: Photograph of the electrified melt electrospun jet as it exits the spinneret and is drawn onto a stage moving at A) 1000 mm/min and B) 6000 mm/min. C) A stereomicrograph of woodpile PCL structures printed under solidifying conditions while D) an SEM image shows the same structure printed where fibers “sag”. Conclusion: PCL melts were excellent fluids to direct write with using electrospinning direct writing technique. A rapid cooling of the electrified jet in combination with high viscosity and low conductivity allows the production of 3D scaffolds with microscale features. The hour-to-hour processing stability, stackability and solvent-free approach of manufacturing TE scaffolds allows MEW to be a considered an emerging additive manufacturing technique. We thank the European Research Council for funding under grant agreement no. 617989 (consolidator grant Design2Heal).

Refractive index sensitivity characteristics near the dispersion turning point of the multimode microfiber-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

The turning point of the refractive index (RI) sensitivity based on the multimode microfiber (MMMF) in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) is observed. By tracking the resonant wavelength shift of the MZI generated between the HE(11) and HE(12) modes in the MMMF, the surrounding RI (SRI) could be detected. Theoretical analysis demonstrates that the RI sensitivity will reach ±∞ on either side of the turning point due to the group effective RI difference (G) approaching zero. Significantly, the positive sensitivity exists in a very wide fiber diameter range, while the negative sensitivity can be achieved in a narrow diameter range of only 0.3 μm. Meanwhile, the experimental sensitivities and variation trend at different diameters exhibit high consistency with the theoretical results. High RI sensitivity of 10777.8 nm/RIU (RI unit) at the fiber diameter of 4.6 μm and the RI around 1.3334 is realized. The discovery of the sensitivity turning points has great significance on trace detection due to the possibility of ultrahigh RI sensitivity.

Wetting resistance of heterogeneous superhydrophobic coatings with orthogonally layered fibers

Superhydrophobic coatings comprised of electrospun nanofibers are a low-cost alternative to micro-fabricated surfaces, and can be applied to substrates of any arbitrary geometry. Such coatings with orthogonally oriented layers have properties that allow their wetting resistance to be predictable for a range of solid volume fractions, fiber diameters, and contact angles. In this paper, we have presented a modeling strategy that solves for the air–water interface shape over several layers of such coatings to predict the resistance of superhydrophobic fiber coatings to hydrostatic pressures and to quantify the relationship between microstructure, meniscus penetration depth, and wetted surface area of the fibers. Slip length predictions are also provided to shed some light on the performance of such coatings in drag reduction applications. It was found that while failure pressure for a coating rises with reducing fiber spacing, there is a tradeoff with wetted fiber surface area relative to a bare substrate. This tradeoff can be offset, however, by using smaller fibers for an intended coating. This results in a higher failure pressure for the same wetted area fraction. The results generated in this work are discussed in relation to those reported in the literature whenever possible.

Prescribed 3-D Direct Writing of Suspended Micron/Sub-micron Scale Fiber Structures via a Robotic Dispensing System

A 3-axis dispensing system is utilized to control the initiating and terminating fiber positions and trajectory via the dispensing software. The polymer fiber length and orientation is defined by the spatial positioning of the dispensing system 3-axis stages. The fiber diameter is defined by the prescribed dispense time of the dispensing system valve, the feed rate (the speed at which the stage traverses from an initiating to a terminating position), the gauge diameter of the dispensing tip, the viscosity and surface tension of the polymer solution, and the programmed drawing length. The stage feed rate affects the polymer solution’s evaporation rate and capillary breakup of the filaments. The dispensing system consists of a pneumatic valve controller, a droplet-dispensing valve and a dispensing tip. Characterization of the direct write process to determine the optimum combination of factors leads to repeatedly acquiring the desired range of fiber diameters. The advantage of this robotic dispensing system is the ease of obtaining a precise range of micron/sub-micron fibers onto a desired, programmed location via automated process control. Here, the discussed self-assembled micron/sub-micron scale 3D structures have been employed to fabricate suspended structures to create micron/sub-micron fluidic devices and bioengineered scaffolds.

Prescribed 3-D Direct Writing of Suspended Micron/Sub-micron Scale Fiber Structures via a Robotic Dispensing System.

