Multi modal Surface Forces Apparatus

多模态表面力仪

• 批准号: RTI-2017-00344
• 负责人: Banquy, Xavier
• 金额: $ 10.93万
• 依托单位: Université de Montréal
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=616644
• 关键词: Multi; modal; Surface; Forces; Apparatus

The present proposal describes a research program in the field of surface engineering regrouping three researchers at the university of Montreal. The research program is centered on developing new strategies to control interfacial properties of engineered surfaces that could potentially lead to applications in the biomedical field. A key element of this research program lies in the precise engineering of the surfaces which requires an absolute control of molecular grafting, distribution and conformation. Our main goal is to establish quantitative correlations between macroscopic interfacial properties such as adhesion, lubrication, surface energy and local nanoscale surface properties such as molecular conformation, molecular distribution or nanomechanical properties. This challenging task is currently investigated in three different research thrusts involving each researcher: i) superlubricating and superresistant surfaces for next generation biolubricants; ii) Responsive/instructive nanofilms for next generation smart devices; iii) Biofunctional surfaces for next generation nanomedecine and medical devices. To achieve our goal, we are currently using the Surface Forces Apparatus (SFA) to assess the interaction forces at the molecular level between engineered macroscopic surfaces and characterizing their nanoscale properties using complementary techniques such as fluorescence microscopy, X-Ray/neutron reflection spectroscopy and surface imaging. This approach is tedious and does not allow to quantitatively establish the desired correlations due to surface variability and deterioration during transfer from one characterization technique to another. The requested infrastructure is a multi modal SFA integrating a fluorescence microscope. The equipment offers the possibility to perform force measurement and fluorescence imaging simultaneously allowing to directly correlate the nanoscale distribution of molecular species at the surfaces with macroscopic interfacial properties. The versatility of the equipment will allow in the future to couple other surface sensitive techniques such as in situ molecular imaging (AFM) or to perform neutron scattering experiments (SANS) simultaneously to force measurements. If granted, the equipment will significantly advance our research program and its scientific impact and will constitute an outstanding upgradable technological platform for surface scientists in Canada.

本提案描述了一项表面工程领域的研究方案，将蒙特利尔大学的三名研究人员重新组合在一起。该研究计划的中心是开发新的策略来控制工程表面的界面属性，这可能会导致在生物医学领域的应用。这项研究计划的一个关键要素是对表面进行精确的工程设计，这需要对分子的接枝、分布和构象进行绝对控制。我们的主要目标是建立宏观界面性质(如粘附性、润滑性、表面能)和局部纳米尺度表面性质(如分子构象、分子分布或纳米力学性质)之间的定量关联。这项具有挑战性的任务目前正在三个不同的研究推进中进行研究，每个研究人员都参与其中：i)下一代生物润滑剂的超润滑和超耐受性表面；ii)下一代智能设备的响应性/指导性纳米膜；iii)下一代纳米医疗和医疗设备的生物功能表面。为了实现我们的目标，我们目前正在使用表面力装置(SFA)在分子水平上评估工程宏观表面之间的相互作用力，并使用诸如荧光显微镜、X射线/中子反射光谱和表面成像等补充技术来表征它们的纳米级特性。这种方法很繁琐，并且不允许在从一种表征技术转移到另一种表征技术的过程中，由于表面的可变性和劣化而定量地建立所需的相关性。所需的基础设施是一个集成了荧光显微镜的多模式SFA。该设备提供了同时执行力测量和荧光成像的可能性，允许直接将分子物种在表面的纳米尺度分布与宏观界面属性相关联。该设备的多功能性将允许在未来结合其他表面敏感技术，如原位分子成像(AFM)或同时执行中子散射实验(SANS)以强制测量。如果获得批准，该设备将显著推进我们的研究计划及其科学影响，并将为加拿大的地表科学家构成一个出色的可升级的技术平台。