Block atomic force microscopy

Annis B K, Noid D W, Sumpter B G, Reffner J R and Wunderlich B 1992 Application of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to a block copolymer and an extended chain polyethylene Makromol. Chem., Rapid. Commun. 13 169 Annis B K, Schwark D W, Reffner J R, Thomas E L and Wunderlich B 1992 Determination of surface morphology of diblock copolymers of styrene and butadiene by atomic force microscopy Makromol. Chem. 193 2589... 

Experimental techniques based on the application of mechanical forces to single molecules in small assemblies have been applied to study the binding properties of biomolecules and their response to external mechanical manipulations. Among such techniques are atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical tweezers, biomembrane force probe, and surface force apparatus experiments (Binning et al., 1986 Block and Svoboda, 1994 Evans et ah, 1995 Israelachvili, 1992). These techniques have inspired us and others (see also the chapters by Eichinger et al. and by Hermans et al. in this volume) to adopt a similar approach for the study of biomolecules by means of computer simulations. 

Puskas, J.E., Antony, P., Kwon, Y., Kovar, M., and Norton, P.R. Study of the surface morphology of polyisobutylene-based block copolymers by atomic force microscopy, J. Macromol. Sci., Macromol. Symp., 183, 191-197, 2002. 

The morphology of this supramolecular diblock copolymer library has been investigated by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. As illustrated in Fig. 21, at first glance different morphologies were obtained for different compositions. However, interpreting the phase behavior of supramolecular block copolymers is not straightforward. There are several important parameters that play a role in the phase behavior. For instance, the amorphous phase of PEG, the crystalline phase of PEG, the metal complex, and the amorphous PSt contribute to... 

Fig. 21 Atomic force microscopy (AFM) phase images of all block copolymers in the library after spin coating from 2% w/v solution in toluene. No annealing has been performed. The scale bar represents 100 nm. (Reprinted with permission from [78]. Copyright (2005) Royal Society of Chemistry)...

The effect on structure of confining block copolymers in thin films has been examined, largely using neutron reflectivity and atomic force microscopy. A number of features that result from the constraint of reduced dimensionality have been reported, such as the observation of islands and holes at the surface... 

Hahm J et al (1998) Defect evolution in ultrathin films of polystyrene-block-polymethylmethacrylate diblock copolymers observed by atomic force microscopy. J Chem Phys 109(23) 10111-10114... 

Combining the surface dynamic moduli measurements with the morphologies of the LB transferred block copolymer films imaged by atomic force microscopy... 

In this chapter, we focus on molecular assemblies of functionalized molecules consisting of phthalocyanines (Pcs) and porphyrins noncovalently bounded on metal surfaces, in order to explore their potential as building blocks for the construction of nanostructures, by using scanning probe microscopy (SPM) including STM and atomic force microscopy (AFM). 

By contrast, conventional, nonreactive surfactants, apart from water uptake and the resulting drawbacks, may cause a permanent reduction in surface hardness, poor blocking resistance, inferior sandability and dirt pick-up. These effects were already observed by Van-derhoff in the early 1950s and were confirmed more recently by Hellgren et al. using the atomic force microscopy (AFM) technology [13]. 

Demonstier-Champagne et al. used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to observe microphase separation within cast films of PS-PMPS-PS/ PS-PMPS block copolymer mixtnre [43] that were nsed to compatibilize a blend of PMPS and PS. The fractnre snrface of blend films with the block copolymer incorporated show a far finer dispersion of particle sizes than those without. Matyjaszewski et al. studied PMPS-PS thin films by SFM (scanning force microscopy) and TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and Fig. 8 shows a TEM picture of a thin section of a film which was prepared by slow evaporation from THE, which is slightly selective for the polystyrene block [73]. 

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