Article
Chemistry, Physical
Miles F. Beaux, Reuben J. Peterson, Igor O. Usov
Summary: Atomic force microscopy was used to map the topography and qualitative mechanical characteristics of gallium-stabilized delta-phase plutonium coupons. The initial rough and heterogeneous surface of plutonium was observed, along with distinct striation patterns in qualitative nanomechanical mapping. Investigation suggested that the striations were not measurement artifacts or plutonium-specific features, and were influenced by mechanical working of the surface.
SURFACES AND INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Physics, Applied
Harshal P. Mungse, Saki Okudaira, Miho Yamauchi, Takashi Ichii, Toru Utsunomiya, Shingo Maruyama, Yuji Matsumoto, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: This study investigated the interfacial structures between an ionic liquid (IL) and KBr crystal surfaces using atomic force microscopy. It was found that the behavior of the IL varied significantly at different interfaces due to the different surface properties.
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Telmo O. Paiva, Albertus Viljoen, Yves F. Dufrene
Summary: Advancements in atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques and methodologies in microbiology have enhanced our understanding of microbial cell surfaces. Recent studies have shown that AFM imaging of cells and membranes at or near molecular resolution enables detailed visualization of membrane-drug interactions.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Claudia Gusenbauer, Karolina Peter, Etienne Cabane, Johannes Konnerth
Summary: Chemical force microscopy allows visualization of chemical nano-properties of materials and analysis of their surface behavior, making it valuable for studying natural substrates like wood. By studying adhesion forces and pK(a) values, this method provides insights into the complex chemical surface properties of materials.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuji Yamagishi, Hiroaki Kominami, Kei Kobayashi, Yuki Nomura, Emiko Igaki, Hirofumi Yamada
Summary: In this study, the molecular-scale solvation structures at the electrolyte-mica interface were measured using FM-AFM. The effective size of molecular assemblies formed at the interface increased with increasing ion concentrations, as shown by both experimental results and molecular dynamics simulations.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Xinyu Li, Li Zhao, Rongrong Feng, Xiaowei Du, Zelin Guo, Yu Meng, Yulan Zou, Wenchao Liao, Qiyuan Liu, Yaohuan Sheng, Gaowei Zhao, Haijian Zhong, Weidong Zhao
Summary: Using atomic force microscopy, it was found that Na(V)1.5 is irregularly distributed on the surfaces of both normal and cancer breast cells, with higher expression on cancer cells. The stability of the Na(V)1.5-antibody complex is higher on normal breast cells compared to cancer breast cells. These findings provide insights into the interactions of ion channel-antibody systems and the role of sodium channels in tumor metastasis and invasion.
ANALYTICAL METHODS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuyao Zhang, Xiaoying Zhu, Bokai Zhu, Chiheng Chu, Baoliang Chen
Summary: The hydrophobicity of nanomaterials plays a crucial role in various interfacial phenomena. However, it is challenging to study the high-resolution surface hydrophobicity at the nanoscale. In this study, a chemical force microscopy technique is used to profile in situ hydrophobicity images with nanoscale resolution, providing significant improvement compared to traditional methods. The method is applied to recognize the spatial fine structure hydrophobicity of different materials and reveals new findings regarding the hydrophobicity of graphene oxides (GO) and the influence of wrinkles/edges on hydrophobicity. Furthermore, the technique enables the observation of local oxidation variation during interfacial reactions.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Andras Baranyai
Summary: This study aims to find an accurate description of alkali halide properties using a force field model and presents a new combination rule to achieve accurate energy, density, and melting temperature. The results indicate that different parameters are required to describe the interactions for different ion combinations.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Tao Zhang, Renko de Vries, Xiaoqi Xu, Yong Xue, Changhu Xue
Summary: The study investigated the structural changes of konjac glucomannan (KGM) during heat-induced gelation, revealing that gelation requires both heat and alkali-induced deacetylation. Deacetylation was found to be the rate-determining step in the process, leading to particle aggregation and interaction to form a network structure. This understanding was aided by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) results.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vytautas Navikas, Samuel M. Leitao, Kristin S. Grussmayer, Adrien Descloux, Barney Drake, Klaus Yserentant, Philipp Werther, Dirk-Peter Herten, Richard Wombacher, Aleksandra Radenovic, Georg E. Fantner
