Structural effects recorded for AFM tips interacting with individual nanoparticles and their clusters deposited on substrates

Mica and alumina were coated with nanoparticles using aqueous suspensions while managing attractive substrateparticle electrostatic forces. Using nanoparticle-coated substrates, structural forces were measured for 10 nm silica particles deposited on the alumina substrate and 5-80 nm alumina particles on mica using an atomic force microscopy technique. For nanoparticles forming clusters, oscillation of structural forces was recorded with a periodicity that is close to the size of nanoparticles used. Positioning the AFM tip over the single particles allowed, on the other hand, the study of probe-nanoparticle colloidal forces. © 2006 American Chemical Society