QUARTZ CRYSTAL MICROBALANCE WITH DISSIPATION MONITORING (QCM-D)

The QCM-D technology is a real-time surface sensitive technique to monitor and characterize thin films on a surface in terms of adsorption, desorption, molecular interactions and structural properties. During the measurement, two parameters, frequency and dissipation, are monitored simultaneously, in real-time, as molecular layers form on the sensor surface. Using the correct viscoelastic model, this information is translated into changes in mass and thickness. With this technology, our lab is capable of measuring nanoparticles deposition, adsorption of small molecules and changes in protein conformation. Thus far, we have been able to monitor deposition for coverages less than µg m^-2!