Journal article
Combined AFM-confocal microscopy of oil droplets: Absolute separations and forces in nanofilms
RF Tabor, H Lockie, D Mair, R Manica, DYC Chan, F Grieser, RR Dagastine
Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters | AMER CHEMICAL SOC | Published : 2011
DOI: 10.1021/jz2003606
Abstract
Quantitative interpretation of the dynamic forces between micrometer-sized deformable droplets and bubbles has previously been limited by the lack of an independent measurement of their absolute separation. Here, we use in situ confocal fluorescence microscopy to directly image the position and separation of oil droplets in an atomic force microscopy experiment. Comparison with predicted force vs. separation behavior to describe the interplay of force and deformation showed excellent agreement with continuum hydrodynamic lubrication theory in aqueous films less than 30 nm thick. The combination of force measurement and 3D visualization of geometric separation and surface deformation is appli..
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Funding Acknowledgements
X. S. Tang and S. O'Shea are thanked for preparing the cantilevers used. The ARC is thanked for financial support, and the Particulate Fluids Processing Centre provided infrastructure support for the project. This work was performed in part at the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, which is the Victorian node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility, an initiative partly funded by the Commonwealth of Australia and the Victorian Government.