Summary: The combination of scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) and live-cell super-resolution optical fluctuation imaging (SOFI) is introduced for non-invasive topographical imaging of soft biological samples, preserving high axial resolution. This method allows for the visualization of cellular structures in 3D with high resolution while maintaining the integrity of fragile membrane samples.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Takahiko Ikarashi, Kyosuke Nakayama, Naoki Nakajima, Kazuki Miyata, Keisuke Miyazawa, Takeshi Fukuma
Summary: In this study, the three-dimensional adsorption structures of anti-freezing surfactants on sapphire surfaces were directly visualized using 3D scanning force microscopy. The observed adsorption configurations at different concentrations provide important insights into the anti-freezing mechanism.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Junsuke Yamanishi, Yan Jun Li, Yoshitaka Naitoh, Yasuhiro Sugawara
Summary: This review introduces the operating principle and applications of photoinduced force microscopy (PiFM), including the gradient force, scattering force, and methods to eliminate photothermal effects. Two PiFM operating modes, in air based on the tapping mode and in vacuum based on the frequency modulation (FM) mode, are discussed along with the measurement results of SiNc clusters and semiconductor quantum dots.
JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY C-PHOTOCHEMISTRY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jana Hennig, Valentin Feller, Pedro J. Martinez, Juan J. Mazo, Enrico Gnecco
Summary: This study investigates the influence of geometric shape on the orientation of nanoripples formed on a polystyrene surface. The results show that the geometric confinement significantly modifies the tendency of the ripples to align. The analysis of different shapes also reveals the importance of straight edges and sharp corners in the nanostructuring process.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Devin T. Edwards, Marc-Andre Leblanc, Thomas T. Perkins
Summary: Single-molecule force spectroscopy was used to study protein folding dynamics, revealing intrinsic changes in protein folding dynamics and transition state height under different pH conditions. Despite differences in destabilization mechanisms, constant-force landscapes showed minimal differences in transition state height, while force-dependent rates increased as pH decreased. This study provides insights for future AFM-based studies of mechanoresponsive proteins.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Young-Joo Kim, Jaekyung Lim, Do-Nyun Kim
Summary: A systematic method combining data acquisition and preparation with deep-learning-based image super-resolution is proposed for rapid and accurate AFM characterization, achieving around a tenfold reduction in imaging time without significant loss of accuracy. Through a transfer learning strategy, it can be efficiently customized for a specific target sample on demand.
Article
Physics, Applied
Wataru Kubota, Toru Utsunomiya, Takashi Ichii, Hiroyuki Sugimura
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2020)
Article
Physics, Applied
Yifan Bao, Mitsunori Kitta, Takashi Ichii, Toru Utsunomiya, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: This study utilized frequency modulation atomic force microscopy to investigate the interfacial structures between an IL and a LIB electrode, successfully visualizing solvation structures at the interface. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurement was also conducted to measure the rate of Li-ion insertion/extraction on the interface.
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Physics, Applied
Maria Carmela T. Garcia, Toru Utsunomiya, Takashi Ichii, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: Surface potential contrasts were measured for n-type silicon (111) modified with 1-alkene self-assembled monolayers of varying hydrocarbon chain lengths using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). The differences observed were attributed to variances in precursor molecule dipole moment, changes in SAM dielectric properties due to molecular packing, and varying oxygen content at the surface.
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wataru Kubota, Toru Utsunomiya, Takashi Ichii, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: The use of graphene oxide (GO) sheets in the chemical etching of silicon has been shown to significantly increase the etching rate, up to 100 times faster than traditional systems. The presence of defects in the GO sheets enhances the catalytic activity, promoting a deeper etching in the areas covered by the sheets.
Article
Physics, Applied
Harshal P. Mungse, Saki Okudaira, Miho Yamauchi, Takashi Ichii, Toru Utsunomiya, Shingo Maruyama, Yuji Matsumoto, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: This study investigated the interfacial structures between an ionic liquid (IL) and KBr crystal surfaces using atomic force microscopy. It was found that the behavior of the IL varied significantly at different interfaces due to the different surface properties.
