PeakForce TUNA and NanoMechanics Lab AFM Upgrade

PeakForce TUNA 和纳米力学实验室 AFM 升级

• 批准号: RTI-2022-00346
• 负责人: Adronov, Alex
• 金额: $ 10.93万
• 依托单位: McMaster University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=743059
• 关键词: PeakForce; TUNA; NanoMechanics; Lab; AFM

This application requests an upgrade to an atomic force microscope (AFM) that enables ultra-high-resolution mapping of both conductivity and mechanical properties of nano-scale structures, such as polymer-functionalized carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, polymeric assemblies, hydrogels, and nano-structured surfaces. The requested instrument includes a PeakForce Tunneling AFM (TUNA) Application Module and the Nanochechanics nDMA accessory for our Dimension ICON AFM. With this upgrade, the ICON AFM will gain a unique set of capabilities for advanced nanoscale materials characterization that is unavailable anywhere else in Canada. In particular, it will be useful for a number of projects involving carbon nanotube purification using conjugated polymers, where the polymers are used to selectively wrap semiconducting and metallic structures. Within these projects, it is imperative to prove that carbon nanotubes are exfoliated into individual semiconducting or metallic structures, which can best be done through measurement of conductivity at the nano-scale using PeakForce TUNA measurements in the AFM. In addition, the nDMA accessory will allow us to measure viscoelastic properties (storage and loss modulus), adhesion, and friction on numerous samples, including hydrogels for biomaterials and drug delivery applications, as well as scaffolds for cell growth. This data is critical to the advances being made in our research labs, without which it is impossible to submit our papers to high-impact journals. This upgrade will not only provide access to the most advanced features and measurements that atomic force microscopy can offer, but will also significantly improve the research capabilities and international competitiveness of many research groups at McMaster. It will also enable cutting-edge research that is not currently possible anywhere in Canada, and will lead to the discovery of new phenomena in application areas such as nano-scale electronics for future point-of-care diagnostics, roadside detection of illicit drugs, new sensory equipment to maintain safe environments, new drug delivery constructs that will help treat and eradicate disease, and new biomaterials that will improve the health and longevity of Canadians. This equipment will have a profound impact on the types of problems and challenges that McMaster researchers will be able to address in the future.

该应用要求升级原子力显微镜 (AFM)，以实现纳米级结构的电导率和机械性能的超高分辨率绘图，例如聚合物功能化碳纳米管、量子点、聚合物组件、水凝胶和纳米结构表面。所需的仪器包括 PeakForce 隧道 AFM (TUNA) 应用模块和用于 Dimension ICON AFM 的 Nanochechanics nDMA 附件。通过此次升级，ICON AFM 将获得一套独特的先进纳米级材料表征功能，这是加拿大其他地方无法提供的。特别是，它对于涉及使用共轭聚合物进行碳纳米管纯化的许多项目非常有用，其中聚合物用于选择性地包裹半导体和金属结构。在这些项目中，必须证明碳纳米管可以剥离成单独的半导体或金属结构，这最好通过使用 AFM 中的 PeakForce TUNA 测量测量纳米级的电导率来完成。此外，nDMA 附件将使我们能够测量大量样品的粘弹性（储能模量和损耗模量）、粘附力和摩擦力，包括用于生物材料和药物输送应用的水凝胶以及用于细胞生长的支架。这些数据对于我们研究实验室取得的进步至关重要，没有这些数据就不可能将我们的论文提交给高影响力的期刊。此次升级不仅将提供原子力显微镜所能提供的最先进的功能和测量，还将显着提高麦克马斯特许多研究小组的研究能力和国际竞争力。它还将使目前在加拿大任何地方都无法进行的尖端研究成为可能，并将导致在应用领域发现新现象，例如用于未来护理点诊断的纳米电子学、非法药物的路边检测、维持安全环境的新传感设备、有助于治疗和根除疾病的新药物输送结构以及将改善加拿大人的健康和寿命的新生物材料。该设备将对麦克马斯特研究人员未来能够解决的问题和挑战类型产生深远影响。