Atomic force microscopy on polymers and polymer related compounds

Abstract

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) images have been recorded from the surfaces of platelet type monocrystals of linear alkanes, n-tritriacontane, C33H68, and n-hexatrlacontane, C36H74. Structural details have been revealed in the range from several hundreds of nanometers down to the atomic scale. High resolution AFM micrographs of the linear alkanes show a regular pattern of elevations characterized by two main periodicities: aAF M = .70 + .02 nm, DAF M = .52 + ,05 nm, "~AFM = 88 4- 3 ~ and aAF M = .79+ .05 nm, bAF M = .61 + .05 nm, "~AFM = 87 + 3 ~ , for 033H68 and 036H74, respectively. This structure is in fair agreement with the orthorhombic subcell of the bulk structure as confirmed by electron diffraction. Further, AFM results are in accordance with an orthorhombic unit cell for C33H68, and a monoclinic one for C36H74 under investigation. Consequently, the elevations in the AFM images can be assigned to individual methyl groups, which form the surface layer of a paraffine crystal. A regular surface structure has also been observed in AFM images of platelet crystals of cyclic alkanes, cyclooctatetracontane (CH2)48, and cyclodoheptacont ane (CH2)72. In these cases, the periodicities are characterized by aAF M = ] .10 4- .01 nm, b~,FM = .85 4- .01 nm, "~AFM --" 89 4- 1~ and aAF M = 1,1 ] 4- .05 nm, DAF M = .91 + ,05 nm, and ~'AFM = 90 + 3 ~ for (CH2)48 and (CH2)72, respectively. The images are consistent with the arrangement of the adjacent reentry folds obtained from crystallographic data.