Industrial Science

AFM (atomic force microscopy) is used in a seemingly endless range of disciplines, from biology, chemistry and engineering. This is due to its high resolution and versatility, which make it a very useful and powerful tool for imaging the diverse nanoscale world in liquid, air and vacuum environments. AFM use can be highlighted across the disciplines, here are some prime examples of AFM use in specific discipline areas.  Biology - Nanoscale mechanics of brain abscess: an atomic force microscopy study A brain abscess is a life-threatening swelling of part of the brain which arises from an infection. In this example, the viscoelastic properties: Young’s modulus and hysteresis (H) of three layers of brain abscess tissue were measured using atomic force microscopy for the very first time. The measurements were performed immediately after surgical removal where the tissue was rough and inhomogeneous in terms of its thickness. Therefore, an AFM instrument with a large z-range movement had...