Chemical force microscopy: applications in surface characterisation of natural hydroxyapatite Review Article

Detailed mapping of surface chemistry with nanometer resolution has application throughout the physical and life sciences. The atomic force microscope (AFM) has provided a tool that, when using functionalised probes, is capable of providing chemical information with this level of spatial resolution. Here, we describe the technique of chemical force microscopy (CFM) and demonstrate the sensitivity of the technique using chemical force titrations against pH. We describe in detail the specific application of mapping the surface charge on natural hydroxyapatite from skeletal tissue and show that this new information leads to a better understanding of the binding of matrix proteins to the mineral surface.