Mark W. Rutland

Techniques for measuring surface forces

Abstract The forces acting between colloidal particles and between surfaces are of utmost importance for determining the behaviour of dispersed systems and adhesion phenomena. Several techniques are now available for direct measurement of these surface forces. In this review we focus on some of these methods. Two techniques for measuring forces between macroscopic solid surfaces; the interferometric surface force apparatus, known as the SFA, and a novel instrument which is based on a bimorph force sensor, the so-called MASIF, are described in some detail. Forces between a macroscopic surface and a particle can be measured with the atomic force microscope (AFM) using a colloidal probe, or by employing total internal reflection microscipy (TIRM) to monitor the position of a colloidal particle trapped by a laser beam. We also describe two different techniques that can be used for measuring forces between “soft” interfaces, the thin film balance (TFB) for single foam, emulsion and solid/fluid/fluid films, and osmotic stress methods, commonly used for studying interactions in liquid crystalline surfactant phases or in concentrated dispersions. The advantages and limitations of each of these techniques are discussed and typical results are presented.

Adsorption of CTAB on Hydrophilic Silica Studied by Linear and Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopy

Vibrational sum-frequency spectroscopy (SFS) and total internal reflection Raman scattering (TIR Raman) have been used to study the adsorption of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) to hydrophilic silica. These two complementary techniques permit the determination of the adsorbed amount with a sensitivity of approximately 1% of the maximum surface coverage, changes in the average tilt of the adsorbed molecules, the presence of asymmetric aggregates in the adsorbed film, and the structure and orientation of the water molecules in the interfacial region. The TIR Raman spectra show a monotonic increase with CTAB concentration with no measurable changes in the relative intensities of the different polarization combinations probed, implying that no significant changes occur in the conformational order of the hydrocarbon chain. In the sum-frequency (SF) spectra, no detectable peaks from the surfactant headgroup and hydrophobic chain were observed at any surface coverage. Major changes are observed in the water bands of the SF spectra, as the originally negatively charged silica surface becomes positively charged with an increase in the adsorbed amount, inducing a change in the polar orientation of the water molecules near the surface. The detection limits for hydrocarbons chains in the SF spectra were estimated by comparison with the SF spectrum of a disordered octadecyltrichlorosilane monolayer. The simulations demonstrate that the asymmetry in the adsorbed CTAB layer at any concentration is less than 5% of a monolayer. The results obtained pose severe constraints on the possible structural models, in particular at concentrations below the critical micellar concentration where information is scarce. The formation of hemimicelles, monolayers and other asymmetric aggregates is ruled out, with centrosymmetric aggregates forming from early on in the adsorption process.

Atomic force microscopy and direct surface force measurements (IUPAC Technical Report)

The atomic force microscope (AFM) is designed to provide high-resolution (in the ideal case, atomic) topographical analysis, applicable to both conducting and nonconducting surfaces. The basic imaging principle is very simple: a sample attached to a piezoelectric positioner is rastered beneath a sharp tip attached to a sensitive cantilever spring. Undulations in the surface lead to deflection of the spring, which is monitored optically. Usually, a feedback loop is employed, which holds the spring deflection constant, and the corresponding movement of the piezoelectric positioner thus generates the image. From this it can be seen that the scanning AFM has all the attributes necessary for the determination of surface and adhesion forces; a sensitive spring to determine the force, a piezoelectric crystal to alter the separation of the tip and surface, which if sufficiently well-calibrated also allows the relative separation of the tip and surface to be calculated. One can routinely quantify both the net surface force (and its separation dependence) as the probe approaches the sample, and any adhesion (pull-off) force on retraction. Interactions in relevant or practical systems may be studied, and, in such cases, a distinct advantage of the AFM technique is that a particle of interest can be attached to the end of the cantilever and the interaction with a sample of choice can be studied, a method often referred to as colloid probe microscopy. The AFM, or, more correctly, the scanning probe microscope, can thus be used to measure surface and frictional forces, the two foci of this article. There have been a wealth of force and friction measurements performed between an AFM tip and a surface, and many of the calibration and analysis issues are identical to those necessary for colloid probe work. We emphasize that this article confines itself primarily to elements of colloid probe measurement using the AFM.

