Scanning Probe Microscopy

Emerging two-dimensional nanomaterials for electrochemical nitrogen reduction

Ammonia (NH₃) is essential to serve as the biological building blocks for maintaining organism function, and as the indispensable nitrogenous fertilizers for increasing the yield of nutritious crops. The current Haber-Bosch process for industrial NH₃ production is highly energy- and capital-intensive. In light of this, the electroreduction of nitrogen (N₂) into valuable NH₃, as an alternative, offers a sustainable pathway for the Haber-Bosch transition, because it utilizes renewable electricity and operates under ambient conditions. Identifying highly efficient electrocatalysts remains the priority in the electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), marking superior selectivity, activity, and stability. Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials with sufficient exposed active sites, high specific surface area, good conductivity, rich surface defects, and easily tunable electronic properties hold great promise for the adsorption and activation of nitrogen towards sustainable NRR. Therefore, this Review focuses on the fundamental principles and the key metrics being pursued in NRR. Based on the fundamental understanding, the recent efforts devoted to engineering protocols for constructing 2D electrocatalysts towards NRR are presented. Then, the state-of-the-art 2D electrocatalysts for N₂ reduction to NH₃ are summarized, aiming at providing a comprehensive overview of the structure-performance relationships of 2D electrocatalysts towards NRR. Finally, we propose the challenges and future outlook in this prospective area.

Recent Advances in Ultrathin Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials

Since the discovery of mechanically exfoliated graphene in 2004, research on ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials has grown exponentially in the fields of condensed matter physics, material science, chemistry, and nanotechnology. Highlighting their compelling physical, chemical, electronic, and optical properties, as well as their various potential applications, in this Review, we summarize the state-of-art progress on the ultrathin 2D nanomaterials with a particular emphasis on their recent advances. First, we introduce the unique advances on ultrathin 2D nanomaterials, followed by the description of their composition and crystal structures. The assortments of their synthetic methods are then summarized, including insights on their advantages and limitations, alongside some recommendations on suitable characterization techniques. We also discuss in detail the utilization of these ultrathin 2D nanomaterials for wide ranges of potential applications among the electronics/optoelectronics, electrocatalysis, batteries, supercapacitors, solar cells, photocatalysis, and sensing platforms. Finally, the challenges and outlooks in this promising field are featured on the basis of its current development.

Multifunctional hydrogel nano-probes for atomic force microscopy

Since the invention of the atomic force microscope (AFM) three decades ago, there have been numerous advances in its measurement capabilities. Curiously, throughout these developments, the fundamental nature of the force-sensing probe-the key actuating element-has remained largely unchanged. It is produced by long-established microfabrication etching strategies and typically composed of silicon-based materials. Here, we report a new class of photopolymerizable hydrogel nano-probes that are produced by bottom-up fabrication with compressible replica moulding. The hydrogel probes demonstrate excellent capabilities for AFM imaging and force measurement applications while enabling programmable, multifunctional capabilities based on compositionally adjustable mechanical properties and facile encapsulation of various nanomaterials. Taken together, the simple, fast and affordable manufacturing route and multifunctional capabilities of hydrogel AFM nano-probes highlight the potential of soft matter mechanical transducers in nanotechnology applications. The fabrication scheme can also be readily utilized to prepare hydrogel cantilevers, including in parallel arrays, for nanomechanical sensor devices.

Decrease in thermal conductivity in polymeric P3HT nanowires by size-reduction induced by crystal orientation: new approaches towards thermal transport engineering of organic materials

To date, there is no experimental characterization of thermal conductivity of semiconductor polymeric individual nanowires embedded in a matrix. This work reports on scanning thermal microscopy measurements in a 3ω configuration to determine how the thermal conductivity of individual nanowires made of a model conjugated polymer (P3HT) is modified when decreasing their diameters. We observe a reduction of thermal conductivity, from λNW = 2.29 ± 0.15 W K(-1) m(-1) to λNW = 0.5 ± 0.24 W K(-1) m(-1), when the diameter of nanowires is reduced from 350 nm to 120 nm, which correlates with the polymer crystal orientation measured by WAXS. Through this work, the foundations for future polymer thermal transport engineering are presented.

