Measuring the Elastic Modulus of Thin Polymer Sheets by Elastocapillary Bending
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Updated: Apr 7, 2026

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Published on: June 30, 2023
Jinhye Bae1, Tetsu Ouchi1, Ryan C Hayward1
1Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States.
Abstract:
We describe bending by liquid/liquid or liquid/air interfaces as a simple and broadly applicable technique for measuring the elastic modulus of thin elastic sheets. The balance between bending and surface energies allows for the characterization of a wide range of materials with moduli ranging from kilopascals to gigapascals in both vapor and liquid environments, as demonstrated here by measurements of both soft hydrogel layers and stiff glassy polymer films. Compared to existing approaches, this method is especially useful for characterizing soft materials (
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