Abstract
Fluid polymeric biomimetic membranes are probed with atomic force microscopy (AFM) using probes with both normal tetrahedrally shaped tips and nanoneedle-shaped Ag2Ga rods. When using nanoneedle probes, the collected force volume data show three distinct membrane regions which match the expected membrane structure when spanning an aperture in a hydrophobic scaffold. The method used provides a general method for mapping attractive fluid surfaces. In particular, the nanoneedle probing allows for characterization of free-standing biomimetic membranes with thickness on the nanometer scale suspended over 300-μm-wide apertures, where the membranes are stable toward hundreds of nanoindentations without breakage. © 2010 American Chemical Society.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Langmuir |
Volume | 27 |
Issue number | 2 |
Pages (from-to) | 499-503 |
ISSN | 0743-7463 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2011 |
Keywords
- Biomimetic membrane
- General method
- Membranes
- Fluid surface
- Probes
- Biomimetics
- Functional polymers
- Force-volume
- Nano-meter scale
- Nanoneedles
- Gallium
- Atomic force microscopy
- Nanoindentation
- Flexible structures
- Biomimetic polymers
- Polymers