Table 1. Comparison of FT-nanoDMA method with existing nanoindenter method.
| Property | TI 950 Hysitron nanoindenter- based nanoDMA | AFM-based FT-nanoDMA |
|---|---|---|
| Contact diameter | 22,000 or 33,000 nm (PDMS) | 160 or 230 nm (PDMS) |
| 9,000 or 15,000 nm (polyurethane) | 140 or 170 nm (polyurethane) | |
| Minimum vertical indentation | 1000 or 2600 nm (PDMS) | 100 or 400 nm (PDMS) |
| 100 or 300 nm (polyurethane) | 5 or 10 nm (polyurethane) | |
| Total measurement time at one point of the surface | >200 sec (for 10 frequencies) | ~0.7–1 sec (for 10 frequencies though the number of frequencies is not a limiting factor) |
| Time to record 100 × 100 pixel map | 23 days (impractical) | 1.9 hours |
| Ability to study individual biological cells | no | yes |
| Frequency range | Up to 300 Hz | Up to 300 Hz |
The comparison is done on the same samples of two polymers: PDMS resin (the Young’s modulus of 1.5 MPa) and polyurethane (the Young’s modulus of 0.63 GPa).