NOVEL NEEDLE MICROBALANCE FOR ADSORPTION STUDIES

Microbalances an quite often used in the investigation of adsorption p henomena. In this article we describe a novel ''needle'' microbalance characterized by a magnetic restoring torque particularly fit to study the growth of thick films on solid surfaces. In particular, it does n ot present any particular problem in the study of thick solid films wh ich generally affect the stiffness of the restoring springs, present i n nearly all mechanical devices, in a difficult to predict way. Anothe r important feature of this microbalance is that its use is not Limite d to one specific adsorbing solid surface. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.