Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026
Preparation and Characterization of C60/Graphene Hybrid Nanostructures
Published on: May 15, 2018
Morphological imaging of single methylcellulose chains and their thermoresponsive assembly on a highly oriented
Shingo Yokota1, Tomotsugu Ueno, Takuya Kitaoka
1Department of Forest and Forest Products Sciences, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan.
Abstract:
Individual methylcellulose (MC) chains and their thermoresponsive assembly were successfully visualized on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Momentary contact of a dilute MC solution at 4 degrees C onto the HOPG substrate permitted clear imaging of individual MC chains having a molecular thickness of ca. 0.5 nm and a hexagonal orientation. By increasing the solution temperature from 4 to 80 degrees C, it was possible to bring about significant changes in the MC nanomorphology from stretched molecular chains to disordered massive aggregates. It was presumed that the hydrophobic interaction between the MC chains and the HOPG pi-conjugated system led to the successful visualization of thermally responsive changes in the MC conformations. These results imply that HOPG substrates could be used for clear nanoimaging of cellulosic polymers and other structural polysaccharides.
