Conducting samples, electron microscopy

This technique can be applied to samples prepared for study by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). When subject to impact by electrons, atoms emit characteristic X-ray line spectra, which are almost completely independent of the physical or chemical state of the specimen (Reed, 1973). To analyse samples, they are prepared as required for SEM, that is they are mounted on an appropriate holder, sputter coated to provide an electrically conductive surface, generally using gold, and then examined under high vacuum. The electron beam is focussed to impinge upon a selected spot on the surface of the specimen and the resulting X-ray spectrum is analysed. 

This study was funded in part by the Commission of the European Communities, Non-Nuclear Energy R and D Programme, Contract No. EN3F.(X)40.UK(H). One of us (SLB) would like to thank Mr. Jim Pearson of British Coal for kindly providing the samples of fresh coal, Mr. C. Spracklin for conducting the surface area analyses and Mrs. B. Crawford for assisting with the Scanning Electron Microscopy. 

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) seems to have been used only scarcely for the characterization of solid lipid-based nanoparticles [104], This method, however, is routinely applied for the morphological investigation of solid hpid microparticles (e.g., to smdy their shape and surface structure also with respect to alterations in contact with release media) [24,38,39,41,42,80,105]. For investigation, the microparticles are usually dried, and their surface has to be coated with a conductive layer, commonly by sputtering with gold. Unlike TEM, in SEM the specimen is scanned point by point with the electron beam, and secondary electrons that are emitted by the sample surface on irradiation with the electron beam are detected. In this way, a three-dimensional impression of the structures in the sample, or of their surface, respectively, is obtained. 

Our investigation of sNPS showed that the samples prepared by the chemical etching method described above have consistent photoluminescence, conductivity and photoconductivity properties, which have remained unchanged over 5 years. sNPS structure was investigated by scanning electronic microscopy (Fig. 9.1). 

NEXAFS experiments on NOM can be conducted in several modes that differ in the type of detected particle and objectives of the experiment transmission (X rays transmitted through the sample), fluorescence (fluorescent X rays due to absorption of the X-ray beam), or electron yield (photo-emitted electron) (Sparks, 2003). Alternatively, the techniques can be divided into full-field applications such as transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) and X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM), in comparison to scanning techniques such as scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) and scanning photoemission microscopy (SPEM) that provide spatial information of elemental forms. 

Scanning electron microscopy is an important tool when examining the mode of wear of any sample. The surface of the sample is coated with a very thin layer (only several atoms thick) of a conductive material such as gold. The surface is scanned using a beam of electrons and the image magnified and recorded. 

Autoradiography is a technique for locating radioactive compounds within cells it can be conducted with light or electron microscopy. Living cells are first exposed to the radioactive precursor of some intracellular component. The labeled precursor is a compound with one or more hydrogen ( H) atoms replaced by the radioisotope tritium (3H) e.g., [3H]thymidine is a labeled precursor of DNA, and [3H]uridine is a labeled precursor of RNA (Chap. 7). Various tritiated amino acids are also available. The labeled precursors enter the cells and are incorporated into the appropriate macromolecules. The cells are then fixed, and the samples are embedded in a resin or wax and then sectioned into thin slices. 

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