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Subsurface Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes in Polymer Composites via Quantitative Electric Force Microscopy

Published

Author(s)

Minhua Zhao, Xiaohong Gu, Sharon E. Lowther, Cheol Park, Jerry Jean, Tinh Nguyen

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

Keywords

Electric Force Microscopy, EFM, SPM, subsurface, carbon nanotube, CNT, polymer composites

Citation

Zhao, M. , Gu, X. , Lowther, S. , Park, C. , Jean, J. and Nguyen, T. (2010), Subsurface Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes in Polymer Composites via Quantitative Electric Force Microscopy, Nanotechnology (Accessed March 29, 2024)
Created February 3, 2010, Updated February 19, 2017