A Langmuir-Blodgett System with Brewster Angle Microscopy and Surface Potential Sensing for Multifunctional and Advanced Materials

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We are requesting a Langmuir-Blodgett Deposition Trough with the capability to perform Brewster Angle Microscopy (BAM) and Surface Potential Sensing (SPS). This technology will allow us to assemble and characterize precisely controlled thin films with a wide variety of applications in the processing of multifunctional and advanced materials. BAM provides information on the homogeneity, phase behaviour and morphology of the assembled films whereas SPS allows us to control the quality of the film and of its transfer onto variety of substrates. This is a state-of-the art system that will allow our laboratories and others to produce cutting edge research on the development of multifunctional advanced materials by assembly of nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, cellulose nanocrystals, graphene and even bacteriophage into structured thin films. The major advantage of this technique is that assembled films can be transferred to a wide variety of substrates in precisely controlled aligned arrangement with the ability of preparing multilayered structures with an excellent control on layer numbers and homogeneity. These films have applications in emerging areas such as advanced energy materials, optics and optoelectronics, advanced nanocomposites, biosensing and biomedical engineering. The inclusion of an environmental chamber and active vibration isolation system will protect the samples and improve the quality of the measurements. The presence of this technology with other existing materials characterisation tools in our laboratories will ensure a unique training environment for at least 36 of our research trainees and others. Funding of the LB-BAM-SPS system would be a relatively inexpensive means to bring state-of-the art equipment to the Canadian research community, providing new opportunities for innovation in the fields of assembled nanostructures and thin film fabrication.