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Takashi Ichii, Makoto Murata, Toru Utsunomiya, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: The quartz tuning fork sensor was successfully used in atomic force microscopy to image the interfacial structures between molten Ga and solid Au-Ga alloys. The crystal structure of the alloy was identified, and its growth mode was discussed in the study.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ahmed I. A. Soliman, Cheng-Tse Wu, Toru Utsunomiya, Takashi Ichii, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: In this study, micropatterns of APTMS were developed on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces using 172 nm VUV photolithography. Different effects were observed on HD-SAM and UDA-SAM after VUV light irradiation, showing potential for controlling thicknesses and shapes of APTMS micropatterns.
Article
Physics, Applied
Yifan Bao, Mitsunori Kitta, Takashi Ichii, Toru Utsunomiya, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: This study used frequency modulation atomic force microscopy to observe the solvation structures at the EMI-TFSI/LTO interfaces, and found continuous solvation structures at both interfaces. Additionally, a kink in the solvation structure was observed at the interface containing Mg-salt.
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Maria Carmela T. Garcia, Toru Utsunomiya, Takashi Ichii, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: The surface potentials and local conductivity of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) formed using aromatic molecules covalently bonded to n-type silicon (111) via Si-C and Si-O bonds were measured using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and conductive AFM (CAFM). It was found that SAMs formed with Si-C bonds exhibited higher surface potentials, while SAMs formed with Si-O bonds showed higher current.
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Jumpei Tsuyoshi, Yifan Bao, Takashi Ichii, Toru Utsunomiya, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: This study investigated the interfacial solvation structures of water-in-salt (WiS) electrolytes using frequency modulation atomic force microscopy. The differences in interfacial solvation structures between two types of WiS were discussed by comparing their bulk solution properties.
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Yuji Hirotomi, Wataru Kubota, Toru Utsunomiya, Takashi Ichii, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: In this study, a novel method for reducing graphite oxide was developed, in which electrochemically-exfoliated graphene oxide was subjected to vacuum ultraviolet light irradiation and high-temperature thermal treatment. The electrical conductivity of the treated graphene oxide was significantly enhanced.
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Wataru Kubota, Ryoya Yamaoka, Toru Utsunomiya, Takashi Ichii, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: The vapor-phase etching assisted by graphene oxide enhances the etching reaction without the formation of a porous layer, and microcontact printing of graphene oxide can be combined with silicon etching to form micrometer-sized pores in desired areas.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuya Yamada, Takashi Ichii, Toru Utsunomiya, Kuniko Kimura, Kei Kobayashi, Hirofumi Yamada, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: This paper proposes a method to simultaneously detect vertical and lateral force components using a qPlus sensor with a long probe. The theoretical study and experimental results show that the tip oscillates laterally in the second and third modes. Finally, friction anisotropy measurements were performed on a polymer film using a bimodal AFM and the qPlus sensor with a long probe to confirm the lateral force detection.
NANOSCALE ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
Wataru Kubota, Toru Utsunomiya, Takashi Ichii, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: Chemical etching of InP surfaces is enhanced by using graphene oxide (GO) as a catalyst, and the mechanism of GO-assisted InP etching is proposed based on XPS analyses. The solubility of the InP oxide layer affects the rate-determining step of etching reaction, and GO catalyzes the oxidant reduction reaction, which further influences the etching behavior.
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Takashi Ichii, Yuya Takara, Tatsunori Uchida, Mitsunori Kitta, Toru Utsunomiya, Hiroyuki Sugimura
Summary: In this study, the surface structure of lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12) (LTO) electrode in an ionic liquid electrolyte was investigated using electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EC-AFM). The research revealed that the atomic steps on the LTO (111) surface remained unchanged even after the insertion of lithium ions. Furthermore, atomic-resolution topographic imaging before and after Li-ion insertion successfully demonstrated the crystal structure transformation of the LTO electrode from spinel-type Li4Ti5O12 to rocksalt-type Li7Ti5O12 while maintaining the surface structure with atomic steps.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2023)
