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Updated: May 13, 2026

Magnetic Tweezers for the Measurement of Twist and Torque
Published on: May 19, 2014
Torsion-sensing material from aligned carbon nanotubes wound onto a rod demonstrating wide dynamic range
Takeo Yamada1, Yuki Yamamoto, Yuhei Hayamizu
1Nanotube Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, 305-8565, Japan.
Abstract:
A rational torsion sensing material was fabricated by wrapping aligned single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin films onto the surface of a rod with a predetermined and fixed wrapping angle without destroying the internal network of the SWCNTs within the film. When applied as a torsion sensor, torsion could be measured up to 400 rad/meter, that is, more than 4 times higher than conventional optical fiber torsion sensors, by monitoring increases in resistance due to fracturing of the aligned SWCNT thin films.

