Detection of nanobubbles between two liquid layers using atomic force microscopy meniscus force-distance measurements

Abstract

The presence of nanobubbles on lubricant-infused surfaces (LIS) has so far been overlooked due to the difficulty in detecting them in such a complex system. We recently showed that anomalously large interfacial slip measured on LIS is explained by the presence of nanobubbles. Crucial to drawing this conclusion was the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM) force-distance spectroscopy to directly image nanobubbles on LIS. This technique provided vital direct evidence of the spontaneous nucleation of nanobubbles on lubricant-infused hydrophobic surfaces. In this paper, we describe in detail the data collection and analysis of AFM meniscus force measurements on LIS and show how these powerful measurements can quantify both the thickness and distribution of multiple coexisting fluid layers (i.e. gas and oil) over a nanostructured surface.