AFM Characterisation of Technical Fibres

Technical fibres are designed and produced to create microstructures that give the fibre product its characteristic properties. The use of new tools is of importance in fundamental and practical research and development of versatile technical fibres for a variety of applications. This paper highlights the methodological approaches to exploring the nanostructures, properties, and dynamics of surfaces and interfaces of technical fibres using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The examples presented include structure characteristics of nanofibre materials, nanostructure and properties of fibre surfaces, nanoscale level interactions at fibre interfaces, and dynamic nanostructure evolution of fibre surfaces under different conditions. In these areas, AFM is shown to be a useful and versatile tool to study nanostructures, to probe surface and interface properties, or to investigate the dynamic process at fibre surfaces and interfaces. AFM provides powerful tools for nondestructive characterisation of technical fibres.