What is it about?
Graphene’s remarkable strength and elasticity make it an ideal ultrathin membrane for sensing applications, but understanding the forces at the liquid/graphene interface—and imaging this unique interface at the nanoscale—remains a challenge. We integrate dynamic atomic force microscopy with suspended graphene in a microfluidic platform to investigate a polar liquid/graphene/air interface. Remarkably, we found that graphene eliminates capillary instabilities that are predominant in tip–liquid interactions, allowing us to achieve stable imaging and force measurement on liquid surfaces. Through high-resolution phase-imaging, we uncover nanoscale imperfections like micro/nanoholes and interaction of graphene with liquid.
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Why is it important?
We demonstrate highly sensitive nanomechanical measurements with a oscillating probe on the unique interface of an atomically thin graphene membrane on liquid. Despite structural defects in graphene, we do not observe capillary instabilities at the graphene–liquid interface. Phase shift mapping, enables high-resolution images of topological features, nanoholes, and cracks, and show nanoconfinement of water beneath graphene that helps self-seal these defects.
Perspectives
Our findings open up exciting opportunities for integrating graphene into next-generation microfluidic devices, paving the way for robust and sensitive platforms for bio-nanomechanical sensing.
Sanket Jugade
Indian Institute of Science
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Graphene-mediated interfacial interactions at polar liquid–air interface in a microfluidic platform, Journal of Applied Physics, June 2025, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0268038.
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