The effects of tuning the parameters of the system based on DLVO interactions between a polymer bead (4.5 μm diameter) and an organic layer (thiol monolayer) on gold in water. The zero distance is set at the organic layer/water interface. The black curves in each graph represent a standard set of conditions, where ionic strength = 100 mM, zeta potential = 35 mV, blocking layer thickness = 2 nm, the blocking layer-water-probe Hamaker constant = 2 zJ, and the substrate-water-probe Hamaker constant of 15 zJ. The effects of zeta potential (a), ionic strength (b), substrate-water-probe Hamaker constant (c), and the blocking layer thickness (d) were evaluated.