Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been widely used in materials science and chemistry research since it was invented in the 1980s. It is a relatively new tool for geosciences and is very powerful for micro- and nano-scale surface characterization with a resolution down to atomic scale. One of the major advantages of this microscopy technique is that it can perform continuous non-destructive measurements on a sample surface. Surface studies provide important structural information for geological materials, especially in energy geosciences. In this review, recent applications of AFM in energy geosciences are critically reviewed, including surface topography, mechanical properties, surface dynamics, and state-of-the-art AFM-based infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR) and the AFM-Raman technique. AFM imaging enables the mapping and recording of surface information and enhances the understanding of morphology and mechanical properties of geological materials, and is especially useful for those displaying a strong heterogeneity. This review aims to demonstrate the accessibility, versatility, limitations, and promising developments of AFM techniques in energy geoscience. We highlight the major advantages and disadvantages of AFM analysis of geological materials and highlight where factors can cause potential deviations between different experimental results. We further highlight where we believe are the most promising potential uses of AFM. It is foreseen that with the improvement of experimental processes and hardware, AFM will provide indispensable information on surface characterization in a wide range of geological studies.

自 1980 年代发明以来，原子力显微镜 (AFM) 已广泛应用于材料科学和化学研究。它是一种相对较新的地球科学工具，对于分辨率低至原子尺度的微米级和纳米级表面表征非常强大。这种显微技术的主要优点之一是它可以对样品表面进行连续的无损测量。地表研究为地质材料提供了重要的结构信息，尤其是在能源地球科学方面。在这篇综述中，对 AFM 在能源地球科学中的最新应用进行了批判性审查，包括表面形貌、机械性能、表面动力学以及最先进的基于 AFM 的红外光谱 (AFM-IR) 和 AFM-拉曼技术。AFM 成像能够绘制和记录地表信息，增强对地质材料形态和力学特性的理解，对于那些表现出强烈异质性的材料尤其有用。本综述旨在展示 AFM 技术在能源地球科学中的可访问性、多功能性、局限性和有前景的发展。我们强调了地质材料 AFM 分析的主要优点和缺点，并强调了哪些因素可能导致不同实验结果之间的潜在偏差。我们进一步强调了我们认为 AFM 最有前途的潜在用途。可以预见，随着实验过程和硬件的改进，AFM 将在广泛的地质研究中提供有关表面表征的不可或缺的信息。