title: Variation of Surface Charge along the Surface of Wool Fibers Assessed by High-Resolution Force Spectroscopy.
abstract: In this study, we have mapped the surface charge of wool fibers using chemically specific high-resolution force spectroscopy in order to better understand the dispersion of amino acids in relation to fiber morphology. The inter-surface forces between standard atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe tips (tip radius ~ 50 nm) functionalized with COOH and NH(3) terminated alkanethiol self assembling monolayers and the wool surface were used to estimate the surface charge per unit area using linear Poisson-Boltzmann-based electrostatic double layer theory. The positional measurement of nano-scale surface charge showed a correlation between the surface charge and fiber morphology, indicated that basic amino acids are located near the scale edges.
authors.affiliation: Clemson University, School of Material Science and Engineering, 201 Olin Hall, Clemson, SC, 29634, UNITED STATES.
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Albert G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ellison
authors.forename: Marian S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dean