Quantitative estimation of nanoparticle-substrate adhesion by atomic force microscopy

chemistry Medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry Nano- and molecular-scale electronics Nano-biomaterials and bioscience Nanomagnetics Nanomaterials, thin films and nanointerfaces Nanomedicine Nanometrology and nanomechanics Nano-optics Nanopatterning, self-assembly and nanofabrication Nanostructures for energy and sensing applications Natural products chemistry Organo main group chemistry Other nanotechnology (unclassified) Other organic chemistry (unclassified) Photochemistry and photovoltaics Physical organic chemistry Supramolecular chemistry Understanding nanoparticle adhesion to substrates is the key for their stability and performance in many applications, including energy systems, nanofabrication, catalysis and electronic devices. In this study, we present a methodology for examining adhesion of copper nanoparticles to silicon substrates deposited under varying conditions using DC magnetron sputter inert gas condensation. Atomic force microscopy was utilized as a tool for the manipulation of the nanoparticles and to measure lateral forces for their displacement, with cantilever calibration achieved through wedge and diamagnetic lateral force calibrator methods. The work of adhesion was quantified by integrating the obtained lateral forces over the distance moved during manipulation, revealing a non-monotonic dependency on nanoparticle size with maximum adhesion observed for particles between 6 and 12 nm. In addition, an applied positive substrate bias voltage led to more energetic landing conditions and thus to increased adhesion forces. This study underscores the suitability of atomic force microscopy in characterizing adhesion on the nanoscale and offers insights into future strategies for tailoring nanoparticle/substrate interactions.

magnetron sputtering; nanoparticles; atomic force microscopy; nanomanipulation; adhesion When a peer-reviewed version of this preprint is available, this information will be updated in the information box above. If no peer-reviewed version is available, please cite this preprint using the following information: Çiçek, A.; Kratzer, M.; Teichert, C.; Mitterer, C. Beilstein Arch. 2025, 202546. doi:10.3762/bxiv.2025.46.v1 Citation data can be downloaded as file using the "Download" button or used for copy/paste from the text window below. Citation data in RIS format can be imported by all major citation management software, including EndNote, ProCite, RefWorks, and Zotero. © 2025 Çiçek et al.; licensee Beilstein-Institut. This is an open access work licensed under the terms of the Beilstein-Institut Open Access License Agreement (https://www.beilstein-archives.org/xiv/terms), which is identical to the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). The reuse of material under this license requires that the author(s), source and license are credited. Third-party material in this work could be subject to other licenses (typically indicated in the credit line), and in this case, users are required to obtain permission from the license holder to reuse the material.