Significance and Impact Quantification of forces between crystal faces enables predictions of complex behaviors in colloidal systems such as selfassembly aggregation and rheological properties of slurries ID: 1021430
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1. Scientific AchievementForces between individual particles in slurries are responsible for their rheological behavior. Direct quantification of physical forces between mineral faces is now possible with atomic force microscopy (AFM).Significance and ImpactQuantification of forces between crystal faces enables predictions of complex behaviors in colloidal systems such as self-assembly, aggregation, and rheological properties of slurries.Research DetailsFocused ion beam is used to machine nanoparticles of boehmite (AlO(OH)) that are mounted on a silicon (Si) base. During machining, the boehmite crystal face is protected with a Pt coating.The protected crystal on the Si base was attached to an AFM cantilever. After attachment, the protective Pt coating was removed.The boehmite modified cantilever was used to measure interaction forces between the tip and substrate as a function of solution chemistry.These first of a kind direct measurements of changes in adhesive forces between two boehmite surfaces as a function of chemical conditions supports prediction of slurry rheology under varying conditions.Measuring Small Forces that Lead to Large EffectsReference: Z. Wu et al.; Surface and Interface Analysis, 2017DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/sia.6346EFRC: IDREAMBoehmite (AlO(OH)) Substrate5 µmBoehmite CrystalTop: Modified cantilever with a boehmite crystal mounted to a silicon post, which is mounted to the AFM cantilever. Bottom: Interactions between the modified cantilever and a boehmite substrate are quantified as a function of solution conditions.