Polymer Graphite Pencil Lead as a Cheap Alternative for Classic Conductive SPM Probes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Surface Science

Background:

• Conductive polymer graphite (PG) is a modern nanocomposite material.
• PG is composed of graphite flakes and a polymer-based binding agent.
• It is known for its high conductivity and resistance to surface contamination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce polymer graphite (PG) as a novel material for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) probes.
• To explore the suitability of PG for electrode manufacturing.
• To develop and describe methods for producing PG tips for STM.

Main Methods:

• Three distinct methods were developed for producing scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) tips from polymer graphite (PG).
• Commercially available polymer graphite rods were utilized for tip fabrication.
• The performance of the produced tips was evaluated within a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and for other potential applications.

Main Results:

• The paper details three methods for fabricating polymer graphite (PG) tips for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM).
• The performance of PG tips was assessed in STM applications.
• The study discusses the potential of PG in other applications beyond STM.

Conclusions:

• Polymer graphite (PG) is presented as a promising, low-cost material for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) probes.
• The developed fabrication methods and performance evaluations support PG's utility in STM.
• PG's properties suggest broader applicability in electrode manufacturing and other fields.