Quantitative Nano-characterization of Polymers Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Authors

  • Milad Radiom Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry University of Geneva Sciences II 30, Quai Ernest-Ansermet CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland. milad.radiom@unige.ch
  • Christoph Weder Adolphe Merkle Institute University of Fribourg Chemin des Verdiers 4, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
  • Katharina M. Fromm Department of Chemistry University of Fribourg Chemin du Musée 9, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
  • Andreas F. M. Kilbinger Department of Chemistry University of Fribourg Chemin du Musée 9, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
  • Plinio Maroni Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry University of Geneva Sciences II 30, Quai Ernest-Ansermet CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
  • Mathieu A. Ayer Adolphe Merkle Institute University of Fribourg Chemin des Verdiers 4, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
  • Michela di Giannantonio Department of Chemistry University of Fribourg Chemin du Musée 9, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
  • Phally Kong Department of Chemistry University of Fribourg Chemin du Musée 9, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
  • Svilen Kozhuharov Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry University of Geneva Sciences II 30, Quai Ernest-Ansermet CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
  • Michal Borkovec Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry University of Geneva Sciences II 30, Quai Ernest-Ansermet CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2017.195

Keywords:

Afm imaging, Atomic force microscopy, Mechanochemistry, Single molecule force spectroscopy, Single molecules

Abstract

The present article offers an overview on the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to characterize the nanomechanical properties of polymers. AFM imaging reveals the conformations of polymer molecules at solid– liquid interfaces. In particular, for polyelectrolytes, the effect of ionic strength on the conformations of molecules can be studied. Examination of force versus extension profiles obtained using AFM-based single molecule force spectroscopy gives information on the entropic and enthalpic elasticities in pN to nN force range. In addition, single molecule force spectroscopy can be used to trigger chemical reactions and transitions at the molecular level when force-sensitive chemical units are embedded in a polymer backbone.
CHIMIA Vol. 71 No. 4 (2017): Laureates: Junior Prizes of the SCS Fall Meeting 2016

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Published

2017-04-26

Issue

Vol. 71 No. 4 (2017): Laureates: Junior Prizes of the SCS Fall Meeting 2016

Section

Scientific Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2017 Swiss Chemical Society

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

[1]
M. Radiom, C. Weder, K. M. Fromm, A. F. M. Kilbinger, P. Maroni, M. A. Ayer, M. di Giannantonio, P. Kong, S. Kozhuharov, M. Borkovec, Chimia 2017, 71, 195, DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2017.195.