Characterization of solid/air or solid/liquid interfaces

Our AFM has two distinct capabilities...

• Collection of force-distance data - Used to quantify normal and frictional forces between surfaces, either in air or fluid environments, and in the presence of coatings or adsorbents
• Topographical imaging of a surface - Ideal for characterizing the morphology of e.g. surfactants adsorbed at solid interfaces or surface coatings

In addition to topographical and force-distance imaging we also operate it as a colloidal probe whereby a particle is attached to a cantilever (rather than using a cantilever tip) and interacted directly with another particle or substrate.

We use AFM to investigate...

• Ruggosity and texture
• Stickiness
• Surface profiling