A new sample environment for structural studies of confined and sheared thin soft films
The study of soft matter films under mechanical confinement was originally made possible by the emergence of the Surface Force Apparatus and the Atomic Force Microscope. These techniques provide accurate interaction forces at different separations. However, they do not provide structural information. Going beyond measurements of forces and measuring near-surface structures has been a challenge for a number of decades. In this regard, Neutron Reflectometry (NR) offers unparalleled possibilities for extracting structural information of mechanically confined thin films. Recently, a team partly formed by the applicants developed a sample environment for NR studies of mechanically confined thin soft films that has been a breakthrough in confined soft matter investigations. However, there is significant room for improvement. Specifically, the possibility to study shear-induced structural rearrangements would be of great value in lubrication science along with a number of other fields. We have addressed this challenge and designed a new NR confinement cell allowing shearing of two opposing surfaces. Here, we apply for beam time to test the first prototype of this novel sample environment.
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Juan Francisco; BARKER Robert; H Boyd; GUTFREUND Philipp; PRESCOTT Stuart and SOTRES Javier. (2021). A new sample environment for structural studies of confined and sheared thin soft films. Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) doi:10.5291/ILL-DATA.1-10-41
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