A 3-axis dispensing system is utilized to control the initiating and terminating fiber positions and trajectory via the dispensing software. The polymer fiber length and orientation is defined by the spatial positioning of the dispensing system 3-axis stages. The fiber diameter is defined by the prescribed dispense time of the dispensing system valve, the feed rate (the speed at which the stage traverses from an initiating to a terminating position), the gauge diameter of the dispensing tip, the viscosity and surface tension of the polymer solution, and the programmed drawing length. The stage feed rate affects the polymer solution’s evaporation rate and capillary breakup of the filaments. The dispensing system consists of a pneumatic valve controller, a droplet-dispensing valve and a dispensing tip. Characterization of the direct write process to determine the optimum combination of factors leads to repeatedly acquiring the desired range of fiber diameters. The advantage of this robotic dispensing system is the ease of obtaining a precise range of micron/sub-micron fibers onto a desired, programmed location via automated process control. Here, the discussed self-assembled micron/sub-micron scale 3D structures have been employed to fabricate suspended structures to create micron/sub-micron fluidic devices and bioengineered scaffolds.

On the filtration performance of dust-loaded trilobal fibers

This paper is prepared to shed some light on the filtration performance of fibers with trilobal cross-section in comparison to their circular counterparts when loaded with aerosol particles. A trilobal geometry consisting of three overlapping elliptical lobes with major and minor diameters of 8 and 4μm, and a particle diameter range of 0.125–2μm are considered as representative examples of fibers and particles of a common aerosol filtration application. The results reported in this paper are obtained using micro- and macroscale simulation methods that we previously developed for modeling unsteady-state dust-cake formation inside and outside fibrous filters. Different flow velocities are considered to discuss performance of trilobal fibers under different particle capture regimes. For the range of particle and fiber diameters considered, the trilobal fibers are found to outperform their circular counterparts only when the particles are highly inertial, and only if the orientation of the trilobal cross-section with respect to the incoming flow is such that one of the grooves of the fiber faces the flow with a normal angle. This is in agreement with our previous simulations of clean trilobal fibers. In the case of low inertial particles, trilobal fibers were found to exhibit a higher efficiency with loading but at the expense of a significantly higher pressure drop. With the lack of perfect control over how the grooves will be oriented in a fibrous filter, one may conjecture that, other parameters being constant, the probability of an aerosol filter comprised of trilobal fibers performing better than its counterpart made of circular fibers is not very high. We also studied the effects of the through-plane orientation of the trilobal fibers on their performance relative to their circular counterpart. Similar conclusions were drawn from the latter simulations.

Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness of composite laminates interleaved with electrospun nanofibre veils

In this study, the effects of interleaved nanofibre veils on the Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness (ILFT) of autoclave cured unidirectional carbon/epoxy composite laminates were investigated. Various electrospun nanofibre veils consisting of a range of different polymer types, fibre diameters and veil architectures were placed in the laminate mid-planes, which were subsequently subjected to double cantilever beam and end-notch flexure tests. It was found that the polymer type and veil areal weight were the most important factors contributing to laminate performance. A 4.5g/m2 PA66 veil provided the best all-round performance with fracture toughness improvements of 156% and 69% for Mode I and Mode II, respectively.

Effect of yarn winding tension on the Wool ComfortMeter value when testing yarns

A new technique of predicting the comfort properties of single jersey knitted fabrics by using the Wool ComfortMeter to assess the corresponding yarns was previously investigated. In this study, the effect of the tension with which the yarn is wound on the Wool ComfortMeter yarn test plate was studied using 20 worsted, wool yarns comprising both one and two plies. The yarns covered a mean fiber diameter range from 13.8 to 24.3 µm. Three different levels of tension were applied to the yarn: 0 N (no applied tension); 0.245 N; and 0.735 N. The results, analyzed using multiple regression modeling, confirmed the significant effect of yarn tension on the Wool ComfortMeter value of the yarn, where yarn ply was also significant. The best predictor of the fabric Wool ComfortMeter value was using yarn winding with no applied tension. These results also showed that when the yarn Wool ComfortMeter values are available the mean fiber diameter provided little or no extra value in predicting fabric Wool ComfortMeter values. The models also detected significant effects from yarn count, yarn ply and fabric mass per unit area on fabric Wool ComfortMeter values.

