Safari, AshkanAshkanSafariTuković, ŽeljkoŽeljkoTukovićWalter, MaikMaikWalterCasey, EoinEoinCaseyIvankovic, AlojzAlojzIvankovic2023-02-082023-02-082015 Taylo2015-09-15Biofouling: The Journal of Bioadhesion and Biofilm Research0892-7014http://hdl.handle.net/10197/24163A fundamental understanding of biofilm mechanical stability is critical in order to describe detachment and develop biofouling control strategies. It is thus important to characterise the elastic deformation and flow behaviour of the biofilm under different modes of applied force. In this study, the mechanical properties of a mature wastewater biofilm were investigated with methods including macroscale compression and microscale indentation using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The mature biofilm was found to be mechanically isotropic at the macroscale level as its mechanical properties did not depend on the scales and modes of loading. However, the biofilm showed a tendency for mechanical inhomogeneity at the microscale level as indentation progressed deeper into the matrix. Moreover, it was observed that the adhesion force had a significant influence on the elastic properties of the biofilm at the surface, subjected to microscale tensile loading. These results are expected to inform a damage-based model for biofilm detachment.PrintenThis is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Biofouling: The Journal of Bioadhesion and Biofilm Research on 2015, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/08927014.2015.1075981.BiofilmElastic modulusViscoelastic propertiesMacroscale mechanical testingAtomic force spectroscopyJournal Article31865166410.1080/08927014.2015.10759812022-12-1406/RFP/ENM010https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ie/