[3Ga01-10] Surface Science(SS1) Physical Property

[3Ga01] AFM characterization of lubricant-TiO₂(110) interfaces

*Akitsu Sakata¹, Shiho Moriguchi^1,2, Hiroshi Onishi^1,3 (1. Department of Chemistry, Kobe University, 2. Shimadzu Techno-Research Incorporated, 3. Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences)

We observed the mechanical response at lubricant-solid interfaces using an atomic force microscope (Shimadzu, SPM-8100FM). As model lubricants, liquid hexadecane (C₁₆H₃₄) was modified with palmitic acid (C₁₅H₃₁COOH) of 0-0.5 weight%. (110)-oriented rutile TiO₂ wafers were prepared by annealing in air at 800°C for 10 h. In model lubricants containing 0.5 wt% palmitic acid, round domains were sometimes observed on the TiO₂ terraces. In addition to topographic imaging, force curves were obtained in the model lubricants. The force pushing the AFM tip away from the TiO₂ surface was quantified in the range of 0-100 nN as a function of tip-surface distance.