I will be studying polymer/electrolyte systems. These systems are extremely relevant potential energy storage materials. These systems are commonly studied by band excitation piozoresponce force microscopy (BE PFM). This technique has the disadvantage of being a contact mode AFM technique, making imaging soft samples difficult and potentially damaging the sample. I will be applying time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy (tr-EFM) to these systems. This technique relies on a shift in the cantilever frequency when charges or ions move through the sample as a result of an applied bias. One potential advantage is that as a non-contact technique, the likelihood of damaging the sample is low. Additionally, this technique is potentially more sensitive to the low frequency response of the cantilever due to tip sample interaction than band excitation, allowing me to discover novel properties of the systems.
Advisor: David Ginger