By Nano Hybrids
This is why we offer electron microscopy characterization as a service at Nano Hybrids. Whether you are developing a new material, troubleshooting a manufacturing process, or simply need to understand what you are working with, we can help you see it clearly. SEM: a detailed view of the surface In SEM, a focused electron beam scans across the surface of a sample, and detectors capture the signals that bounce back. The result is a detailed, three-dimensional-looking image of the surface topology that reveals shapes, textures, and structures at scales down to a few nanometers. SEM is particularly useful for getting an overall picture: how particles are distributed, whether they are clumping together (a common challenge in nanoparticle development), and what their general morphology (i.e., shape and form) looks like. TEM: looking through the nanoparticle Where SEM shows the outside, TEM shows the inside. Here, the electron beam passes through an ultra-thin sample, and what comes out the other side is captured to form an image, thus revealing internal structure at atomic resolution. This makes TEM the ideal tool for confirming the core-shell architecture of our nanoparticles. For our hybrid metal/metal-oxide nanoparticles, TEM is irreplaceable. It allows us to confirm that the metal core is actually encapsulated by the oxide shell, that the shell thickness is uniform, and that the overall particle size is within our target range. EDX: mapping the composition In addition to the images brought by standard SEM and TEM, Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) enables us to understand what the sample is made of. When the electron beam hits the sample, it causes the atoms to emit X-rays at energies that are characteristic of each element (some type of atomic fingerprint). By collecting these X-rays, EDX produces an elemental map of the sample, showing where zinc, iron, nickel, oxygen, or any other element is located. Combined with SEM or TEM imaging, EDX allows us to confirm the chemical composition of our nanoparticles and verify that the right elements are in the right places. Beyond nanoparticles: electron microscopy for any material While we focus on our nanoparticles here, electron microscopy is valuable for a much broader range of materials. Thin films, alloys, polymers, biological samples, ceramics, coatings, and catalysts can use these methods. If you need to understand structure at the micro- or nanoscale, SEM and TEM can help. While EDX can identify contamination, verify coatings, or map elemental distribution in composite materials. What do you mean by characterisation services? Our characterisation services refer to the analytical techniques we use to confirm and document the physical and chemical properties of your nanoparticles. Depending on your needs, this may include particle size distribution, morphology, surface charge (zeta potential), crystallinity, composition, and stability assessments. We tailor the characterisation package to align with your research, regulatory, or product development objectives.
