Deformation and Adhesion of Viscoelastic Particles: Theory and Atomic Force Microscopy

Phil Attard and G. Gillies

School of Chemistry University of Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia

Aust. J. Chem. 54, 477-485 (2001)

Abstract
A summary is given of the authors' recent research on viscoelastic theory and its application to colloid probe atomic force microscopy. A general computational approach for the interaction of viscoelastic colloids interacting with realistic surface forces of extended range is outlined, and the origins of velocity and time dependent effects including hysteresis is discussed. A general method for establishing the zero of separation in atomic force microscopy of deformable bodies is described and utilised in force measurements made on viscoelastic poly-(dimethylsiloxane) colloid particles. A quantitative analysis of the velocity and load dependence of the hysteresis in the measurements yields the viscoelastic parameters of the colloid.

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