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Lorentz contact resonance spectroscopy for nanoscale characterisation of structural and mechanical properties of biological, dental and pharmaceutical materials

  • Special Issue: ESB 2015
  • Biomaterials Synthesis and Characterisation
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Scanning probe microscopy has been widely used to obtain topographical information and to quantify nanostructural properties of different materials. Qualitative and quantitative imaging is of particular interest to study material–material interactions and map surface properties on a nanoscale (i.e. stiffness and viscoelastic properties). These data are essential for the development of new biomedical materials. Currently, there are limited options to map viscoelastic properties of materials at nanoscale and at high resolutions. Lorentz contact resonance (LCR) is an emerging technique, which allows mapping viscoelasticity of samples with stiffness ranging from a few hundred Pa up to several GPa. Here we demonstrate the applicability of LCR to probe and map the viscoelasticity and stiffness of ‘soft’ (biological sample: cell treated with nanodiamond), ‘medium hard’ (pharmaceutical sample: pMDI canister) and ‘hard’ (human teeth enamel) specimens. The results allowed the identification of nanodiamond on the cells and the qualitative assessment of its distribution based on its nanomechanical properties. It also enabled mapping of the mechanical properties of the cell to demonstrate variability of these characteristics in a single cell. Qualitative imaging of an enamel sample demonstrated variations of stiffness across the specimen and precise identification of enamel prisms (higher stiffness) and enamel interrods (lower stiffness). Similarly, mapping of the pMDI canister wall showed that drug particles were adsorbed to the wall. These particles showed differences in stiffness at nanoscale, which suggested variations in surface composition—multiphasic material. LCR technique emerges as a valuable tool for probing viscoelasticity of samples of varying stiffness’s.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, The University of Sydney for providing funding (AINST Accelerator Scheme). Also authors acknowledge the use of the facilities as well as the scientific and technical assistance of the Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility at The University of Sydney. Dipesh Khanal is a recipient of an Australian Leadership Award scholarship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Dipesh Khanal, Herman Hau, Dong Fu, Iqbal Ramzan & Wojciech Chrzanowski

  2. Anasys Instruments, 325 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, USA

    Eoghan Dillon

  3. Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Wojciech Chrzanowski

Authors
  1. Dipesh Khanal
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  2. Eoghan Dillon
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  3. Herman Hau
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  4. Dong Fu
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  5. Iqbal Ramzan
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  6. Wojciech Chrzanowski
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Correspondence to Dipesh Khanal or Wojciech Chrzanowski.

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Khanal, D., Dillon, E., Hau, H. et al. Lorentz contact resonance spectroscopy for nanoscale characterisation of structural and mechanical properties of biological, dental and pharmaceutical materials. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 26, 272 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-015-5605-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-015-5605-1

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