Precision tensile testing of small specimens of polysulphur nitride in the scanning electron microscope

Abstract

Experiments have been carried out using a miniature tensometer in a scanning electron microscope to obtain high-precision mechanical tensile test data on needle-shaped crystals of (SN) _x . Extensions as low as 10 nm can be measured over a gauge length of varied size from a few millimetres down to a few microns. Loads were applied in a range of 0.1–10 N and measured with a sensitivity of 0.006 N. Young's modulus parallel to the chain axis of (SN) _x was measured as 1.3 × 10¹⁰ N m⁻², the crystals yielded at 1.3 × 10⁸ N m⁻² at a strain of 0.9%, tensile strength was determined at 2.1 × 10⁸ N m⁻².