Feeling Small: Exploring the Tactile Perception Limits

The human finger is exquisitely sensitive in perceiving different materials, but the question remains as to what length scales are capable of being distinguished in active touch. We combine material science with psychophysics to manufacture and haptically explore a series of topographically patterned surfaces of controlled wavelength, but identical chemistry. Strain-induced surface wrinkling and subsequent templating produced 16 surfaces with wrinkle wavelengths ranging from 300 nm to 90 μm and amplitudes between 7 nm and 4.5 μm. Perceived similarities of these surfaces (and two blanks) were pairwise scaled by participants, and interdistances among all stimuli were determined by individual differences scaling (INDSCAL). The tactile space thus generated and its two perceptual dimensions were directly linked to surface physical properties – the finger friction coefficient and the wrinkle wavelength. Finally, the lowest amplitude of the wrinkles so distinguished was approximately 10 nm, demonstrating that human tactile discrimination extends to the nanoscale.

Hydration forces between silica surfaces: Experimental data and predictions from different theories

Silica is a very interesting system that has been thoroughly studied in the last decades. One of the most outstanding characteristics of silica suspensions is their stability in solutions at high salt concentrations. In addition to that, measurements of direct-interaction forces between silica surfaces, obtained by different authors by means of surface force apparatus or atomic force microscope (AFM), reveal the existence of a strong repulsive interaction at short distances (below 2 nm) that decays exponentially. These results cannot be explained in terms of the classical Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek (DLVO) theory, which only considers two types of forces: the electrical double-layer repulsion and the London-van der Waals attraction. Although there is a controversy about the origin of the short-range repulsive force, the existence of a structured layer of water molecules at the silica surface is the most accepted explanation for it. The overlap of structured water layers of different surfaces leads to repulsive forces, which are known as hydration forces. This assumption is based on the very hydrophilic nature of silica. Different theories have been developed in order to reproduce the exponentially decaying behavior (as a function of the separation distance) of the hydration forces. Different mechanisms for the formation of the structured water layer around the silica surfaces are considered by each theory. By the aid of an AFM and the colloid probe technique, the interaction forces between silica surfaces have been measured directly at different pH values and salt concentrations. The results confirm the presence of the short-range repulsion at any experimental condition (even at high salt concentration). A comparison between the experimental data and theoretical fits obtained from different theories has been performed in order to elucidate the nature of this non-DLVO repulsive force.

Comparison of different methods to calibrate torsional spring constant and photodetector for atomic force microscopy friction measurements in air and liquid

A number of atomic force microscopy cantilevers have been exhaustively calibrated by a number of techniques to obtain both normal and frictional force constants to evaluate the relative accuracy of the different methods. These were of either direct or indirect character-the latter relies on cantilever resonant frequencies. The so-called Sader [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 70, 3967 (1999)] and Cleveland [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 64, 403 (1993)] techniques are compared for the normal force constant calibration and while agreement was good, a systematic difference was observed. For the torsional force constants, all the techniques displayed a certain scatter but the agreement was highly encouraging. By far the simplest technique is that of Sader, and it is suggested in view of this validation that this method should be generally adopted. The issue of the photodetector calibration is also addressed since this is necessary to obtain the cantilever twist from which the torsional force is calculated. Here a technique of obtaining the torsional photodetector sensitivity by combining the direct and indirect methods is proposed. Direct calibration measurements were conducted in liquid as well as air, and a conversion factor was obtained showing that quantitative friction measurements in liquid are equally feasible provided the correct calibration is performed.

