Low-Voltage Scanning Electron Microscopy Investigation of Polymers

Author(s):  
V. K. Berry

The morphological characterization of any polymer blend plays an important part in the development of a new blend system because the properties of blends are dictated by phase morphology which is dependent upon the chemistry and the processing conditions. Light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy are the most commonly used microscopical techniques for morphological characterization. Transmission electron microscopy techniques provide the best resolution (≈ 0.3 nm) but are limited in the size of sample area and require elaborate sample preparation procedures. Surface charging and beam damage problems have been some of the drawbacks of conventional scanning electron microscopy with non-conducting materials like polymers.The use of low accelerating voltage scanning electron microscopy (LVSEM) in the characterization of polymers and other non-conducting materials is beginning to be recognized.

Author(s):  
V. K. Berry

The application of low voltage scanning electron microscopy (LVSEM) to the characterization of polymers and non-conducting materials, other than semiconductors, has not been well explored yet. Some of the theoretical considerations and practical limitations which prevented the development of commercial instruments have mostly been addressed with the result that machines are now available which are optimized for low voltage (≥ 0.5 kV) operation. The advantages of working at low voltages are beginning to be recognized outside the semi-conductor industry. When we image uncoated polymer surfaces at low beam energies (0.5-1.5 kV), no beam damage or charging artifacts are experienced, because in this region the emitted electrons are equal to or more than the incident electrons and there is no deposition of charge underneath the surface due to the lower penetration of the incident electrons.


2012 ◽  
Vol 174-177 ◽  
pp. 508-511
Author(s):  
Lin Lin Yang ◽  
Yong Gang Wang ◽  
Yu Jiang Wang ◽  
Xiao Feng Wang

BiFeO3 polyhedrons had been successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal method. The as-prepared products were characterized by power X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The possible mechanisms for the formation of BiFeO3 polyhedrons were discussed. Though comparison experiments, it was found that the kind of precursor played a key role on the morphology control of BiFeO3 crystals.


2013 ◽  
Vol 1549 ◽  
pp. 149-154
Author(s):  
Alena Borisovna Kharissova ◽  
Edgar de Casas Ortiz ◽  
Oxana V. Kharissova ◽  
Ubaldo Ortiz Mendez ◽  
Boris I. Kharisov

ABSTRACTMaterial like PET {polyethylene terephthalate (C10H8O4)n} are usually thrown away present in glasses of refreshments, water bottles between others which are hard to be degraded. However, this material can be recycled and used to acquire nanostructures. During this investigation the objective was to obtain nanoparticles and carbon based nanostructures from the polymer type PET by means of microwave irradiation at the temperature of 260°C at normal pressure and at 600 psi in the presence of acids, ethylene glycol and by means of calcinations. The obtained nanoparticles of ultrananocrystalline diamonds were studied by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy.


2003 ◽  
Vol 792 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Shutthanandan ◽  
Y. Zhang ◽  
C. M. Wang ◽  
J. S. Young ◽  
L. Saraf ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTNucleation of gold nanoclusters in TiO2(110) single crystal using ion implantation and subsequent annealing were studied by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry /channeling (RBS/C), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Approximately 1000 Au2+/nm2 were implanted at room temperature in TiO2(110) substrates. TEM and SEM measurements reveal that rounded nanoclusters were formed during the implantation. In contrast, subsequent annealing in air for 10 hours at 1275 K promoted the formation of faceted (rectangular shaped) Au nanostructures in TiO2. RBS channeling measurements further reveled that Au atoms randomly occupied the host TiO2 lattice during the implantation. However, it appears that some Au atoms moved to the Ti lattice positions after annealing.


2012 ◽  
Vol 568 ◽  
pp. 348-351
Author(s):  
Shuang Xu ◽  
Nuan Song ◽  
Chang Li Qiu ◽  
Yao Ping Zhang ◽  
Jian Feng Wang

In this paper, a facile method was presented to fabricate CuS porous microspheres, which were formed by the intergrowth of CuS polycrystalline nanoslices. The obtained sample has been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electronic diffraction (SAED), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). On the basis of the experimental results, we proposed a self-assemble mechanism to elucidate the formation of CuS nanoslice structure.


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