Welcome to the Balke Research Lab
Nanoscale Atomic Force Microscopy
The Balke Research Lab, under the direction of Nina Balke, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, explores nanoscale materials functionality driven by electric fields and potentials, with a focus on linking nanoscale behavior to macroscopic performance in energy and information technologies. Our work centers on electromechanical, mechanical, and transport phenomena in inorganic systems and across fluid–solid interfaces. Using state-of-the-art atomic force microscopy (AFM), we emphasize quantitative imaging and parameter extraction to integrate with theory and complementary multi-modal characterization techniques.
Nina Balke, Principal Investigator
Research Focus: Nanoscale Functional Materials
Our areas of expertise include:
- Probing electromechanical coupling in dielectric, piezoelectric, and ferroelectric materials
- Investigating ionic transport in electrodes and solid electrolytes for energy storage devices
- Characterizing structure and dynamics at solid–liquid interfaces
- Developing advanced atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods for quantitative imaging
- Integrating AFM with multi-modal and in situ characterization techniques
- Linking nanoscale phenomena to macroscopic material performance