Reducing the cytotoxity of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers by modification of a single layer of carboxybetaine

The surface primary amines of generation five poly(amido amine) (G5 PAMAM) dendrimer were modified by different amounts of carboxybetaine acrylamide (CBAA). As a result, the fully modified molecules (CBAA-PAMAM-20, obtained from the 20:1 molar ratio of CBAA molecules to amino groups in modification solution) show excellent compatibility with protein and cells. CBAA-PAMAM-20 and fibrinogen (Fg) could coexist in solution without forming aggregation, indicating very weak interaction force between CBAA-PAMAM-20 and fibrinogen. CBAA-PAMAM-20 exhibits almost undetectable hemolytic activity, while other partially modified ones cause severe hemolysis and fibrinogen aggregation. Furthermore, the membrane of human umbilical vascular endothelial cell (HUVEC) remains intact after 24 h incubation with CBAA-PAMAM-20. The cytotoxicity assay of HUVEC cells and KB cells also showed that the CBAA-PAMAM-20 was not cytotoxic up to a 2 mg/mL concentration (>90% cell viability). In short, a thin compact layer of zwitterionic carboxybetaine could reduce the cytotoxicity of PAMAM through minimizing the interaction with protein and cell membranes, which suggest that the carboxybetaine-coated PAMAM could be a useful platform for biocompatible carriers to load contrast agents and drugs.

Energetic-assisted scanning thermal lithography for patterning silver nanoparticles in polymer films

Energetic-assisted scanning thermal lithography (SThL) was demonstrated with the addition of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) for patterning silver nanoparticles. SThL samples were prepared by spin-coating poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin films preloaded with BPO and silver nitrate precursors. Localized thermal analysis via probe heating demonstrated that the BPO decomposition in the polymer film took place at the temperature of 80 °C. Above this temperature, the thermal probe initiated the decomposition of the peroxide, which resulted in the in situ discharge of exothermal energy to compensate the joule shortage and the rapid cooling in the SThL thin film samples. The additional joule energy thermally enhanced the synthesis of silver nanoparticles, which were patterned and embedded in the PMMA thin film. Surface plasmon resonance scattering of these silver nanoparticles was observed by dark-field optical microscopy, whereas the nanoparticle distribution was examined by transmission electron microscopy. Variations in the scanning probe temperatures and peroxide concentrations were carefully investigated to optimize the thermal lithography efficiency upon the addition of energetics.

Angle dependence of the interaction distance in the shear force technique

We study the interaction distance in the lateral force detection, using a standard quartz tuning fork as a force transducer. That is the distance at which the interaction sample-probe starts to be detected. We study in particular the dependence on the approaching angle. For angles smaller than 0.366 radians, we found an exponential behavior of the interaction distance as a function of the approaching angle. We show an equation that adjusts well with the experimental data, and discuss the possible phenomena.

Single molecule microscopy methods for the study of DNA origami structures

Single molecule microscopy techniques play an important role in the investigation of advanced DNA structures such as those created by the DNA origami method. Three single molecule microscopy techniques are particularly interesting for the investigation of complex self-assembled three-dimensional (3D) DNA nanostructures, namely single molecule fluorescence microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Here we discuss the strengths of these three techniques and demonstrate how their interplay can yield very important and unique new insights into the structure and conformation of advanced biological nanostructures. The applications of the three single molecule microscopy techniques are illustrated by focusing on a self-assembled DNA origami 3D box nanostructure. Its size and structure were studied by AFM and cryo-EM, while the lid opening, which can be controlled by the addition of oligonucleotide keys, was recorded by Förster/fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) spectroscopy.

Atomic force microscopy in biology: technology and techniques

In this review, I describe the biological applications of the atomic force microscope (AFM). The historical background and the development of the microscope are described. The AFM can operate in many different modes relevant to biological systems including topography, chemical analysis, and forces relevant at the biological length scale (single cell to DNA dimensions and pico to nano Newton forces). A limited number of examples from the literature are described to illustrate some of the many capabilities of this microscope. The aim is to give an introduction of the technique to the inexperienced in this rapidly growing field.

Implementation on a desktop computer of the real time feedback control loop of a scanning probe microscope

A software package has been developed to implement the real time feedback control loop needed in scanning probe microscopy on a general purpose desktop computer of the current high-speed/multicore generation. The main features of the implementation of both the feedback loop and the control of the experiment on the same computer are discussed. The package can work with several general purpose data acquisition boards and can be extended in a modular way to further board models; timing performance has been tested with several hardware configurations and some applications common in scanning probe microscopy. The package is available under an Open Source license.

