A SURFACE FORCE APPARATUS AND A METHOD OF USING IT

    公开(公告)号:EP3839597A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-06-23

    申请号:EP19315169.3

    申请日:2019-12-19

    IPC分类号: G02B21/32

    摘要: A surface force apparatus (SFA) comprises a first pressing member (2) presenting a convex first bearing surface having a radius of curvature, and a second pressing member (3) presenting a second bearing surface. At least one of the first and second bearing surfaces comprises an external surface configured to receive thereupon a film of material for immersion in a bulk solvent fluid thereby to be solvated by molecules from the bulk solvent fluid. A manipulator is configured to move at least one of the first and second pressing members to cause the first and second bearing surfaces to bear against each other with a substantially constant and static urging force. Consequently, parts of a said film occupy a gap thereby formed between the first and second bearing surfaces which expels bulk solvent fluid. The ratio ( F / R ) of the magnitude ( F ) of the urging force and the radius of curvature ( R ) of the first bearing surface is in the range 0.3 N/m to 100.0 N/m.