Surface force apparatus measurements

Fig. 8. (i) Surface force.s apparatus (SFA). The force between the two surfaces is measured by measuring the deflection of the leaf spring on which one of the surfaces is mounted. The distance between the surfaces is determined by measuring the wavelengths of interference fringes. 

The statics and dynamics of microstructures are governed by the forces that create or maintain them. Rarely can the forces be measured directly. But forces between special surfaces immersed in fluid can now be accurately gauged at separations down to 0.1 nm with the direct force measurement apparatus, an ingenious combination of a differential spring, a piezoelectric crystal, an interferometer, and crossed cyhndrical surfaces covered by atomically smooth layers of cleaved mica (Figure 9.4). This recent development is finding more and more applications in research on liquid and semiliquid microstructures, thin films, and adsorbed layers. 

FIGURE 9.4 The direct force measurement apparatus shown here ean measure the forees between two eurved molecularly smooth surfaces in liquids. Mica surfaces, either raw or eoated, are the primary surfaees used in this apparatus. The separation between the surfaces is measured by optieal teehniques to better than 10 nm. The distance between the two surfaces is controlled by a three-stage meehanism that ineludes a voltage-driven piezoelectric crystal tube supporting the upper mica surface this crystal tube can be displaced less than 10 nm in a controlled fashion. A force-measuring spring is attached to the lower mica surface and its stiffness can be varied by a factor of 1,000 by shifting the position of a movable clamp. Reprinted with permission from Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA, 84, July 1987, 4722. 

Surface forces measurement directly determines interaction forces between two surfaces as a function of the surface separation (D) using a simple spring balance. Instruments employed are a surface forces apparatus (SFA), developed by Israelachivili and Tabor [17], and a colloidal probe atomic force microscope introduced by Ducker et al. [18] (Fig. 1). The former utilizes crossed cylinder geometry, and the latter uses the sphere-plate geometry. For both geometries, the measured force (F) normalized by the mean radius (R) of cylinders or a sphere, F/R, is known to be proportional to the interaction energy, Gf, between flat plates (Derjaguin approximation). 

Micromechanical force measurement apparatus (Taylor, 2006 Taylor et al., 2007) Particle adhesive forces Yes Adhesive forces vs. time (min) 15 psi >5 pm Adhesive forces between hydrate—hydrate particles, hydrate particle-surface... 

J.N. Israelachvili and P.M. McGuiggan. Adhesion and Short-Range Forces between Surfaces. Part I New Apparatus for Surface Force Measurements. J. Mater. Res. 5 2223 (1990). 

The motion (steady or oscillatory) of a sphere towards a flat surface experiences a resistance to its motion. This resistance is due to the combined contribution from stokes drag on the sphere, the drainage force, and the drag force on the cantilever attached between the sphere and the force measuring apparatus, i.e., atomic force microscopy (AFM) or surface force apparatus (SFA). The exact hydrodynamic solutions of this resistance force for a sphere of radius a, approach velocity V, viscosity p, and closest separation distance h can be derived as... 

Israelachvili, J. N., and P. M. McGuiggan. 1990. Adhesion and short-range forces between surfaces. I. New apparatus for surface force measurements. J. Mater. Res. 5 2223-2231. 

Surface Force Measurements. Another method to measure the thickness of adsorbed layers is by the surface force apparatus (SFA) (17). In this method two freshly cleaved mica sheets are glued to the surfaces of two crossed cylindrical lenses. Polymer chains are then allowed to adsorb on the mica sheets. In order to measure the thickness of the adsorbed layers the two cylinders are brought in contact and the force between them is measured as a fimction of separation. The onset of the repulsive force associated with compression of the adsorbed layer can be related to the thickness of the adsorbed layer. On the other hand, in the event of bridging between the adsorbed layers the force will be attractive. Recent advances in the instrument have made it possible to probe the effect adsorption has on the flow of fluid past a surface (18). 

Surface Force Measurements. Another method to measure the thickness of adsorbed layers is hy the surface force apparatus (SFA) (90). In SFA, two freshly cleaved mica sheets carrying adsorbed polymer chains are brought together, and forces between surfaces are measured as a function of separation. The thickness of the adsorbed layer is estimated from the onset of the repulsive force as the adsorbed layers overlap. 

