The highlights of this book include an examination of the use of scanning probe microscopy to characterize a variety of polymeric materials, from polymer single crystals and molecular films to composites and biopolymers. The volume provides a synthesis of critical overviews and important new developments, including applications in atomic resolution, chemical force microscopy, and recognition/nanolithography. It includes a review of basic principles and operational modes, terminology, trends, and a discussion of key industrial applications, such as polymer fibers, polymer composites, and filled polymers. It also includes chapters on biopolymers and living cells and on methods for probing micromechanical properties.

Scope of the Book Synthetic and natural polymers exhibit a complex structural and morphological hierarchy on multiple length scales [1], which determines their performance. Thus, research aiming at visualizing structure and morphology using a multitude of microscopy techniques has received considerable attention since the early days of polymer science and technology. Various well-developed techniques such as optical microscopy and different forms of electron microscopy (Scanning Electron Micr- copy, SEM; Transmission Electron Microscopy, TEM; Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy, ESEM) allow one to view polymeric structure at different levels of magni?cation. These classical techniques, and their applications to po- mers, are well documented in the literature [2, 3]. The invention of Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) inspired the devel- ment of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and other forms of scanning proximity microscopes in the late 1980s [4, 5]. AFM, unlike STM, can be used to image n- conducting specimens such as polymers. In addition, AFM imaging is feasible in liquids, which has several advantages. Using liquid imaging cells the forces between specimen and AFM probe are drastically reduced, thus sample damage is prevented. In addition, the use of water as imaging medium opened up new applications aiming at imaging, characterizing, and analyzing biologically important systems.

The symposium "Recent Advances in Scanning Probe Microscopy of Polymers" held during the 220th American Chemical Society National Meeting in Washington DC in August 2000 focused on the latest advances in applications of SPM techniques for the study of polymeric and organic materials. The main topics consisted of SPM imaging of polymer morphology and microstructure, microtribological properties of polymers, micromechanical probing of polymers, microthermal imaging, studies of ultrathin and molecular organic and polymeric films, modeling of tip-surface interactions, chemical compositional analysis of heterogeneous materials, and SPM applications to industrial polymers. This volume of Macromolecular Symposia will be a valuable guide in the field of contemporary SPM studies of polymeric materials.

This extensively updated and revised Third Edition is a comprehensive and practical guide to the study of the microstructure of polymers. It is the result of the authors' many years of academic and industrial experience. Introductory chapters deal with the basic concepts of both polymer morphology and processing and microscopy and imaging theory. The core of the book is more applied, with many examples of specimen preparation and image interpretation leading to materials characterization. Emerging techniques such as compositional mapping in which microscopy is combined with spectroscopy are considered. The book closes with a problem solving guide.

Applications of Scanned Probe Microscopy to Polymers stresses the analysis of polymer and biopolymer surfaces using the ever-expanding methodologies of scanned probe microscopies. This book includes studies of optical properties by near-field methodologies, local mechanical properties of polymer films by AFM, the dynamics and mechanics of single molecules probed by AFM, and methodologies for enhanced imaging modes. A primary focus of this book is the quantitative measurement of surface properties by scanned probe techniques, which illustrates how the field has evolved and what new challenges lie ahead. Applications of Scanned Probe Microscopy to Polymers will be valuable to students and professionals looking for studies that illustrate what types of polymer material properties may be probed by scanned probe microscopies.

This volume will be devoted to the technical aspects of electrical and electromechanical SPM probes and SPM imaging on the limits of resolution, thus providing technical introduction into the field. This volume will also address the fundamental physical phenomena underpinning the imaging mechanism of SPMs.

The Nobel Prize of 1986 on Sc- ningTunnelingMicroscopysignaled a new era in imaging. The sc- ning probes emerged as a new - strument for imaging with a p- cision suf?cient to delineate single atoms. At ?rst there were two – the Scanning Tunneling Microscope, or STM, and the Atomic Force Mic- scope, or AFM. The STM relies on electrons tunneling between tip and sample whereas the AFM depends on the force acting on the tip when it was placed near the sample. These were quickly followed by the M- netic Force Microscope, MFM, and the Electrostatic Force Microscope, EFM. The MFM will image a single magnetic bit with features as small as 10nm. With the EFM one can monitor the charge of a single electron. Prof. Paul Hansma at Santa Barbara opened the door even wider when he was able to image biological objects in aqueous environments. At this point the sluice gates were opened and a multitude of different instruments appeared. There are signi?cant differences between the Scanning Probe Microscopes or SPM, and others such as the Scanning Electron Microscope or SEM. The probe microscopes do not require preparation of the sample and they operate in ambient atmosphere, whereas, the SEM must operate in a vacuum environment and the sample must be cross-sectioned to expose the proper surface. However, the SEM can record 3D image and movies, features that are not available with the scanning probes.

The volumes VIII, IX and X examine the physical and technical foundation for recent progress in applied scanning probe techniques. This is the first book to summarize the state-of-the-art of this technique. The field is progressing so fast that there is a need for a set of volumes every 12 to 18 months to capture latest developments. These volumes constitute a timely comprehensive overview of SPM applications.