Investigation of internal structure and local elastic properties of human hair with atomic force microscopy

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Abstract

The detailed microstructure of human hair in the transverse and longitudinal directions was studied using of scanning force microscopy (SPM) in the mode of intermittent probe oscillation (known as TappingModeTM). In addition, operating in SPM-based nanoindentation local elastic properties (Young modulus, Eloc) were determined in various zones of the hair. For quantitative analysis of Eloc precise calibration of the SPM system and assessment of the tip apex geometry were carried out. To calculate the numbers of Eloc the adapted Sneddon contact mechanical model was used.

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About the authors

N. A. Erina

Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences

Author for correspondence.
Email: natalia.erina@mail.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. a - Schematic image of the internal structure of the hair; b - three-dimensional topographic image of the outer layer of the hair, obtained on a scanning probe microscope MultiModeTM in the mode of intermittent oscillations of the probe (Tapping ModeTM). Young's modulus of the hair in uniaxial tension was determined on an Instron-3365 (UK) tensile testing machine.

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3. Fig. 2. Illustration of the packing of -keratin spiral ensembles that transform into folded -keratin plates upon stretching.

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4. Fig. 3. Conditional force curve obtained by the nanoindentation method.

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5. Fig. 4. Estimation of the geometric dimensions of the probe using the piecewise linear interpolation method: a - SEM-micrograph of the parabolic probe; b - probe profile represented through a set of rectilinear segments; c - scheme of probe indentation into the sample surface; d - graph of the function H(a) determining the radius of contact between the probe and the hypothetical sample at any current indentation depth.

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6. Fig. 5. Features of the internal structure of the hair in perpendicular section: a - optical image of microtomized hair impregnated in epoxy resin; b - topographic image of the outer cuticular zone (left) and part of the cortex zone (right); c and d - detailed topographic and phase images of the cuticle; e and f - detailed topographic and phase images of the cortex.

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7. Fig. 6. a - Topographic image of cuticle showing indentation marks and indices of local Young's modulus values for endo- and exolayer; b, c - characteristic force curves for endo- (b) and exolayer (c).

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8. Fig. 7. a - Topographic image of the cortex with indent traces and indices of local Young's modulus values; b-d - characteristic force curves in different zones of the cortex: b - paracortical region, c - orthocortical region, d - melanin.

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9. Fig. 8. Features of hair internal structure in longitudinal section: a - optical image of microtomized hair impregnated in epoxy resin; b - topographic AFM-image of substructures in conjugated areas of cuticle and cortex; c, d - enlarged topographic images of cuticle and cortex areas, respectively.

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10. Fig. 9. a - Topographic image of the internal structure of cuticle in longitudinal direction with indentation of indents location and indices of local Young's modulus values; b and c - characteristic force curves in different cuticle zones.

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11. Fig. 10. a - Topographic image of the cortex in longitudinal direction with indentation of indents location and indices of local Young's modulus values; b and c - characteristic force curves in different cuticle zones: b - orthocortical region, c - melanin.

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