Sigma hd vp

PSi particles were characterized with gas adsorption measurements (Micromeritics Tristar II 3020) to obtain pore size distributions and particle sizes were evaluated with Mastersizer 2000 with Hydro 2000S accessory for wet sample dispersion. Tap density was measured by placing a defined mass of sample powder in a graduated cylinder and tapped until the volume of sample powder did not change anymore. FTIR experiments were carried with transmission setup utilizing KBr tablets made from electrode material. The instrument used was Thermo Nicolet Nexus 8700 and the resolution was 2 cm⁻¹. For XRD measurements Bruker D8 Discover was used with copper tube and the measurement setup was grazing incidence diffraction (GID) with Göbel mirror with 8° angle of incidence. SEM imaging was done using SE and InLens detectors with 12 kV and 5 kV acceleration voltage, respectively. The instrument was Zeiss Sigma HD VP. The PSi particle samples imaged with SEM were prepared from electrodes by scraping the delithiated active material from the copper foil. The material was then dispersed in ethanol, and after a few minutes, the supernatant was taken out and the sediment was dried. The same protocol was repeated for the second time for the sediment with diluted HCl (Alfa Aesar) to remove the oxide layer from the particles. The ion cut sample was prepared with Leica EM RES102 ion beam milling system.

SEM images of the powder samples were used to obtain a deeper insight into the effect of mixing on API’s properties, and to observe the presence of agglomerates. In the imaging, a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) (Carl Zeiss Sigma HD VP, Carl Zeiss, Oberkochen, Germany) was used. Before SEM photography, the samples were sputter-coated with gold using an automatic coater (Agar Auto Sputter Coater B7341, Agar Scientific Limiter, Stansted, England). In addition to SEM images, an Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), (Thermo Noran NS7 double-EDS 60 mm2, Thermo Fisher, Waltham, US) detector was utilized to determine if the API was coating the excipient particles.

The EBSD analyses were conducted on a Zeiss Sigma HDVP at 20 kV accelerating voltage, 8 nA beam current and 5 mm working distance with a 0.82 um step size. The data were collected using the Oxford Instruments NordlysMax² EBSD detector and AZtecHKL software. The sample was initially prepared via FIB polishing using 240 pA current at 5 kV.

The morphology of the membranes was determined through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images obtained using both a JSM-7800F Schottky and a Carl Zeiss SIGMA-HDVP field emission scanning electron microscopes. Before sample analysis, the membranes were placed on the sample holders and were coated with gold, thus allowing the membrane surface observation.

For transmission electron microscopy (TEM: JEM2100F, JEOL Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), ARPE19 (105,000 cells/cm²), LEPI (105,000 cells/cm²) and HRPEpiC (hfRPE cells, 210,000 cells/cm²) cells were seeded on 24 well plates. For scanning electron microscopy (SEM; Sigma HD|VP, Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Jena, Germany), the cells were seeded on glass coverslips in 24 well plates at the same cell density as in TEM studies. After two weeks in culture, the cells were fixed, processed, and imaged at SibLabs Kuopio (Science Innovation Business Lab, Kuopio, Finland).