A paper co-authored by ICTP researcher Erio Tosatti has appeared in the 25 April online issue of Nature Nanotechnology.

Titled "Direct mapping of the solid–liquid adhesion energy with subnanometre resolution", the joint experimental and theoretical work contributes to the understanding of solid-liquid interface phenomena.

Using a commercially available atomic force microscope (AFM), the researchers experimentally obtained topographical images of the interface and of its dissipation. The empirical evidence, supported by theoretical considerations, shows further that the energy dissipated by the penetrating AFM tip is unexpectedly related to the equilibrium free energy of the solid-liquid interface. This permits researchers for the first time to build a local map of this elusive quantity, providing potentially important nanoscale insights into solid-liquid interfaces.