Quanta 3d scanning electron microscope

Representative air-control, butter- and cinnamon-flavored e-cig aerosol-exposed cells were processed by SEM techniques. In brief, cells on the transwell inserts were fixed (1.25% (v/v) glutaraldehyde + 2% formaldehyde in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer, pH 7.4) immediately upon completion. Then, the membranes were detached from the insert and dehydrated with ethanol. Additional dehydradation was applied to each sample by incubation with hexamethyldisilizane, and then samples were placed overnight in a dessicator. The membranes were cut from the inserts and mounted on standard specimen mounts. Samples were examined with an FEI Quanta 3D scanning electron microscope (SEM) at an accelerating voltage of 5 kV.

The microstructure was studied in the center of the cross section of the ECAP-processed billets and the rolled plates. The investigation of the microstructures of the SPD-processed and annealed Cu alloys was carried out by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) using a FEI Quanta 3D scanning electron microscope (SEM). The energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) elemental maps were obtained using Hitachi TM4000Plus (Tokyo, Japan) SEM. Before the characterization by EBSD, each sample surface was treated first by mechanical polishing using 600, 1200, 2500 and 4000 grit SiC abrasive papers followed by polishing using a colloidal silica suspension (OP–S) with a particle size of 50 nm. After mechanical polishing, the surface was electropolished using a D2 electrolyte at 16 V and 10 °C for 10 s.
The step sizes during EBSD were between 2.5 and 50 nm, depending on the size of the investigated area. The average grain sizes were obtained from the EBSD images by the investigation of the misorientations in the SPD-processed microstructures. The area-weighted average grain sizes were obtained using the Orientation Imaging Microscopy (OIM) software (version 6).

Strains were grown in TSB at 37°C, as specified, with an initial starting OD of 0.02. Exponentially growing cells were collected and placed on ice for 5 min prior to centrifugation (13,400 rpm; 1 min). Cell pellets were resuspended in fixation solution (2% glutaraldehyde in 0.05 M sodium phosphate buffer [pH 7.4]) and deposited on the glass disks at 4°C for a minimum of 24 h. The specimens were subsequently washed three times in 0.15 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and postfixed in 1% OsO₄ in 0.12 M sodium cacodylate buffer (pH 7.4) for 2 h. After a rinse in distilled water, the specimens were dehydrated to 100% ethanol according to standard procedures and critical point dried (Balzers CPD 030) with CO₂. The specimens were subsequently mounted on stubs using double adhesive carbon tape (Ted Pella) as an adhesive and sputter coated with 6-nm gold (Leica ACE 200). SEM observations were performed using a FEI Quanta 3D scanning electron microscope operated at an accelerating voltage of 2 kV.

A Thermofisher Quanta 3D scanning electron microscope was used to examine the CDM samples’ fractured surfaces. The DCB samples were split open after the completion of the tests and imaged 25 mm away from the initial crack tip; thus, we maintained consistency when comparing the samples. The DCB sample’s fractured surface was measured at three different magnifications (100×, 1000×, and 10,000×) to observe micro- and nano-damages in the DCB samples. The SEM location for examining DCB samples is shown in Figure 6.

The functionalized AuNPs were further examined for any changes in size or behavior using a Talos F200X transmission electron microscope (ThermoFisher). To prepare for imaging, the AuNP solutions were diluted to a 1:20 ratio, deposited onto microscopic grids, and then left to dry overnight. In addition, the conjugate pads were imaged before and after releasing the AuNPs using a Quanta3D Scanning Electron Microscope (ThermoFisher) at a voltage of 5 keV and a spot size of 2.0. Prior to imaging, conjugate pads were coated with a layer of gold ~10 nm thick using a Cressington 108 Auto Sputter Coater. Conjugate pads of similar size (1 cm²) were loaded with either AuNP-S/N bioconjugate and allowed to dry. Another set of loaded pads, representing the released AuNP conjugates, were suspended in a buffer to release the AuNP conjugates, dried, and gold-coated before SEM imaging. The images were then acquired digitally using UltraScan software (UltraScan Project).