ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY OF ELASTOMERS .1. CHARACTERIZATION OF CARBON-BLACK MORPHOLOGY AND DISPERSION IN ELASTOMERS BY NONCONTACT MODE AFM

The application of AC non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) is introduced for the first time in order to investigate carbon black morphology and dispersion in elastomers. A brief discussion of the basic principles of this new type of microscopy shows that non-contact mode AFM is superior to contact mode AFM when imaging materials of high compliance. The technique is used to study the carbon black dispersion in two elastomeric materials of identical recipe but mixed by different procedures. The resultant images allow quantitative analyses of agglomerate/aggregate size, interagglomerate/interaggregate distance and even primary particle size distribution of carbon blacks in mixes. AFM Is a suitable method for a unique characterization of carbon black and silica dispersion.