Myelinated fiber distribution in the aortic depressor nerve of male and female spontaneously hypertensive rats (728.22)

Aortic depressor nerve (ADN) is an afferent nerve that contains myelinated (fast conducting) and unmyelinated (slow conduction) fibers that send information from aortic mechanoreceptors to central nervous system [1]. Previous studies form our laboratory [2,3] in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) have demonstrated morphological alterations on the ADN in SHR, using male and female animals indistinctively. In this study we investigated the ADN fiber distribution comparing male and female adult (20 weeks old) SHR. After the (AP) and heart rate (HR) recordings, together with the ADN spontaneous activity, the left ADN were prepared for light microscopy and morphometry. Myelinated fiber distributions were compared between proximal and distal segments in the same gender and between genders. Myelinated axon and G ratio distributions were also investigated. Myelinated fiber diameter range from 1 to 5 µm, with peak (~40% of fibers) at 2 µm while myelinated axon size range from 0.5 to 4 µm, with peak (~50% of axons) at 1.5 µm. No differences were observed between segments or genders. This indicates that gender does not influence on the ADN myelinated fiber size, allowing the use of male and females for morphological studies.[1] Krieger and Marseillan, Am J Physiol, 1963:205; [2] Fazan et. al, J Auton Nerv Syst 77, 1999:133; [3] Fazan et. al, Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 280,2001:H1560.Grant Funding Source: FAPESP, CAPES, CNPq and FAEPA

The Improvement of Dental Composite Properties with Electromagnetically Aligned Nanofiber

ABSTRACTBecause of the aesthetics, handy and low cost features, acrylic resin is the main material in denture fabrication last 40 years. The purpose of this study is to improve mechanical properties of acrylic based dental composites used in dentistry by applying nanofiber approaches. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is commonly used as a base acrylic denture material with benefits of rapid and easy handling but sometime this material can be fractured or cracked in clinical use because of the strength issues that is frequently used in restorative dentistry in recent years. A wide variety of fillers that are used to produce PMMA composites draw the attention in literature. Using PMMA composite resins with electrospun polyvinylalcohol (PVA) nanofiber fillers is our first novelty. Also the producing and using aligned electrospun fibers as a filler is our second novelty of this practice. PVA was selected as composite filler because of biocompatibility and preparing easily also has non-toxic solvent. Electrospinning system is manufactured that allows manipulation of electric field used in the application of alignment in lab scale. Various auxillary electrode systems are used for different patterns of alignment with the manufactured device and electrode systems produce fibers in different range of diameter. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used for physical characterization and determined the range of fiber diameters. After the optimization of concentration step non-woven and aligned fibers are also analyzed. Non-woven fiber has no unique pattern because of the nature of electrospinning but aligned fibers has crossed lines. These produced fibers structured as layer-by-layer form with different features are used in producing PMMA dental composites with different volume ratios. In the last part of the research, PMMA dental composites are produced with aligned and formless fibers that are characterized with three-point bending test. The maximum flexural strength figure shows that fiber load by weight %0.25 and above improves the maximum. The change of flexural strength, elastic modulus values and toughness are obtained and compared with formless and aligned PVA nanofiber included composite specimens. As a result, mechanical properties of PMMA dental composites are improved with using PVA nanofibers as a filler also with the usage of aligned fibers instead of the formless ones the effects of improvement gets better with maximum values as 5.1 MPa (flexural strength), 0.8 GPa (elastic modulus), 170kJ/m3 (toughness).

CFD simulation of total and regional fiber deposition in human nasal cavities

In this study, CFD simulations of fibrous particle deposition in different realistic human nasal cavities were performed. The airflow field in the cavity was evaluated by solving the Navier–Stokes and continuity equations using commercial software, while a Lagrangian trajectory analysis approach for solving the coupled translational and rotational equations of motion of ellipsoids was developed and used to investigate fiber transport and deposition in the nasal passages. Different breathing rates in the laminar flow regime in the nose and a range of fiber lengths and diameters were used in these simulations. It was shown that the aerodynamic diameter based on the Stokes equivalent diameter is an appropriate parameter for correlating the fiber deposition rate. Presenting the deposition fraction results versus the Stokes-based and pressure-based impaction parameters collapsed the results of different cases for various nose models roughly to a single curve. The simulated regional fiber deposition results were also presented for different nasal cavities. A simple approach developed earlier for modeling non-spherical particles using the shape factor in the drag force was also studied, and the resulting deposition fraction was compared with the present coupled translational–rotational trajectory analysis approach.

