摩擦导致的聚合物表层微观结构改变

应用大规模分子动力学方法, 模拟了锥形探头在非晶态聚合物薄膜表面的滑动摩擦过程, 研究了摩擦导致的聚合物薄膜表层微观结构改变, 以及探头与基体间黏着作用、滑动速度和分子链长度对基体表层微观结构改变的影响. 当探头与基体之间为黏着作用时, 摩擦导致基体表面滑痕区域的键取向沿滑动方向重新取向, 导致表层分子链回转半径沿滑动方向伸长, 并且这些表层微观结构的改变程度随滑动速度的减小而增大. 在摩擦导致结构改变的过程中, 链端单体和链中单体的贡献作用不同, 形成了不同的分子链拉伸变形机制. 当样本缠结度较大或探头滑动速度较小时, 相比于链中单体, 探头对链端单体的拖曳作用使更多分子链发生拉伸变形. 研究还发现, 在探头与聚合物薄膜系统中, 使薄膜表层微观结构发生改变是摩擦能量耗散的重要途径.     

Three-dimensional scanning force/tunneling spectroscopy at room temperature

We simultaneously measured the force and tunneling current in three-dimensional (3D) space on the Si(111)-(7 × 7) surface using scanning force/tunneling microscopy at room temperature. The observables, the frequency shift and the time-averaged tunneling current were converted to the physical quantities of interest, i.e. the interaction force and the instantaneous tunneling current. Using the same tip, the local density of states (LDOS) was mapped on the same surface area at constant height by measuring the time-averaged tunneling current as a function of the bias voltage at every lateral position. LDOS images at negative sample voltages indicate that the tip apex is covered with Si atoms, which is consistent with the Si-Si covalent bonding mechanism for AFM imaging. A measurement technique for 3D force/current mapping and LDOS imaging on the equivalent surface area using the same tip was thus demonstrated.     

Ferroelectric domain breakdown

We observe a stringlike domain penetration from a ferroelectric surface deep into the crystal bulk induced by a high voltage atomic force microscope tip. The domains, which resemble channels of an electrical breakdown, nucleate under an electric field of around 10(7) V/cm at the ferroelectric surface, and grow throughout the crystal bulk where the external electric field is practically zero. A theory explaining the shape of the formed domains is presented. It shows that the driving force for the domain breakdown is the decrease of the total free energy of the system with increasing domain length.     

Using an atomic force microscope in the surface modification regime to determine the migration energy of surface defects

The lines of constant force and the profiles of the horizontal force component are calculated for the scanning of the tip of an atomic force microscope over a surface vacancy in a closepacked lattice with allowance for atomic displacements. The character of the lines of force is studied in all three scanning regimes that arise for different values of the force: without modification of the surface by the tip, migration of a single vacancy by a single interatomic distance in the direction opposite to the motion of the tip, and “dragging” of a vacancy by the tip. It is shown that the profiles of the horizontal force component can be used to calculate the activation energy for surface migration of a vacancy. An estimate is made of the scanning force for which these effects may be observed experimentally. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 104–110 (August 1999)     

用扫描隧道显微镜针尖操纵金岛

用扫描隧道显微镜，在小隧道阻抗的条件下（小偏压和大隧道电流），通过移动针尖，实现了在室温下对真空蒸镀在高定向石墨上的、由几万个原子组成的纳米尺度金岛的操纵．在大隧道阻抗的情形下，用同一个针尖可对操纵的结果进行观察，而不会对金岛产生扰动．这种可控的操纵是通过当钨针尖与金岛间距离很近时形成的金属间黏附力大于金岛与石墨间的摩擦力而实现的 关键词：     

Lateral force microscopy in low normal force limit

We have studied frictional force between SiN tip and Si surface by using lateral force microscopy. The cantilever we have used has very low stiffness of 0.006 N/m, and the normal force acting on the surface was much lower than the attractive force such as van der Waals force. In this low normal force limit, it was found that the frictional force did not depend on the normal force. We suggest a calibration method to estimate the attractive force from the lateral force data in this limit. The estimated attractive force between Si sample and SiN tip with radius of 10 nm was 0.4 nN in flat region and 0.65 nN at the corner of a rectangular hole.     

Non-Contact to Contact Transition： Direct Measurements of Interaction Forces between a Solid Probe and a Planar Air-Water Interface

The interaction force between a solid probe and a planar air-water interface is measured by using an atomic force microscope. It is demonstrated that during the approach of the probe to the air-water interface, the force curves decline all the time due to the van der Waals attraction and induces a stable profile of water surface raised. When the tip approaches very close to the water surface, force curves jump suddenly, reflecting the complex behaviour of the unstable water surface. With a theoretical analysis we conclude that before the tip touches water surface, two water profiles appear, one stable and the other unstable. Then, with further approaching, the tip touches water surface and the non-contact to contact transition occurs.     