A major advance in force measurement was the development by Tabor, Win-terton and Israelachvili of a surface force apparatus (SFA) involving crossed cylinders coated with molecularly smooth cleaved mica sheets [11, 28]. A current version of an apparatus is shown in Fig. VI-4 from Ref. 29. The separation between surfaces is measured interferometrically to a precision of 0.1 nm the surfaces are driven together with piezoelectric transducers. The combination of a stiff double-cantilever spring with one of a number of measuring leaf springs provides force resolution down to 10 dyn (10 N). Since its development, several groups have used the SFA to measure the retarded and unretarded dispersion forces, electrostatic repulsions in a variety of electrolytes, structural and solvation forces (see below), and numerous studies of polymeric and biological systems. 

Fig. VI-4. Illustration of the surface force apparatus with the crossed-cylinder geometry shown as an inset. The surface separations are determined from the interference fringes from white light travelling vertically through the apparatus. At each separation, the force is determined from the deflection in the force measuring spring. For solution studies, the entire chamber is filled with liquid. (From Ref. 29.)...

While evidence for hydration forces date back to early work on clays [1], the understanding of these solvent-induced forces was revolutionized by Horn and Israelachvili using the modem surface force apparatus. Here, for the first time, one had a direct measurement of the oscillatory forces between crossed mica cylinders immersed in a solvent, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS) [67]. 

The modification of the surface force apparatus (see Fig. VI-4) to measure viscosities between crossed mica cylinders has alleviated concerns about surface roughness. In dynamic mode, a slow, small-amplitude periodic oscillation was imposed on one of the cylinders such that the separation x varied by approximately 10% or less. In the limit of low shear rates, a simple equation defines the viscosity as a function of separation... 

The surface forces apparatus of crossed mica cylinders (Section VI-4D) has provided a unique measurement of friction on molecular scales. The apparatus is depicted in Fig. VI-3, and the first experiments involved imposing a variation or pulsing in the sepa-... 

The force between two adjacent surfaces can be measured directly with the surface force apparatus (SEA), as described in section BT20 [96]. The SEA can be employed in solution to provide an in situ detennination of the forces. Although this instmment does not directly involve an atomically resolved measurement, it has provided considerable msight mto the microscopic origins of surface friction and the effects of electrolytes and lubricants [97]. 

Kumacheva E 1998 Interfacial friction measurements in surface force apparatus Prog. Surf. Sc/. 58 75... 

Compared witii other direct force measurement teclmiques, a unique aspect of the surface forces apparatus (SFA) is to allow quantitative measurement of surface forces and intermolecular potentials. This is made possible by essentially tliree measures (i) well defined contact geometry, (ii) high-resolution interferometric distance measurement and (iii) precise mechanics to control the separation between the surfaces. 

The measurement of surface forces calls for a rigid apparatus that exhibits a high force sensitivity as well as distance measurement and control on a subnanometre scale [38]. Most SFAs make use of an optical interference teclmique to measure distances and hence forces between surfaces. Alternative distance measurements have been developed in recent years—predominantly capacitive techniques, which allow for faster and simpler acquisition of an averaged distance [H, 39, 40] or even allow for simultaneous dielectric loss measurements at a confined interface. 

Interactions between macromolecules (protems, lipids, DNA,.. . ) or biological structures (e.g. membranes) are considerably more complex than the interactions described m the two preceding paragraphs. The sum of all biological mteractions at the molecular level is the basis of the complex mechanisms of life. In addition to computer simulations, direct force measurements [98], especially the surface forces apparatus, represent an invaluable tool to help understand the molecular interactions in biological systems. 

Yamada S and Israelachvili J N 1998 Friction and adhesion hysteresis of fluorocarbon surfactant monolayer-coated surfaces measured with the surface forces apparatus J. Rhys. Chem. B 102 234-44... 

A wide variety of measurements can now be made on single molecules, including electrical (e.g. scanning tunnelling microscopy), magnetic (e.g. spin resonance), force (e.g. atomic force microscopy), optical (e.g. near-field and far-field fluorescence microscopies) and hybrid teclmiques. This contribution addresses only Arose teclmiques tliat are at least partially optical. Single-particle electrical and force measurements are discussed in tire sections on scanning probe microscopies (B1.19) and surface forces apparatus (B1.20). 

Figure C2.9.3 Schematic diagrams of the interfaces reaiized by (a) tire atomic force microscope, (b) tire surface forces apparatus and (c) tire quartz crystai microbaiance for achieving fundamentai measurements of friction in weii defined systems.

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