Description:
30 x 30 micron atomic force  microscopy topography and lateral force images of an ultra thin lubricant coating. The lateral twisting of an AFM tip during scanning reflects micro and nanoscale changes in surface friction and is quantitative when calibrated. The  topography clearly identifies the irregular nanoparticle distribution. The dark areas of the lateral force image reveal the dispersion of the low friction lubricant which is independent of the substrate nanoparticle morphology (Copyright NPL).

Industry Sectors:
Automotive, Data Storage, Nanomaterials

Techniques:
Atomic Force Microscopy

Keywords:
tribology, nanoparticles, thin film