Tip models and force definitions in molecular dynamics simulations of scanning force microscopy

The definition of the time varying force on a tip with internal degrees of freedom in atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of scanning force microscopy experiments is discussed. We show that the static expression for the tip force is inadequate for calculating force fluctuations within the MD simulations and suggest a different method of calculating the tip force. By studying the size of tip force fluctuations for different tip models and various tip positions with respect to the surface, we demonstrate that the new method works equally well in both static and dynamic cases.     

前缘弯掠风扇叶尖涡的数值分析与PIV实验

本文采用三维Navier-stokes方程、κ-ε两方程湍流模型和SIMPLE算法,对空调用前缘弯掠开式斜流风扇转子叶尖涡的三维流动特性进行了数值分析与PIV实验测量。结果表明:沿子午面流动的主气流与从叶顶外侧吸入的气流之间的卷吸作用导致在吸力面叶顶区域产生了叶尖涡。叶尖涡从25％叶顶弦长位置到50％弦长位置不断发展,同时沿吸力面向下游移动;叶尖涡随后逐渐向压力面移动;叶尖涡从75％叶顶弦长位置至转子下游逐渐耗散,沿着一条与叶轮旋向相反的斜线向转子下游发展,大致持续到转子下游65％叶顶弦长位置。计算结果和PIV的实测结果吻合,表明用 CFD工具可以预测流场,同时为前缘弯掠开式斜流转子在大型中央空调室外机上的应用和风机系统的优化设计及其降噪提供了重要的内流数据。     

Measurement of non-DLVO force on a silicon substrate coated with ammonium poly(acrylic acid) using scanning probe microscopy

The repulsive force originating from steric hindrance of polymers in aqueous solvent was investigated using scanning probe microscopy (SPM). The contact angle (CA) of ammonium poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) solution on the Si surface was measured to estimate the state of the Si substrate. Results of CA measurement show that the Si surface was fully covered with PAA at 0.1 mass% in aqueous solution. The interaction force between the Si tip and the wafer was estimated using the SPM force curve mode. The force curve measured in the ion-exchanged purified water showed the typical relation predicted by Derjaguin-Landau-Verway-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. However, the force curve shape in the 0.1 mass% PAA solution was significantly different. Only a repulsive force was observed at less than about 4 nm of separation distance between the Si wafer and cantilever tip. This distance originated from the steric repulsions of PAA adsorbed onto the Si wafer and cantilever tip.     

Scratch direction and threshold force in nanoscale scratching using atomic force microscopes

The nanoscaled tip in an AFM (atomic force microscope) has become an effective scratching tool for material removing in nanofabrication. In this article, the characteristics of using a diamond-coated pyramidal tip to scratch Ni-Fe thin film surfaces was experimentally investigated with the focus on the evaluation of the influence of the scratch or scan direction on the final shape of the scratched geometry as well as the applied scratch force. Results indicated that both the scratched profile and the scratch force were greatly affected by the scratch direction. It has been found that, to minimize the formation of protuberances along the groove sides and to have a better control of the scratched geometry, the tip face should be perpendicular to the scratching direction, which is also known as orthogonal cutting condition. To demonstrate the present findings, three groove patterns have been scratched with the tip face perpendicular to the scratching direction and very little amount of protuberances was observed. The threshold scratch force was also predicted based on the Hertz contact theory. Without considering the surface friction and adhesive forces between the tip and substrate, the threshold force predicted was twice smaller than the measurement value. Finally, recommendations for technical improvement and research focuses are provided.     

Mechanism of contrast formation in atomic force microscopy in water

We use computer modeling to investigate the mechanism of atomic-scale corrugation in frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy imaging of inorganic surfaces in solution. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that the forces acting on a microscope tip result from the direct interaction between a tip and a surface, and forces entirely due to the water structure around both tip and surface. The observed force depends on a tip structure and is a balance between largely repulsive potential energy changes as the tip approaches and the entropic gain when water is sterically prevented from occupying sites near the tip and surface.     

Atomic-scale force-vector fields

The magnitude and direction of forces acting between individual atoms as a function of their relative position can be described by atomic-scale force-vector fields. We present a noncontact atomic force microscopy based determination of the force fields between an atomically sharp tip and the (001) surface of a KBr crystal in conjunction with atomistic simulations. The direct overlap of experiment and simulation allows identification of the frontmost tip atom and of the surface sublattices. Superposition of vertical and lateral forces reveals the spatial orientation of the interatomic force vectors.     

Tunneling experiments involving magnetic tip and magnetic sample

Preliminary STM experiments have been performed on a Fe polycrystal using a CoCr magnetic tip. With the usualW-tip, the Fe topography reveals a typical polycrystalline corrugation. The CoCr tip was obtained by cleaving a Si wafer covered with a CoCr film. Its operation was verified to be normal on a Cu single-crystal surface. The combination of Fe sample and CoCr tip leads to a strongly enhanced corrugation as compared to the normal topography. A preliminary explanation, in terms of force enhancement, is based on the interaction of the tip magnetic moment with the field gradient near the sample surface.     

