Atomic force microscopy nanotube characterization

Many properties of nanotubes are highly dependent on the conditions given. While this may pose problems in the characterization, it can still be employed to study those very environmetal conditions. The nanotubes are thus used as probe or sensor. One of these applications, namely that as a tip for atomic force microscopy, has already been described in Section 3.6.1.1 as after all, these nanotube tips, too, act as sensors that detect variations of the surface structure on a substrate. The sensor applications hitherto presented in the hterature may be divided into two groups physical sensors on the one hand, and chemical ones on the other. These differ in the kind of properties that they serve to examine. 

Pipemo, S., Kaplan-Ashiri, 1, Cohen, S.R., Popovitz-Biro, R., Wagner, H.D., Tenne, R., Foresti, E., Lesci, I.G. Roveri, N. (2007) Characterization of geoinspared and synthetic chrysotile nanotubes by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Advanced Functional Materials, 17, 3332-3338. 

With atomic force microscopy it is possible to realize a 3D nanoscale topography of nanostructures, and define nanowrinkledness profiles. The principal parameters (e.g. Young s modulus) and properties (e.g. V-/ characteristic) of carbon nanotubes have been determined by the tip of the AFM cantilever. Figure 6.28 illustrates an example of carbon nanotubes deposited on a Si substrate and analysed by AFM. The lines marked as red and green show nanometric sample profiles. The relative statistical characterization is reported in the table. 

T., and Wiesendanger, R. (2004) Atomic-resolution dynamic force microscopy and spectroscopy of a single-walled carbon nanotube characterization of interatomic van der Waals forces. Phys. Rev. Lett., 93, 136101. 

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