Aztec eds software

A field emission scanning electron microscope from JEOL JSM7800F (Japan Electron Optics Laboratory Co, Akishima, Tokyo, JP) was used to obtain images of the dust material. Samples were analysed in powder form, without any prior treatment. A small amount of each sample was deposited with a spatula on a double-sided adhesive carbon tape and stuck on an aluminium stub. The analyses were carried out in a qualitative mode, so as to determine the shape of the particles and roughly estimate their size. The presence of the major elements was checked with (energy dispersive x-ray analysis) EDX analysis (AZTEC EDS software, Oxford Instruments, High Wycombe, UK). Details about the magnification (mag.), detector, energy (En.), detection mode and working distance (WD) used for the analysis are reported at the bottom part of each image.

Discs of the nanocomposite materials (2% and 5% nBG/BD), BD and GIC were dehydrated, mounted on aluminum stubs and gold coated. Specimens were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in a JSM-IT300LV microscope (JEOL USA Inc., Peabody, MA, USA) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray detector (EDX) and Aztec EDS software (Oxford Instruments, Abingdon, UK) for elemental analysis. SEM representative images at 1000× were obtained and EDX analysis of the surfaces of the materials was performed.