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Atomic Force Microscopy Measurements of Peptide-Wrapped Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Diameters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2006

Vasiliki Z. Poenitzsch  and
Inga H. Musselman
Vasiliki Z. Poenitzsch
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Dallas, 2601 North Floyd Road, Richardson, Texas 75080, USA
Inga H. Musselman
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Dallas, 2601 North Floyd Road, Richardson, Texas 75080, USA
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Abstract

With a vertical resolution of 0.1 nm, atomic force microscopy (AFM) height measurements can be used to determine accurately the diameter of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) with the assumption that they have circular cross sections. The aim of this article is to draw attention to the need to optimize operating parameters in tapping mode for quantitative AFM height (diameter) analysis of SWNTs. Using silicon tip/cantilever assemblies with force constants ranging from 0.9 to 40 N m−1, we examined the effect of applied force on the apparent diameter of SWNT wrapped with a 29-residue amphiphilic α-helical peptide. A decrease in apparent height (SWNT diameter) with increasing applied force was observed for the higher force constant cantilevers. Cantilevers having force constants of 0.9 and 3 N m−1 demonstrated minimal vertical sample compression with increasing applied force. The effects of AFM image pixel density and scan speed on the measured height (diameter) of SWNTs were also assessed.

Keywords

atomic force microscopy (AFM)single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT)
Type
MATERIALS APPLICATIONS
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , June 2006 , pp. 221 - 227
Copyright
© 2006 Microscopy Society of America

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