Predicting comfort properties of knitted fabrics by assessing yarns with the Wool ComfortMeter

This study examined the feasibility of assessing yarns with the Wool ComfortMeter (WCM) to predict the comfort properties of the corresponding single jersey-knitted fabrics. The optimum yarn arrangement to predict the comfort value of a corresponding control fabric was determined using nine wool and wool/nylon-blended yarns (mean fibre diameter range 16.5–24.9 μm) knitted into 34 different fabrics. Using a notched template, yarn winding frequencies of 1, 3, 6, 12, 25 and 50 parallel yarns were tested on the WCM. The best predictor of fabric WCM values was using 25 parallel yarns. Inclusion of knitting gauge and cover factor slightly improved predictions. This indicates that evaluation at the yarn stage would be a reliable predictor of knitted fabric comfort, and thus yarn testing would avoid the time and expense of fabric construction.

Motor unit potentials with satellites in dystrophinopathies

IntroductionThe objective of this study was to analyze the motor unit potentials (MUPs) with satellite components i.e., delayed by at least 2ms baseline from the main component, in the dystrophinopathies. MethodsThe parameters of the MUPs recorded from the biceps brachii muscle in the Duchenne and Becker Muscle Dystrophy (DMD, BMD) were analyzed. The origin of the MUP satellite components was studied using a computer simulation. ResultsAs compared with normal potentials, both the main and the satellite MUP components are smaller in size, while the main components are more irregular. The computer simulation allows the range of muscle fiber diameters to be determined, and suggests that the variability characterizing diameters within the motor unit is responsible for generating the delayed, satellite components, via the linear relationship between the fiber diameter and the conduction velocity of the action potential. DiscussionThe enhanced understanding of the origin of the MUP satellite components augments the knowledge about the relationship between muscle morphology and bioelectrical activity. The indirect evaluation of the range of muscle fiber diameters by means of a computer simulation may provide a new quantitative morphological data available from the EMG.

Hydrodynamic analysis of vibrating hollow fibre membranes

Dynamic shear-enhanced filtration through vibration can be an effective method to reduce concentration polarization and membrane fouling in high solids suspension loaded membrane applications such as membrane bioreactors (MBRs). In this approach, the wall shear rate on the membrane surface is one of the most important parameters which can control the fouling in vibrating membrane systems. In the present study, the effects of vibration parameters (i.e., frequency and amplitude) and geometrical parameters (i.e., fibre radius and distance between the fibres in a bundle of fibres) on the wall shear rate at the membrane surface have been studied both analytically and numerically. The analytical solution uses the cylindrical coordinate for the analysis of a vibrating single fibre. The former Cartesian solution for a flat sheet membrane used also for fibres by others, was compared to the new solution. It was found that a relative error of up to 75% can arise comparing the two solutions within a realistic range of hollow fibre diameters. The results also showed that fibres with smaller radii are more effective for the vibrating system. Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations were also performed to examine the optimal configuration and distance between fibres for different configurations. The computational results with two remote fibres were first obtained and compared with the analytical results of a single vibrating fibre. The comparison was satisfactory and shows the compatibility of the modeling and analytical results. Subsequently, the CFD analysis was conducted for a fibre bundle with both staggered and in-line arrangements, and the former was found to be marginally more responsive to vibrations.

Development of Electrospun Iminochitosan for Improved Wound Healing Application

Chitosan is a well known anti-microbial polymer. It is desired to develop and evaluate chitosan based structures with high surface area using electrospun nanofibers. To explore the properties of chitosan derivatives, iminochitosan was synthesized and electrospinning of its solutions was conducted. Nanofibers were obtained from iminochitosan solutions using trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as a solvent. Nanofiberwebs of fiber diameter range 70–400 nm were successfully obtained from 3%-8% iminochitosan solution in TFA using electrospinning technique of electric field of 2.5–6.0 kV/cm. Contact kill performance of the iminochitosan structures against a range of microbes was carried out using the disc diffusion method. The results indicate that the nanofiberwebs exhibit excellent antimicrobial behavior. It was found that the inhibition zone is affected by the iminochitosan structure parameters, namely covering power, surface area (which was affected by diameter), and basis weight. Viscosity of the solutions was determined and fiber formation was obtained in the range of 400–670cP.

