Unveiling Van Der Waals Forces and Associated Hamaker Constants Across the Nanomaterial Landscape With Advanced Atomic Force Microscopy.

Van der Waals (vdW) forces and the associated Hamaker constants underpin a broad spectrum of phenomena in biology, chemistry, materials science, and nanotechnology, shaping processes from protein folding to the stability of two-dimensional (2D) materials. Achieving precise nanoscale quantification of these interactions remains a challenge, as conventional approaches lack the spatial resolution to resolve localized vdW effects in complex systems. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), with its nanometer sharp probe, has overcome many of these limitations, enabling high-resolution and nondestructive measurement of vdW forces and the Hamaker constants. Here, the physics of vdW interactions and recent advances in AFM methodologies that have transformed their quantification is reviewed. Applications span 2D materials, where AFM reveals layer-layer and layer-substrate interactions critical for device performance, and biological systems, where vdW forces govern protein assembly, viral mutation, and cellular transformations. Emerging integration of AFM with molecular and theoretical frameworks for intermolecular interactions based on quantum mechanics further expand the frontier, offering unprecedented accuracy and insights into nanoscale phenomena. Perspectives and prospects of AFM-based vdW force detection is discussed, highlighting its potential in providing a high-resolution and noninvasive quantitative instrument for the development of novel applications in materials science, molecular biology, and quantum technologies.