Why cryo-SEM?
The imitations of conventional “wet processing”:
- Shrinkage and distortion
- Extraction of soluble materials
- Relocation of highly diffusable elements
- Mechanical damage. Fragile samples can be damaged during conventional samples processing
- Slow (24 hours plus….)
- Toxic reagents
Advantages of cryo-SEM
- Sample viewed in fully hydrated state
- Soluble materials are retained
- Less relocation of highly diffusable elements
- Little or no mechanical damage.
- Time lapse experiments and evaluating industrial processes at timed intervals
- Usually no exposure to toxic reagents
- Rapid process
- High resolution capability (compared to low vacuum techniques)
- Extra information obtained by low temperature fracturing (compared with conventional and low vacuum methods)
- Good for liquid, semi-liquids and beam sensitive samples
- Ability to selectively etch (sublimate to reveal information)
- Ability to “rework” sample (e.g. re-fracture and coat)
Some applications of cryo-SEM
- Botanical
- Zoological
- Food stuffs
- Resins, polymers and paints
- Beam sensitive materials (e.g. photographic emulsions)
- Geological (muds, slurries, oil bearing rocks etc)
- Liquid and semi-liquid samples
- Foams (e.g. foods, beverages – beer, industrial foams)
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