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Soft-contact Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging of Adsorbed Surfactant and Polymer Layers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2000

Barry D. Fleming  and
Erica J. Wanless
Barry D. Fleming
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales
Erica J. Wanless
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales Department of Chemistry, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
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Abstract

The technique of atomic force microscopy (AFM) soft-imaging is outlined with respect to characterizingthe adsorption of surfactants and polymers at the solid/liquid interface. This method utilizes theelectrostatic and steric repulsion forces between the scanning probe and the sample to allow sensitive placementof the imaging probe near to the delicate surface layer. Specifically, the mixed adsorption of sodium dodecylsulfate(SDS) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) on graphite is examined. Unlike the adsorbed layer in asolution of either component, the adsorbed layer in the mixture does not cover the substrate uniformly untilequilibrium is reached (often hours later). The interesting kinetic and coverage effects observed are significantto the many applications reliant on adsorption from polymer-surfactant mixtures, especially to the flocculationof dispersions.

Type
Scanning Probe Microscopy
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , March 2000 , pp. 104 - 112
Copyright
2000 Microscopy Society of America

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