Surface Force Measurement Solutions, Training, and Research

Surface Forces Apparatus Users

Our Systems

SFA Systems

Our Surface Forces Apparatus (SFA) systems combined with multiple-beam interferometry can measure forces (static- equilibrium or dynamic- non-equilibrium) between two surfaces in vapors or liquids with a sensitivity of a few nN and a distance resolution of 1Å (0.1 nm).

FAFA Systems

Our Fiber Adhesion and Friction Apparatus (FAFA) can measure the surface forces between two fibers (10s um in diameter) or between a fiber and a surface with a sensitivity of a few uN.

FAFA 2020

FIBER ADHESION AND FRICTION APPARATUS

The FAFA 2020 system is SurForce’s newest surface forces measurement system. The system is custom designed to rapidly perform fiber adhesion and friction measurements utilizing high-rate imaging techniques. The system includes an optical table, dedicated high-frame rate video acquisition computer hosting a user-friendly MATLAB GUI for data acquisition and reduction and an enclosure outfitted with humidity & temperature sensing.

μSFA

The μSFA, or micro-SFA, is a new, compact, microscope-ready SFA for measuring the normal forces between surfaces and other interfacial phenomena. The compact chamber accommodates typical short focal length, large diameter, objectives needed for fluorescence, confocal and other common high magnification microscopy techniques.

NEW ATTACHMENTS

The Electrochemcial, or EC-μSFA. Piezoelectric Top Mount hosts our standard surfaces as well as a large 14MM DIA surface for easier management of the working electrode (WE). The uSFA chamber supports similar three electrode feedthroughs for reference (RE), working (WE) and counter (CE) electrodes as our SFA2000 EC-SFA system.

Bimorph Slider. The μSFA Bimorph Slider (3-BS) attachment supports lateral force actuation for the lower SFA surface, similar to the same attachment for the SFA2000 systems but scaled for the smaller μSFA chamber.

SFA 2000

The SFA 2000 is our full-featured configurable SFA offering the imposition and measurement of both normal and shear forces. Friction configurations (FD-SFA) support 1D and 2D friction sensing and load sensing using either metal-film, or high-sensitivity semiconducting, strain gauging.

Click here to find your SFA / FAFA solution today!

What’s New

Ion-specific control of underwater adhesion

Researchers in Xavier Banquy’s group at the University of Montreal used a SurForce surface forces apparatus to compare how bottlebrush polymers adhere to mica and to each other in different salt solutions. They found that cations affect polymer anchoring to mica, while multivalent anions can bridge opposing polymer layers. The work shows that ion identity, not just salt concentration, can control underwater adhesion.

Client’s Testimonials

The work, in their words

One client, one story at a time, from the brief through to launch.

Testimonial 3

“The SFA technique is the gold standard for measuring forces between surfaces.”

Professor Tonya Kuhl

University of California Davis, Chemical Engineering and Material Sciences

Testimonial 2

“I don’t know of another technique that can simultaneously measure surface forces, absolute surface separation and provide direct visualization of the contact area to unequivocally determine the surface energy.”

Dr. Matthew Tirrell

Dean & Pritzker Director, Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago

Testimonial 4

“The SurForce team is very helpful in achieving our research needs. I am looking forward to acquiring the new uSFA to complement our SFA 2000.”

Professor Dong-Woog Lee

Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)

Testimonial 1

“The SFA is critical to our research needs. The SurForce Team provided us with an SFA turn-key system greatly simplifying our procurement and continues to support system customization through insightful and comprehensive engineering design services.”

Dr. Jing Yu

School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Home