Invited Review Article: Microwave spectroscopy based on scanning thermal microscopy: resolution in the nanometer range

Scanning thermal microscope-detected ferromagnetic resonance (SThM-FMR) combines a thermal near-field microscope with a FMR spectrometer and detects the thermal response due to resonant microwave absorption by measuring the resistivity change in the thermal nanoprobe. The advantage of this technique is to provide imaging capabilities at fixed resonance conditions as well as local microwave spectroscopy at the nanoscale. A technique that uses the same setup but detects the thermoelastic response of the sample is the scanning thermoelastic microscope-detected FMR (SThEM-FMR). This latter technique is advantageous when FMR spectra of single nanostructures have to be recorded at a fixed position. The experimental setups and the signal generation processes of SThM/SThEM-FMR are described in detail. With the SThM-FMR setups a temperature resolution of 1 mK and a local resolution of 30 nm are actually achieved. With SThEM-FMR the obtained local resolution is 10 nm. The detection limits of both techniques can be as low as 10(6) spins. To demonstrate the potential of these new techniques SThM/SThEM-FMR investigations of local magnetic anisotropies, magnetization dynamics of single nanodots and inhomogeneous FMR excitations due to finite size effects are presented. Simultaneously, information on the magnetic parameters, the topography, and the thermal properties is provided. To describe the further potential of this recently developed SThM-FMR technique, combined magnetoresistance and FMR investigations are presented and an outlook on possible future applications is given.

Spatially controlled Suzuki and Heck catalytic molecular coupling

The initiation and control of chemical coupling has the potential to offer much within the context of "bottom up" nanofabrication. We report herein the use of a palladium-modified, catalytically active, AFM probe to initiate and spatially control surface-confined Suzuki and Heck carbon-carbon coupling reactions. These "chemically written reactions", detectable by lateral force and chemically specific optical and topographic labeling, were patterned with line widths down to 15 nm or approximately 20 molecules. Catalyzed organometallic coupling was, in this way, carried out at subzeptomolar levels. By varying the catalyst-substrate interaction times, turnover numbers of (0.6-1.2) x 10(4) and (3.0-5.0) x 10(4) molecules s(-1) were resolved for Suzuki and Heck reactions, respectively.

Applying elastic fibre biology in vascular tissue engineering

For the treatment of vascular disease, the major cause of death in Western society, there is an urgent need for tissue-engineered, biocompatible, small calibre artery substitutes that restore biological function. Vascular tissue engineering of such grafts involves the development of compliant synthetic or biomaterial scaffolds that incorporate vascular cells and extracellular matrix. Elastic fibres are major structural elements of arterial walls that can enhance vascular graft design and patency. In blood vessels, they endow vessels with the critical property of elastic recoil. They also influence vascular cell behaviour through direct interactions and by regulating growth factor activation. This review addresses physiological elastic fibre assembly and contributions to vessel structure and function, and how elastic fibre biology is now being exploited in small diameter vascular graft design.

Atomic force microscopy analysis and confocal Raman microimaging of coated pellets

Polymer-coated pellets with different coating thicknesses have been studied regarding coating morphology and drug release properties with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and confocal Raman microscopy. The results were compared with those from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and drug release profiles, which have been measured previously for these systems and found to vary depending on coating thickness. Results from AFM studies indicated that these pellets differ in the amount of crystalline material on the surface of the coating. The amount was found to be highest on the pellet with the thinnest coating. Confocal Raman microscopy studies confirmed that the active component (remoxipride hydrochloride monohydrate) is present at or close to the surface and that the amount is higher for the thinnest coating. AFM studies in aqueous media showed that the crystalline material on the surface was almost instantaneously dissolved and released into the liquid. AFM has proven to be a powerful tool in the study of the surface of dry formulations and in the study of the controlled release mechanism of a pharmaceutical in a liquid cell. The method can be combined with Raman, giving the added possibility to identify the chemical composition in selected small areas of the coating surface.

Oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum and model sand surfaces in aqueous solutions: an atomic force microscope (AFM) study

Oocysts of C. parvum have been associated with several waterborne outbreaks of gastro-enteric disease. Currently, one of the main barriers to oocyst contamination of drinking waters is provided by sand-bed filtration. In this study an atomic force microscope (AFM) has been used to measure the force of interaction between oocysts of C. parvum and a model sand surface (silicate glass). The AFM force curves have been compared and contrasted with the corresponding electrical potentials obtained from electrophoretic measurements (zeta). It has been found that the surface of C. parvum oocysts possesses a hairy layer, most likely a result of surface proteins extending into solution. The hairy layer imposes a steric repulsion between the oocyst and sand surface, in addition to any electrostatic repulsion. The hairy layer collapsed to varying extents in the presence of dissolved calcium and dissolved organic carbon, indicating that the oocysts may be more readily adsorbed onto the model sand surface under these conditions. Conversely, as the two surfaces are pulled apart, the occasional attachment of oocyst surface proteins to the model sand surface can result in adhesion. The AFM results offer new insights into the oocyst surface of C. parvum, and the mechanism of interaction with model sand surfaces under conditions relevant to sand-bed filtration.

Fluorescence lifetime imaging with near-field scanning optical microscopy

Near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) is a high-resolution scanning probe technique capable of obtaining simultaneous optical and topographic images with spatial resolution of tens of nanometers. We have integrated time-correlated single-photon counting and NSOM to obtain images of fluorescence lifetimes with high spatial resolution. The technique can be used to measure either full fluorescence lifetime decays at individual spots with a spatial resolution of <100 nm or NSOM fluorescence images using fluorescence lifetime as a contrast mechanism. For imaging, a pulsed Ti:sapphire laser was used for sample excitation and fluorescent photons were time correlated and sorted into two time delay bins. The intensity in these bins can be used to estimate the fluorescence lifetime at each pixel in the image. The technique is demonstrated on thin films of poly(9,9'-dioctylfluorene) (PDOF). The fluorescence of PDOF is the results of both inter- and intrapolymer emitting species that can be easily distinguished in the time domain. Fluorescence lifetime imaging with near-field scanning optical microscopy demonstrates how photochemical degradation of the polymer leads to a quenching of short-delay intrachain emission and an increase in the long-delay photons associated with interpolymer emitting species. The images also show how intra- and interpolymer species are uniformly distributed in the films.

A nanometer-sized high-spin polyradical: poly(4-phenoxyl-1,2-phenylenevinylene) planarily extended in a non-Kekulé fashion and its magnetic force microscopic images

A pi-conjugated, but non-Kekulé- and nondisjoint-type poly(1,2-phenylenevinylene) network bearing 4-substituted di-tert-butylphenoxyls was synthesized through a one-pot polycondensation of the star-shaped subpart and the subsequent oxidation, which was persistent even at room temperature. The polyphenoxyl radical with a spin concentration of 0.4 displayed an average S of 10/2. The polyradical with the molecular weight of 3.2 x 10(4) gave a disklike image of ca. 35 x 0.6 nm with both an atomic and a magnetic force microscopy: the molecular image was examined as a nanoscale and single-molecular-based magnetic dot.

A nanoplotter with both parallel and serial writing capabilities

The development of an eight-pen nanoplotter capable of doing parallel dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) is reported. Because line width and patterning speed in DPN are independent of contact force, only one of the tips in the parallel writing mode (the "imaging" tip) has a feedback system to monitor tip position and to write the pattern; all other tips reproduce what occurs at the imaging tip in a passive fashion. Proof-of-concept experiments that demonstrate eight-pen parallel writing, ink and rinsing wells, and "molecular corralling" via a nanoplotter-generated structure are reported.

Dynamic measurement of single protein's mechanical properties

Dimerized (tandemly repeated) protein was constructed, and the stretching force during the unfolding of the single protein molecule was measured using an atomic force microscope. In quasistatic measurements using normal force-distance curve measurements, each monomer unit was unfolded step by step. To elucidate the conformational state at each extension length, we measured the relax-stress response of the protein using short stroke sinusoidal movements of the sample stage. This allowed us to investigate the dynamic response of the protein repeatedly without full stretching or rupturing. Although the protein molecule responded in-phase to the applied movement in most cases, we found a novel out-of-phase response around the stretching length where the second monomer unit unfolded. Applying the spring constant measured in the quasistatic experiment, the out-of-phase response was reproduced in the simple calculation, which suggested the folding and the unfolding at the second monomer unit were taking place repeatedly during the relax-stress response measurement.

