Atomic Force Microscopy
Surface topography and mechanical properties analysis at nanometric scale with exceptional precision.
O que é AFM
Uma técnica de análise avançada
Surface topography and mechanical properties analysis at nanometric scale with exceptional precision.
What sets us apart
We don't hand over a spectrum. We hand over the interpretation.
Any lab can return peaks and numbers. Our report reads the data. Three differences define what we deliver — illustrated below with a real, anonymized case.
Multiple techniques, one integrated report
We don't hand back five loose reports. We cross-reference every technique's results into a single reading — each signal checked against the others — to reach an answer, not a pile of data.
- Contamination investigation — identifying and tracing the source of a foreign species.
- Performance degradation — explaining why a batch behaves outside expectations.
- New supplier validation — proving equivalence before switching.
3 LDPE batches · 4 techniques converge, NMR reveals the difference
In semicrystalline polymer systems, thermomechanical processing variables influence chain conformational dynamics¹. Solid-state NMR resolves chemical environments at the nanometer scale², sensitive to changes not detectable by XRD or FTIR³.
Technical justification anchored in the literature
Every technique choice and every inference in the report is backed by peer-reviewed literature — with citations in the text. The conclusion isn't loose opinion: it's a traceable argument, defensible in an audit and in front of the client.
- Numbered citations linking claim to source
- Official standards and methods referenced per analyte
- Auditable reasoning end to end
Conclusion and expert opinion
The report closes with a clear position, signed by the Principal Investigator: what the data shows, what can't yet be claimed, and the next step. It includes an honest caveat on the limits of inference — what separates a technical opinion from a guess.
- Explicit technical position, not just results
- Inference limits declared honestly
- Next-step recommendation signed by the P.I.
Four techniques confirmed equivalence; only the solid-state NMR revealed the subtle conformational change not distinguishable by conventional QC — a molecular signature consistent with the atypical filtration behavior.
Without the industrial line's parameters, no direct causal correlation can be established — a complementary step is recommended for elucidation.
Aplicações de mercado
Onde a AFM entrega resultados
Market Applications
Pharma
- Tablet surface roughness
- Nanoparticle mechanical properties
- Coating adhesion force
Materials
- Surface nanoroughness
- Local mechanical properties
- Elasticity mapping
Cosmetics
- Product texture
- Tactile properties
- Film uniformity
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
Does AFM require a vacuum or special sample coating like electron microscopy?
- No — AFM scans a physical probe across the surface and works in air, and in many cases in liquid, without vacuum or a conductive coating. This makes it well suited to samples that would be damaged or altered by electron-microscopy sample prep, including some soft or hydrated materials.
What mechanical properties can AFM measure besides topography?
- Beyond 3D surface topography, AFM can map local stiffness/elasticity, adhesion force, and friction at the nanometer scale by analyzing how the probe tip interacts with the surface at each point, producing quantitative property maps alongside the topographic image.
What is the size limit of features AFM can resolve?
- Lateral resolution is typically a few nanometers, and vertical (height) resolution can reach the sub-nanometer, even atomic, scale — making AFM highly sensitive to fine surface roughness and step heights that optical profilometry cannot resolve.
How large an area can be scanned in a single AFM measurement?
- A single scan is typically limited to a field of view from a few hundred nanometers up to roughly 100 micrometers per side, trading off resolution against area — larger regions are usually characterized by stitching multiple scans rather than lowering resolution.
Can AFM be used to compare film uniformity or coating adhesion between production batches?
- Yes — because AFM produces quantitative, point-by-point maps of roughness and adhesion force rather than a qualitative image, it is well suited to batch-to-batch comparison of coating uniformity, film consistency and surface finish where a numeric, reproducible metric is needed.
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