The Analyses of Anthropogenic Atmospheric Particulates by EM

Author(s):  
Philip A. Russell

This presentation will summarize fourteen years of research on the physical and chemical nature of particulates suspended in the earths atmosphere utilizing scanning electron microscopy and, to a lesser extent, transmission electron microscopy. Topics to be discussed include (1) the rationale for using electron microscopy to study airborne particulates, (2) methods for collecting airborne particulates, (3) methods of analysis and (4) a summary of results. Examples will demonstrate how conclusions about the nature and source of collected particles can differ between bulk sample analyses and discrete particle analyses. Without the input from discrete particle analyses, bulk analytical techniques may produce serious errors in the apportionment of airborne particulates to specific sources.The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have proven themselves to be the preferred instruments to use in the study of discrete fine particles because they permit sufficient resolution and analytical capabilities to examine the structure and chemistry of individual particles less than a few micrometers in diameter.

Author(s):  
J.D. Riches ◽  
J.C. Barry ◽  
P.J. McGinn

Much of the work in high temperature superconducting ceramics in the last few years has been aimed at improving the critical current density (Jc). By melt-texturing samples it is possible to achieve a significant increase in the Jc of bulk YBa2Cu3O7-x (Y123). It has been known for some time that additions of Y2Ba2CuO5 (Y211) in the Y123 superconductor can improve the Jc. However, for the maximum improvement the Y211 particles must be very fine and well distributed throughout the sample. Thus it is clearly of considerable interest to be able to examine a bulk sample and be able to easily distinguish between the Y123 and Y211 particles. By a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) it is possible to study grain size, inclusion size and dislocation structure in the same sample.


1993 ◽  
Vol 311 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M. Ridgway ◽  
R.R. Elliman ◽  
R. Pascual ◽  
J.J. Whitton ◽  
J.-M. Baribeau

ABSTRACTThe formation of CoSi2 on Ge.17Si.83 layers by Co/Ge.17Si.83 thermal reaction nas been studied with a variety of analytical techniques. Co films deposited on strained Ge.17Si.83 layers were annealed at 600°C for 0–240 min. Following 240 rain annealing, the reacted surface layer was composed of CoSi, CoSi2 and GexSi1-x precipitates (the latter probably rich in Ge) as identified with transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and/or Raman spectroscopy. Lateral phase non-uniformity was evident with both transmission and scanning electron microscopy. For samples annealed with and without an evaporated Co film, enhanced relaxation of the underlying Ge.17Si.83 layer was apparent in the former.


Author(s):  
Nakazo Watari ◽  
Yasuaki Hotta ◽  
Yoshio Mabuchi

It is very useful if we can observe the identical cell elements within the same sections by light microscopy (LM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and/or scanning electron microscopy (SEM) sequentially, because, the cell fine structure can not be indicated by LM, while the color is; on the other hand, the cell fine structure can be very easily observed by EM, although its color properties may not. However, there is one problem in that LM requires thick sections of over 1 μm, while EM needs very thin sections of under 100 nm. Recently, we have developed a new method to observe the same cell elements within the same plastic sections using both light and transmission (conventional or high-voltage) electron microscopes.In this paper, we have developed two new observation methods for the identical cell elements within the same sections, both plastic-embedded and paraffin-embedded, using light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and/or scanning electron microscopy (Fig. 1).


Author(s):  
A.J. Tousimis ◽  
T.R. Padden

The size, shape and surface morphology of human erythrocytes (RBC) were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), of the fixed material directly and by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of surface replicas to compare the relative merits of these two observational procedures for this type specimen.A sample of human blood was fixed in glutaraldehyde and washed in distilled water by centrifugation. The washed RBC's were spread on freshly cleaved mica and on aluminum coated microscope slides and then air dried at room temperature. The SEM specimens were rotary coated with 150Å of 60:40- gold:palladium alloy in a vacuum evaporator using a new combination spinning and tilting device. The TEM specimens were preshadowed with platinum and then rotary coated with carbon in the same device. After stripping the RBC-Pt-C composite film, the RBC's were dissolved in 2.5N HNO3 followed by 0.2N NaOH leaving the preshadowed surface replicas showing positive topography.


Author(s):  
Venita F. Allison ◽  
J. E. Ubelaker ◽  
J. H. Martin

It has been suggested that parasitism results in a reduction of sensory structures which concomitantly reflects a reduction in the complexity of the nervous system. The present study tests this hypothesis by examining the fine morphology and the distribution of sensory receptors for two species of aspidogastrid trematodes by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The species chosen are an ectoparasite, Cotylaspis insignis and an endoparasite, Aspidogaster conchicola.Aspidogaster conchicola and Cotylaspis insignis were obtained from natural infections of clams, Anodonta corpulenta and Proptera purpurata. The specimens were fixed for transmission electron microscopy in phosphate buffered paraformaldehyde followed by osmic acid in the same buffer, dehydrated in an ascending series of ethanol solutions and embedded in Epon 812.


Author(s):  
Thomas P. Turnbull ◽  
W. F. Bowers

Until recently the prime purposes of filters have been to produce clear filtrates or to collect particles from solution and then remove the filter medium and examine the particles by transmission electron microscopy. These filters have not had the best characteristics for scanning electron microscopy due to the size of the pores or the surface topography. Advances in polymer chemistry and membrane technology resulted in membranes whose characteristics make them versatile substrates for many scanning electron microscope applications. These polysulphone type membranes are anisotropic, consisting of a very thin (0.1 to 1.5 μm) dense skin of extremely fine, controlled pore texture upon a much thicker (50 to 250μm), spongy layer of the same polymer. Apparent pore diameters can be controlled in the range of 10 to 40 A. The high flow ultrafilters which we are describing have a surface porosity in the range of 15 to 25 angstrom units (0.0015-0.0025μm).


Author(s):  
John F. Mansfield

The current imaging trend in optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is to record all data digitally. Most manufacturers currently market digital acquisition systems with their microscope packages. The advantages of digital acquisition include: almost instant viewing of the data as a high-quaity positive image (a major benefit when compared to TEM images recorded onto film, where one must wait until after the microscope session to develop the images); the ability to readily quantify features in the images and measure intensities; and extremely compact storage (removable 5.25” storage devices which now can hold up to several gigabytes of data).The problem for many researchers, however, is that they have perfectly serviceable microscopes that they routinely use that have no digital imaging capabilities with little hope of purchasing a new instrument.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 2849
Author(s):  
Marcin Jan Dośpiał

This paper presents domain and structure studies of bonded magnets made from nanocrystalline Nd-(Fe, Co)-B powder. The structure studies were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. On the basis of performed qualitative and quantitative phase composition studies, it was found that investigated alloy was mainly composed of Nd2(Fe-Co)14B hard magnetic phase (98 vol%) and a small amount of Nd1.1Fe4B4 paramagnetic phase (2 vol%). The best fit of grain size distribution was achieved for the lognormal function. The mean grain size determined from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images on the basis of grain size distribution and diffraction pattern using the Bragg equation was about ≈130 nm. HRTEM images showed that over-stoichiometric Nd was mainly distributed on the grain boundaries as a thin amorphous border of 2 nm in width. The domain structure was investigated using a scanning electron microscope and metallographic light microscope, respectively, by Bitter and Kerr methods, and by magnetic force microscopy. Domain structure studies revealed that the observed domain structure had a labyrinth shape, which is typically observed in magnets, where strong exchange interactions between grains are present. The analysis of the domain structure in different states of magnetization revealed the dynamics of the reversal magnetization process.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document