Physics Commons^™

The Search For Ferroelectric Domain Structures In Carbohydrate Glasses Using Atomic Force Microscopy, Louis S. Prahl, David P. Shelton

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

D-glucose was studied as a possible candidate for ferroelectric domain imaging using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The large dipole moment of carbohydrates is such that they may show localized ferroelectric domain formation in liquid phase. Samples were heated at their melting point on glass slides and then left to cool to room temperature in a desiccator. Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) was used to test the effectiveness of this method, and it was found that the oven preparation created samples with 41% crystallinity, where both a glass transition and sharp melting peak were observed. DTA was again used to find …