11
Outreach Program 2019: 3D Printing and Plastics Scanning Electron Microscopy Lucy Grossman Niskayuna High School, Niskayuna, NY
Outreach Program 2019: 3D Printing and Plastics
Scanning Electron Microscopy
Lucy GrossmanNiskayuna High School, Niskayuna, NY
Equipment
Scanning Electron Microscope
● Used to view samples on a nanometerscale
● Can view to .1 nm● Views samples in a vacuum so the
electrons don’t move throughout theair
Sample Preparation
Carbon Tape
● Used to place the glass slide and
sample on the microscope mount
● Double-sided adhesive
● Conductive
Image courtesy of Agar Scientific
Sample Preparation
Sputter Coater
● Used for SEM● Shoots metal ions at the sample● Makes the sample conductive● Needs an inert atmosphere
How SEM Works
● Shoots an electron beam at thesample
● When the electrons hit the sample,they produce secondary electrons,backscattered electrons, andX-rays
How SEM Works
● The level of vacuum dependson the microscope
● The detectors then make atopographical map of thesample’s surface
Image courtesy of nanoScience
Results
Penny Surface
● Scratch mark on surface● 500 μm● Already conductive, so there
was no need to sputter coat it
500 mm
Results
● 500 μm● The resolution varies with each
microscope and the computerwith it
● The microscope at RPI has theability to see a few atoms across
3D Printed (SLA-Printed) sample surface (sputter-coated)
500 mm
Results
● 20 μm● A picture of a print sample
with pores from attemptedphase separation of polymer
1m = 1,000,000 μm1m = 1,000,000,000 nm 109 nm 20 mmMag X 2,500
SEM Applications
● Can be used to study biological specimen
● Can be used to study human blood vessels
● Can be used for quality control in the
material science industry
● Can be used to inspect semiconductors
Image courtesy of Wikipedia
What Did I Learn?
● Safety procedures in a real laboratory
● Using lab equipment in a research setting
● How an SLA printed works
● How to read a tensile strain and stress graph
● What DSC does
ReferencesGoldstein, et al., Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Microanalysis 2017, 1-29.Reimer, Scanning Electron Microscopy: Physics of Image Formation and Microanalysis 2013, 5-16.