Imaging of carrageenan macrocycles and amylose using noncontact atomic force microscopy

Samples of kappa-carrageenan, iota-carrageenan, and synthetic amylose have been examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). All samples were spray deposited from aqueous solutions onto freshly cleaved mica, air dried, and imaged in air using noncontact atomic force microscopy (NCAFM). Images of single stranded amylose and carrageenan are presented. At relatively low polymer concentrations in the presence of NaCl iota-carrageenan formed circles that appear to be predominantly head-to-tail associated unimeric duplex (double stranded) structures. At higher iota-carrageenan concentrations the polymer forms circles and aggregates that appear to involve dimeric duplex structure. Direct comparison of synthetic amylose molecular weights determined from NCAFM images with results from solution measurements showed that NCAFM provides an excellent way to measure amylose molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. It is shown that synthetic amylose is single stranded in aqueous solution and that the chain length distribution is broader than the Poisson distribution anticipated from polymerization theory.

A Comparative Study of Surface Acid-Base Characteristics of Natural Illites from Different Origins

The acid-base characteristics of naturally occurring illites, collected from different locations, were investigated by potentiometric titrations. The experimental data were interpreted using the constant capacitance surface complexation model. Considerable release of Al and Si from illite samples and subsequent complexation or precipitation of hydroxyl aluminosilicates generated during the acidimetric forward titration and the alkalimetric back titration, respectively, were observed. Therefore, the acidimetric supernatant, rather than the neutral one, was regarded as the system blank for each illite suspension to yield the surface site concentrations. In order to describe the acid-base chemistry of aqueous illite surfaces, two surface proton-reaction models, introducing the corresponding reactions between the dissolved aluminum species and silicic acid, as well as a surface Al-Si complex on homogeneous illite surface sites, were proposed as follows: The K(f2) constant in Model II was obtained by simulating the complex formation between the dissolved aluminum species and silicic acid that occurred in acidimetric supernatant when the hydroxide was added. Additionally, the following cation exchange reaction was also considered for a special case, where a large amount of K(+) is released during the corresponding acidimetric titration, in which a high concentration of protons are consumed. Optimization results indicated that both models could provide a good description of the titration behavior for all aqueous illite systems in this study. The intrinsic acidity constants for the different illites were similar in Model I, showing some generalities in their acid-base properties. Model I may be considered as a simplification of Model II, evident in the similarities between the corresponding constants. In addition, the formation constant for surface Al-Si species (complexes or precipitates) is relatively stable in this study. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Multiple ink nanolithography: toward a multiple-Pen nano-plotter

The formation of intricate nanostructures will require the ability to maintain surface registry during several patterning steps. A scanning probe method, dip-pen nanolithography (DPN), can be used to pattern monolayers of different organic molecules down to a 5-nanometer separation. An "overwriting" capability of DPN allows one nanostructure to be generated and the areas surrounding that nanostructure to be filled in with a second type of "ink."

Near-field scanning optical microscopy studies of L-alpha-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine monolayers at the air-liquid interface

The phase structure in L-alpha-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine-20 mol% fluorescent 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate Langmuir monolayers dispersed on a 2 M sucrose solution subphase is studied with near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM). Cantilevered NSOM probes operating in a tapping-mode feedback or an optical interferometric feedback mode are capable of tracking the air-sucrose solution interface. At the micrometre scale, the NSOM fluorescence images reveal lipid domain features similar to those observed previously in supported Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) monolayers. At the submicrometre scale, the small nanometric lipid islands seen in LB films are not observed at the air-sucrose interface. This supports a mechanism in which domain formation in LB films can be induced by means of the transfer process onto the solid support. Progress towards extending these studies to films at the air-water interface using the optical interferometric feedback method is also discussed.

"Dip-Pen" nanolithography

A direct-write "dip-pen" nanolithography (DPN) has been developed to deliver collections of molecules in a positive printing mode. An atomic force microscope (AFM) tip is used to write alkanethiols with 30-nanometer linewidth resolution on a gold thin film in a manner analogous to that of a dip pen. Molecules are delivered from the AFM tip to a solid substrate of interest via capillary transport, making DPN a potentially useful tool for creating and functionalizing nanoscale devices.