Fibrillary Arrangement of Elongated, Almost Parallel Aggregates of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Domains Forming the Nafion Surface Structure Improved Contrast Atomic Force Microscopy Images

A significant improvement in spatial resolution is reported in Nafion surface maps when compared to previous atomic force microscopy images of the Nafion surface scanned in air. The technique ability is to generate maps showing approximately few nanometer (similar to 2-5 nm) patterns to the long fiber length (>2 mu m). Atomic force microscopy force vs separation curve profiles registered in water are used to characterize the surface hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains. Initially, Nafion surfaces were imaged in air for comparison and then immersed in water. Nafion surfaces immersed in water display a matrix of hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions with fibrillary structure dimensions of similar to 40 nm formed by fiber pairs. Ribbons formed by two pairs with diameters of similar to 83 nm are separated by larger channels.