Development of a specialized diamond knife for controlled notch introduction in ultrathin polymer films for in situ tensile transmission electron microscopy.

Authors

Akemi Kumagai, Hiroshi Jinnai

Published in

Microscopy (Oxford, England). Jun 26, 2026. Epub Jun 26, 2026.

Abstract

In situ tensile testing in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) is a powerful tool for investigating polymer fracture at the nanoscale, but the stochastic nature of crack initiation has long hindered systematic observation. We report a specialized diamond knife, co-developed with Syntek Co., Ltd., that introduces a controlled V-shaped notch into a trimmed specimen block prior to cryo-ultramicrotomy. Ultrathin films (∼100 nm) of a copolymer film containing a well-defined notch were prepared and observed using in situ tensile TEM. Cracks initiated reproducibly from the notch tip and propagated predictably, providing new experimental control for nanoscale fracture studies.

PMID:
42363412
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 27 Jun 2026.

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