How High Resolution Imaging Protects Our Health and Safety
There are a lot of unseen dangers lurking in our world. While everything may seem perfectly health and normal on the surface, you have to go deeper to really determine what’s going on with things. That’s where high resolution imaging comes in. It’s two different forms, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) can be used to do detailed testing of substances and items in question. The testing is highly useful for failure analysis, reverse engineering and forensic analysis as well as many other purposes.
The microscopes using in this process can produce extremely detailed images of the surface topography that you are testing. They utilize an X-ray spectrometer that is energy dispersive and is well-suited to providing information on an item’s composition. Elemental mapping is used to provide even more information on the sample. You will find these testing tools used across a wide range of industries, ranging from electronics and semiconductors to metals and mining. In addition, they are also used for personal care, defense and life sciences applications.
Developing Strong Composites Based on Bamboo Fiber
When you are developing building materials that need to be strong and hold up over time, testing is critical. FESEM microscopes were used to analyze the effect that untwining and mechanical rolling had on the underlying cellular structure of bamboo fibers. The analysis showed that the fibers bundles were separated and there were significant microfractures between fibers too.
This was excellent news as the microfractures allowed the bonding resins to easily penetrate the bundles. This in turn would allow the resin to flow through and create a stronger bond between it and the fibers, which would strengthen the substance. FESEM also allowed them to determine the optimum number of times the bundle should go through the process.
Identifying Issues with Problematic Clay Soils
In general, the presence of clay soils at construction sites are problematic because they are unpredictable. This is due to the fact that clay contracts or expands when it is wet and it will change shape when it dries. Thus, a construction team would be unable to compact the clay-based soil uniformly and to rely on the end shape it will take.
To strengthen the soil and alter the structure, engineers mixed the clay soil with additives like cement, lime, tires, fly ash and even industrial waste. They then employed scanning electron microscopy services to study the new internal soil structure and its inherent strength. As the result of these studies, new versions of improved clay were created.
Probiotic Viability During Food Production Process and Health
With the current interest in dietary and nutritional health, baked goods were examined to see if probiotics could be included in baked pan breads. Probiotics, which are live organisms, can bring health benefits to consumers if they are taken in adequate amounts. Food scientists used SEM to study if an edible film of probiotics could be included in the processed pan bread.
A key consideration was that the production process, which includes heat and mechanical stresses, could inherently degrade the edible film. It was determined that the films were viable, and that a thicker whey and alginate coating provided improved protection. Scanning electron microscopy is used across a wide range of industries. It provides testing and visibility that allows engineers and scientists to see within a product or item and determine the composition, safety and structure of the underlying materials.