Ultra-Sensitive Imaging and Interfacial Analysis of Patterned Hydrophilic SAM Surfaces Using Energy Dissipation Chemical Force Microscopy

Energy dissipation chemical force microscopy has been used to analyze the dissipative properties of chemically similar regions of hydroxyl- and carboxyl-terminated SAMs on gold with a hydroxyl-terminated tip. Energy dissipation imaging quantitatively isolates dissipative interfacial interactions from topography, producing a significantly more informative image than phase imaging. Also, energy dissipation force curves probed the rheological properties of the tip-sample interaction. Viscosity of the confined water increased slightly over that of the bulk, and SAM deformation was found to have a longer retardation time than restructuring of interfacial ions and solvent during tip-sample contact.