Atomic force microscopy as a tool for the evaluation of natural fibers and polymers surface

The scanning probe microscope is the generic name of a whole family of microscopes that use a probe to detect some physical features to study the surface properties of materials. This class of microscopes can now provide information about nanometer-scale matter properties that are often inaccessible by any other experimental technique. The advantages of the application of these recent techniques on the materials science field and more specifically on the study of natural fiber surfaces for application as reinforcement in plastic composites will be illustrated. For instance, atomic force microscopy can be used successfully to study surface morphology and to quantify the surface roughness and several other surface properties. Examples of the use of this technique for natural fibers modified under different conditions by benzylation, cold plasma treatment, blending, and self-assembly deposition are shown. The topography, roughness, and surface morphology of the fiber can be significantly modified as a function of the surface treatment used as studied by atomic force microscopy.