Exploring The Nanoscale: How Afm Is Transforming Cosmetic Science

Sponsored Content by Bruker BioAFMReviewed by Emily MageeFeb 26 2026

Could you concisely stock your inheritance and really you came to attraction connected AFM technologies wrong nan cosmetics industry?

My sanction is Alexander Dulebo, and I’m a Bio Sales Application Engineer astatine Bruker, specializing successful biologic applications of AFM.

My domiciled involves helping researchers instrumentality and refine AFM techniques for life subject studies, ensuring optimal instrumentality capacity done guidance connected imaging modes, sample preparation, and information quality.

Correlated QI and optical images of unrecorded 3T3 fibroblast cells successful compartment civilization mean astatine 37°C. Image Credit: Bruker BioAFM

What circumstantial advantages does AFM connection complete different analytical techniques erstwhile it comes to evaluating cosmetic formulations aliases aboveground interactions?

AFM stands retired because it provides some topographical and mechanical accusation astatine nanometer resolution, without requiring analyzable sample preparation. This is peculiarly useful for soft, hydrated samples, specified arsenic tegument models, emulsions, aliases gels. Unlike SEM aliases TEM, AFM tin run successful liquid environments, making it perfect for studying cosmetics successful conditions that mimic real-world use.

Why do you judge AFM is peculiarly well-suited for applications successful cosmetic science, particularly compared to much accepted aboveground characterization methods?

Cosmetic products often impact complex, multi-phase systems and soft materials. Traditional techniques deficiency nan solution aliases biology compatibility to analyse these effectively. AFM, connected nan different hand, tin measurement aboveground roughness, adhesion, stiffness, viscoelastic properties, and moreover molecular interactions – each nether ambient aliases physiological conditions. This makes it an invaluable instrumentality for investigating and knowing nan effects and capacity of a attraction product, e.g., for tegument aliases hair.

NanoWizard PURE Bio (right) and Standard (left) configurations. Image Credit: Bruker BioAFM

In your experience, wherever do you spot nan astir impactful aliases promising applications of BioAFM successful cosmetic investigation and merchandise development?

Firstly, BioAFM is not constricted to investigation and merchandise development; it besides serves arsenic a valuable instrumentality successful value control. Key applications see analyzing nan effects of tegument attraction products, evaluating nan mechanical and frictional properties of hairsbreadth fibers, and characterizing emulsions aliases nano/micro-carrier systems.

BioAFM supports nan improvement of long-lasting formulations by studying really products adhere to and interact pinch biologic surfaces complete time.

What are nan main challenges you brushwood erstwhile applying AFM successful cosmetics R&D?

Although comparatively elemental compared to different techniques, sample mentation tin beryllium a challenge, particularly erstwhile moving pinch fluids and soft samples. Sample immobilization tin beryllium tricky and investigating soft, sticky, aliases heterogeneous samples tin beryllium challenging and time-consuming arsenic AFM is inherently a point-by-point technique. However, advances for illustration automated mapping and correlative imaging are helping to flooded these limitations.

Can you explicate really combining optical techniques pinch AFM enhances your knowing of cosmetic materials? Are location immoderate lawsuit studies aliases results that item this synergy?

Integrating AFM pinch optical methods specified arsenic fluorescence imaging aliases super-resolution techniques for illustration STED enables broad correlative analysis. This attack links nanoscale topography and mechanical properties pinch chemic creation aliases biologic markers. The optical overlay facilitates accelerated recognition of regions of liking and supports automation of AFM workflows, leveraging AI for intelligent image analysis.

How has nan cosmetics industry’s attack to nanoscale investigation evolved successful caller years, and what domiciled do devices for illustration AFM play successful this shift?

There’s been a clear displacement toward knowing and engineering materials astatine nan nanoscale – whether it’s for amended transportation systems, improved textures, aliases enhanced efficacy. AFM has go a cardinal instrumentality successful this evolution, enabling researchers to visualize and quantify nanoscale features that straight power merchandise performance.

Are location immoderate caller trends – specified arsenic personalized skincare, sustainability, aliases biotech integration – that are shaping really AFM is utilized successful nan cosmetics field?

Absolutely. Personalized skincare is driving request for elaborate tegument profiling, wherever AFM tin measure individual tegument topographies and mechanical properties. In sustainability, AFM helps measure biodegradable materials aliases earthy alternatives to microplastics. Biotech integration, specified arsenic utilizing bioengineered peptides aliases encapsulated actives, besides benefits from AFM’s expertise to qualify nano-carriers and their interactions pinch biologic surfaces.

Looking ahead, what innovations aliases improvements successful AFM exertion do you deliberation will further beforehand its applications successful cosmetic research?

I spot awesome imaginable successful ample area mapping capabilities and successful combining AFM pinch instrumentality learning for automated information acquisition and interpretation. Additionally, advancements successful faster, high-throughput AFM systems connection higher throughput and deeper insights into move processes.

Discover More BioAFM Applications successful Cosmetics and Healthcare

About Alexander Dulebo

Alexander Dulebo is simply a Bio Sales Application Engineer astatine Bruker, based successful Berlin, Germany, pinch much than a decade of acquisition supporting precocious technological instrumentation successful biologic investigation environments. Since joining Bruker successful 2012, he has worked intimately pinch researchers and manufacture partners to thief them adopt, optimize, and use cutting-edge analytical technologies to analyzable biologic and biophysical challenges.

Alexander holds a PhD successful Biophysics from nan University of South Bohemia successful České Budějovice and an MSc successful Radiobiology and Ecological Medicine from nan International Sakharov Environmental University. His world inheritance underpins his beardown application-focused approach, enabling him to span nan spread betwixt precocious instrumentation and real-world investigation needs.

About Bruker BioAFM

Bruker BioAFM, erstwhile JPK Instruments AG, is simply a lead­ing man­u­fac­tur­er of nano-an­a­lyt­i­cal in­stru­ments - par­tic­u­lar­ly based connected atom­ic unit mi­cro­scope (AFM) and op­ti­cal tweez­ers sys­tems - for life sci­ences and soft mat­ter ap­pli­ca­tions.

We harvester nan highest method skills pinch visionary applications. Our activity applies nanotechnology successful ways to supply solutions to challenges facing researchers successful life sciences and soft matter today. Driven by inspiration and ambition, it is our condemnation that only nan champion devices are bully capable for nan investigation of life. We are listening pinch nan receptor of a intelligence successful item to nan existent challenges of our customers and find individual solutions for individual problems. This is really we understand our business.

Primary activity

Material Manufacturer
Scanning Probe Technology for Soft Matter and Life Sciences