Forced Air Plasma Treatment (FAPT) of Hybrid Wood Plastic Composite (WPC)–Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Surfaces

Forced atmospheric (air) plasma treatment (FAPT) was applied to wood plastic composite (WPC) and continuous glass fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) surfaces to improve their adhesive bonding properties. The FRP was composed of oriented continuous E-glass fibers in a polypropylene matrix, while the WPC was fabricated using wood flour, polypropylene and additives. The FAPT was applied using two levels of discharge length projected from the discharge head (2.5″ and 1″) to ionize the air, oxidize the surfaces and improve wettability. The treatment was performed by passing the electrode over either surface, five or ten times. Surface characterization consisted of thermodynamic (surface energy determination), chemical (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), mechanical (shear strength) and microscopic (atomic force microscopy (AFM)) analysis. The results indicate that the acid–base component of the surface energy for both WPC and FRP after FAPT correlates with an increase in wettability. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was performed on wood regions and non-wood regions of the WPC surfaces; the oxygen concentration increased to a larger extent in the non-wood regions. Bonding shear strength measurements indicated increases of 50% after FAPT on WPC surfaces (2.5″ discharge length, 1 pass) and up to 200% for the hybrid WPC–FRP. Atomic force microscopy measurements using a silicon tip probe showed increases in adhesive force interactions up to 56% on WPC surfaces post-FAPT.     

High resolution atomic force microscopic imaging of the Si(111)-(7 x 7) surface: contribution of short-range force to the images

Observation of the rest-atom layer of the Si(111)-(7 x 7) surface is performed by atomic force microscopy. By detecting the force due to the single chemical covalent bond formed between the tip and the sample surface, individual atoms on the layer were clearly resolved. Unprecedented high spatial resolution was achieved by setting the detection force at a small value and by reducing background forces due to the long-range interactions with the small oscillation amplitude of the cantilever and sharp probe tip.     

Effect of chain length on the adhesion behaviour of n-alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers on Au(111): An atomic force microscopy study

The effect of chain length on the adhesion behaviour of n-alkanethiols CH₃(CH₂)_nSH, wheren = 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14 and 15 has been followed by carrying out pull-off force measurement using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The self-assembled monolayers on Au(111) surface has been characterized by reflection absorption infra-red spectroscopy (RAIRS) and contact mode AFM. It is observed that the work of adhesion is independent of thiol chain length though the standard deviation is high for short chain length thiol-based monolayers. This may be attributed to the relatively more deformable nature of the short chain thiol films due to their heterogeneity in the monolayer structure than the long chain ones. This, in turn, increases the contact area/volume between the AFM tip and the monolayer, and hence the force of adhesion. However, in the presence of water, the force of adhesion is lower than that observed in air reflecting the effects of capillary forces/polar components associated with the surface energy.     

Surface adhesion properties of graphene and graphene oxide studied by colloid-probe atomic force microscopy

Surface adhesion properties are important to various applications of graphene-based materials. Atomic force microscopy is powerful to study the adhesion properties of samples by measuring the forces on the colloidal sphere tip as it approaches and retracts from the surface. In this paper we have measured the adhesion force between the colloid probe and the surface of graphene (graphene oxide) nanosheet. The results revealed that the adhesion force on graphene and graphene oxide surface were 66.3 and 170.6 nN, respectively. It was found the adhesion force was mainly determined by the water meniscus, which was related to the surface contact angle of samples.     

Pressure solution at the molecular scale

The topological evolution of the cleavage surface of a gypsum single crystal during its dissolution in a flowing undersaturated aqueous solution has been observed with an atomic force microscope. The matter transfer from solid to liquid proceeds through the migration of atomic steps. The step velocity has been measured and appears to depend on the force applied by the tip on the surface. Whereas the high force velocity enhancement is likely to stem from corrosive wear, the speed behavior at low force (<10 nN) differs drastically and can be interpreted as a consequence of the pressure solution of the crystal induced by the tip force. The step velocity evolution with the force obeys the known kinetic law of pressure solution. Hence these experiments enable us to evidence a first atomic mechanism at the origin of pressure solution.     

An AFM study of the effect of chemical treatments on the surface microstructure and adhesion properties of flax fibres

The mechanical properties of fibre-reinforced polymer composites are largely dependant on the adhesion between the matrix and the fibre. In order to enhance the interaction between flax fibres and unsaturated polyester resins, raw fibres were chemically modified using sodium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide plus acetic anhydride and formic acid-based treatments. The physical properties of the modified fibres were investigated by means of the atomic force microscopy. At first, the morphological analysis of the surfaces shows that after the chemical treatments, the fibres surface appear to be less heterogeneous in topology and smoother. Nonetheless, no significant roughness difference was found between the different treatments. Secondly, adhesion forces measurements were performed between a standard AFM silicon nitride tip and the fibres. The adhesion forces were found to vary according to the chemical treatment. The sodium hydroxide-based treatment was found to increase the adhesion force between the fibre and the AFM tip whereas the lowest adhesion force was found for the formic acid- based treated fibre. These results were attributed to the different hydrophilic character of the modified fibres. Due to the importance of the water layer adsorbed on the fibres, the adhesion forces between the AFM tip and the different samples are found to be mainly dominated by capillary forces in relation with the fibre's surface hydrophilicity.