I'm preparing gel samples. Can anyone tell how to take SEM for gel samples and give some reference papers?
Dear Pavithra,
what type of gel samples are you looking for SEM images? if you are using hydrogels, one process would be the freeze drying, then take the micro-CT images or take a section of freeze dried gel and take SEM. if you want to take the gel image by SEM in native form, you can use cryo SEM...
with regards,
Prasoon
Dear Pavithra,
what type of gel samples are you looking for SEM images? if you are using hydrogels, one process would be the freeze drying, then take the micro-CT images or take a section of freeze dried gel and take SEM. if you want to take the gel image by SEM in native form, you can use cryo SEM...
with regards,
Prasoon
Please look through the papers by Miroslav Slouf (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Miroslav_Slouf/contributions?ev=brs_act). He is an excellent specialist in microscopy, especially in studies of tricky sampes, like hydrogels. We have had a good experience with ESEM - and I do believe that it gives better approximation of the intact gel structire as compared to cryoSEM. I am attaching our paper with some details on the procedure.
Article Rheology and porosity control of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacr...
Is it a simple one-phase gel? Then whatever method of specimen preparation you use you'll see only dull smooth surfaces. What is your aim?
Perhaps carbon or gold coat the get samples and use an environmental SEM. This might work for obtaining structural micrographs. Dispense with coatings and use low voltage if you wish to use EDS.
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