Nchv a tapping mode probes

A MultiMode 8 atomic force microscope (AFM) equipped with a NanoScope
V controller (Bruker Corporation, U.S.A.) was used to analyze the
samples. All the images were obtained in tapping mode in ambient air
using NCHV-A tapping mode probes (Bruker). The samples were prepared
in two different ways: (1) dropping of 5 μL of the diluted aqueous
particle dispersion (diluted to be 0.02 wt % by DI water) on a mica
surface followed by ambient drying; and (2) direct adsorption of the
particles onto PLL-modified silicon wafer by immersing the wafer (∼1
× 1 cm²) in the particle dispersion (at the native
concentration) for 1 h, followed by rinsing with DI water and N₂ drying. A silicon wafer purified with 15 min UV/ozone treatment
in an Ozonator was modified with PLL by immersing the wafer in PLL
solution for 1 h, followed by rinsing with DI water and N₂ drying before applying the particles. Nanoscope Analysis (version
1.5, Bruker) was used for image processing.

The AFM analysis was carried out with a MultiMode eight atomic force microscope equipped with a NanoScope V controller (Bruker Corporation, U.S.A.). The images for CLPs were obtained in tapping mode under ambient air condition with NCHV-A tapping mode probes (Bruker). The images for oil droplets (stabilized by chi-CLP and cross-linked with STP) were obtained in ScanAsyst mode under ambient air condition with SCANASYST-AIR probes (Bruker). Samples were prepared by dropping 5 μl of the diluted dispersion or emulsion on the mica surfaces and drying under ambient conditions. Nanoscope analysis 1.5 software was used for image analysis.