Chiaro Nanoindenter

The Optics11 Chiaro is the only Nanoindenter in Australia. It measures force and displacement to investigate the micro-mechanical properties of biomaterials ranging in stiffness between 10 Pa and 1 GPa. These include single cells, native or engineered tissues, spheroids/organoids, hydrogels, biofilms and other non-organic specimens.

The Chiaro is combined to the LSM700 Inverted Confocal Microscope, allowing high-resolution imaging of mechanically characterized material which enables structure-stiffness analysis or more advanced mechanobiology experiments such as mechanically stimulate cells to induce calcium waves or measure cardiac cell beating amplitude.

System Specifications

Chiaro Nanoindenter

• Load, indentation-depth, or displacement-controlled experiments
• Quasi-static indentation and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA)
• Mechanical mapping of 12x12mm area at 1um step size
• In-suite modelling of Young's Modulus
• Dynamic indentation and cyclical force application (0.01 - 10 Hz)
• Optics11Life Chiaro Nanoindentation software with automated find-surface function and fully customisable experiments
• Optics11Life Dataviewer software to easily review load-indentation curves and mechanical maps and to optimize mechanical model parameters:
• Hertz
• Oliver-Phar
• JKR mechanical models for elastic
• elastic-plastic and adhesive materials
• DMA analysis for viscoelastic characterization

Confocal

See LSM700 Inverted Confocal Microscope

Technical Specifications

Applications

Assess stiffness and viscoelastic properties of biological or inorganic specimens to compare mechanical properties. For example;

• injured vs healthy heart tissue
• corneal stiffness over time
• viscoelasticity of different brain regions, and more

Acquisitions post-processing

DataViewer analysis

Citation

Stiffness/viscoelasticity of [specimen] was tested using a CHIARO nanoindenter system (Optics11, Amsterdam, The Netherlands). A colloidal probe with a spring constant of [x] N/m and a diameter of [n] μm was used. Before testing, the sensitivity calibration of the cantilever was conducted by indenting a hard surface (i.e. a glass Petri dish).

Micro Imaging Facility Support

• Full training on the Chiaro Nanoindenter
• Full training for fixed and live imaging on the LSM700 Inverted confocal microscope
• Reusable probes to be purchased by users
• Fee for service

Enquiries

Dr Vanessa Lanoue, BSc, MSc, PhD
Head, Micro Imaging Facility
v.lanoue@victorchang.edu.au

Discover more instruments from the Micro Imaging Facility Visit other Innovation Centre Facilities