Mechanics of electrospun collagen and hydroxyapatite/collagen nanofibers

Single collagen fibers and nanohydroxyapatite/collagen nanocomposite fibers with 6.4–18.5wt% hydroxyapatite (HA) content were prepared by electrospinning. Their mechanical properties were systematically investigated at ambient conditions by means of nanotensile tests. A narrow range of fiber diameters, 250–350nm, was selected for these tests as size effects are observed for the mechanical properties of all the fibers types, namely a decrease as the fiber diameter increases. The pure collagen fibers are found to exhibit tensile properties comparable to natural collagen fibril. Young's modulus of the HA-filled nanocomposite fibers is found to be only slightly higher than that of the pure collagen fibers, but significant improvements in strength, strain and toughness, are obtained. Optimal mechanical properties arise in the 6.4–11.6wt% HA range.

Sliding/Rolling Phobic Droplets along a Fiber: Measurement of Interfacial Forces

Phobic droplet-fiber systems possess complex geometries, which have made full characterization of such systems difficult. This work has used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to measure droplet-fiber forces for oil droplets on oleophobic fibers over a range of fiber diameters. The work adapted a previous method and a theoretical model developed by the authors for philic droplet-fiber systems. A Bayesian statistical model was also used to account for the influence of surface roughness on the droplet-fiber force. In general, it has been found that the force required to move a liquid droplet along an oleophobic filter fiber will be less than that required to move a droplet along an oleophilic fiber. However, because of the effects of pinning and/or wetting behavior, this difference may be less than would otherwise be expected. Droplets with a greater contact angle (~110°) were observed to roll along the fiber, whereas droplets with a lesser contact angle (<90°) would slide.

Semi-empirical model of the effect of scattering on single fiber fluorescence intensity measured on a turbid medium

Quantitative determination of fluorophore content from fluorescence measurements in turbid media, such as tissue, is complicated by the influence of scattering properties on the collected signal. This study utilizes a Monte Carlo model to characterize the relationship between the fluorescence intensity collected by a single fiber optic probe (FSF) and the scattering properties. Simulations investigate a wide range of biologically relevant scattering properties specified independently at excitation (λx) and emission (λm) wavelengths, including reduced scattering coefficients in the range μ′s(λx) ∈ [0.1 – 8]mm−1 and μ′s(λm) ∈ [0.25 – 1] × μ′s(λx). Investigated scattering phase functions (P(θ)) include both Henyey-Greenstein and Modified Henyey-Greenstein forms, and a wide range of fiber diameters (df ∈ [0.2 – 1.0] mm) was simulated. A semi-empirical model is developed to estimate the collected FSF as the product of an effective sampling volume, and the effective excitation fluence and the effective escape probability within the effective sampling volume. The model accurately estimates FSF intensities (r=0.999) over the investigated range of μ′s(λx) and μ′s(λm), is insensitive to the form of the P(θ), and provides novel insight into a dimensionless relationship linking FSF measured by different df.

Cellulose nanocrystals as a reinforcing material for electrospun poly(methyl methacrylate) fibers: Formation, properties and nanomechanical characterization

Uniform fibers composed of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) reinforced with progressively increasing contents of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), up to 41 wt% CNCs, have been successfully produced by electrospinning. The morphological, thermal and nanomechanical properties of the composite sub-micron fibers were investigated. The CNCs derived from wood pulp by sulfuric acid hydrolysis were well dispersed in solutions of PMMA and the processing solvent N,N-dimethylformamide prior to fiber formation. Well-formed fibers with controllable diameters were generated reproducibly at all CNC contents investigated including 41 wt%. The orientation of the CNCs along the fiber axis was facilitated by the electrospinning process and observed directly from microscopy examination. Shifts in thermal transitions of PMMA with increasing CNC content suggest hydrogen bonding interactions between CNC hydroxyl groups and carbonyl groups on the PMMA matrix. Nanoscale dynamic mechanical analysis (nano-DMA) was performed using nanoindentation on single fibers perpendicular to the fiber axis. Many of the current challenges associated with single fiber nanoindentation are addressed, such as fiber diameter range and minimum, depth to diameter ratio, and valid depth range under these experimental conditions. Fibers that contained 17 wt% CNCs showed a modest increase of 17% in the storage modulus of PMMA, a high modulus polymer of interest for transparent composite applications.