| Author(s): |
Minhua Zhao; Xiaohong Gu; Sharon E. Lowther; Cheol Park; Jerry Jean; Tinh Nguyen; |
| Title: |
Subsurface Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes in Polymer Composites via Quantitative Electric Force Microscopy |
| Published: |
February 03, 2010 |
| Abstract: |
In this study, quantitative Electric Force Microscopy (EFM) characterization of CNTs dispersed in free-standing polymer composite films is pursued. The effect of experimental parameters including humidity conditions, EFM probe geometry, tip-sample distance, and bias voltage on the EFM contrast is studied. A new mechanism for subsurface EFM contrast of CNTs is proposed based on the experimental findings. We anticipate that quantitative EFM technique will be a powerful tool for subsurface characterization of high dielectric nanostructures in low dielectric materials, with a broad range of applications in nanotechnology. |
| Citation: |
Nanotechnology |
| Volume: |
21 |
| Issue: |
225702 |
| Pages: |
9 pp. |
| Keywords: |
Electric Force Microscopy; EFM; SPM; subsurface; carbon nanotube; CNT; polymer composites |
| Research Areas: |
Characterization, Nanometrology, and Nanoscale Measurements, Materials Science |