Ionic liquid lubrication : influence of ion structure, surface potential and sliding velocity

Colloid probe atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been employed to investigate the nanotribology of the ionic liquid (IL)-Au(111) interface. Data is presented for four ILs, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate ([EMIM] FAP), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate ([BMIM] FAP), 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate ([HMIM] FAP) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide ([BMIM] I), at different Au(111) surface potentials. Lateral forces vary as a function of applied surface potential and ion structure because the composition of the confined ion layer changes from cation-enriched (at negative potentials) to mixed (at 0 V), and to anion-enriched (at positive potentials). ILs with FAP(-) anions all exhibit similar nanotribology: low friction at negative potentials and higher friction at positive potentials. [BMIM] I displays the opposite behaviour, as an I(-) anion-enriched layer is more lubricating than either the [BMIM](+) or FAP(-) layers. The effect of cation charged group (charge-delocalised versus charged-localised) was investigated by comparing [BMIM] FAP with 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate ([Py(1,4)] FAP). [BMIM] FAP is less lubricating at negative potentials, but more lubricating at positive potentials. This indicated that even at positive potentials the cation concentration in the boundary layer is sufficiently high to influence lubricity. The influence of sliding velocity on lateral force was investigated for the [EMIM] FAP-Au(111) system. At neutral potentials the behaviour is consistent with a discontinuous sliding process. When a positive or negative potential bias is applied, this effect is less pronounced as the colloid probe slides along a better defined ion plane.

Tunable Nanolubrication between Dual-Responsive Polyionic Grafts

This study reports on a direct approach of quantitatively probing the nanotribological response of chemically end-grafted polyions. A combination of a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation and atomic force microscopy, in the now well established colloidal probe mode, was utilized to investigate the stimuli-induced lubrication behavior between poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) grafts on gold. Force and friction measurements showed reversible transitions of up to an order of magnitude difference induced by varying the solvent conditions. The greatly enhanced lubrication observed at low pH was attributed to the formation of a repulsive, highly charged, hydrated cushion. At high pH the friction was significantly increased. The system turned attractive above the lower critical solution temperature with a small friction reduction interpreted as being due to nanoscopic flattening at the interfacial boundary.

Tip friction - torsional spring constant determination

A non-destructive technique is presented for verifying torsional spring constants used in lateral force microscopy. Various calibrations of the microscope are required and these are detailed. The technique produces reasonable values which tend to be larger than those predicted from considerations of the cantilever dimensions. The differences are discussed in terms of length corrections and particularly the uncertainty in the thickness of the cantilevers, which has an enormous effect on the values obtained through a priori calculations. Methods for inferring the thickness are discussed. Further, artefacts in conventional force measurements related to the experiments performed here are discussed.

Lubricating Properties of the Initial Salivary Pellicle — an AFM Study

The role of saliva in the oral cavity is manifold; an important function is to serve as lubricant between hard (enamel) and soft (mucosal) tissues. Intraoral lubrication is of crucial importance in order to maintain functions such as deglutition, mastication and the faculty of speech. A large number of people suffer from impaired salivary functions, displaying symptoms such as ‘dry mouth’. This results in a need for methods to assess the lubricating properties of both native saliva and potential artificial saliva formulations. Here, normal as well as lateral forces, acting between adsorbed salivary films, have been measured for the first time by means of colloidal probe atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was found that the presence of salivary pellicles between hard surfaces reduces the friction coefficient by a factor of 20. This reduction of friction is consistent with the long-range purely repulsive nature of the normal forces acting between the salivary films. The lubricating mechanism is presumably based on a full separation of the sliding surfaces by the salivary films. The friction between salivary films has been investigated at normal loads that cover the clinical jaw closing forces, and it can be concluded that the lubricating properties are maintained within this load interval. The present study indicates the usefulness of colloidal probe AFM, which offers a direct and quantitative measure of lubrication at a molecular level, in the study of biotribological phenomena. In particular, the results obtained here may have implications for the development of saliva substitutes.