Microscopy (Room C.1.02)

Laboratory management

Prof. Dr. Jörn Leiber

Phone
+49 931 3511-8404
E-Mail
joern.leiber[at]thws.de

Responsible employees

Stereo microscope

  • The stereomicroscope enables samples to be viewed at magnifications of 6.5 x to 40 x with stereoscopic optics. This provides a three-dimensional view of the surface, which is particularly interesting for analysing fracture surfaces and topographies. Internal properties of transparent samples or thin sections can also be examined in transmitted light - even in polarised light. Images can be taken and processed using a camera. 

Optical microscope

  • Light microscopy is a standard method for analysing plastics, as it allows structures in the size range of 0.5 - 100 µm to be viewed directly. These can be crystalline structures (spherulites), fillers, flow lines, the quality of the compound or defects, which allow clear conclusions to be drawn about the history and manufacture of the components. 

SEM (Scanning electron microscope) mit EDX (X-ray spectroscopy)

  • The SEM enables higher magnifications than the light microscope (up to several thousand times) and also provides a three-dimensional image of three-dimensional surfaces with great depth of field. 

Microtome

  • The microtome is used to produce very thin sample sections for observation in transmitted light microscopy or for transmission in FTIR spectroscopy. With a cryo add-on, sections can also be made of soft samples by cooling them below the glass point beforehand. 

Grinding/polishing device

  • For polishing surfaces, e.g. for viewing in reflected light microscopy 

Sputter device

  • To take SEM images, plastic surfaces must be conductively vapour-deposited. This can be achieved by sputtering in a vacuum with gold or by vapour deposition with carbon. Carbon is often chosen when EDX analyses are to be carried out in which the peak of gold would interfere. 

Room

  • C.-1.02 

Devices

  • Wild M3Z with camera
  • Zeiss Axio Imager.Z1 with extensive equipment:
     Transmitted light unit with bright field, dark field, phase contrast and polarisation optics
     Incident light unit with bright and dark field illumination, polarisation and differential interference contrast (DIC)
    Fluorescence illumination
    Camera and motorisation in the Z direction for stacked shots and extended depth of field through to 3D images
  • Philips XL-30 mit Platform-Upgrade and additional equipment:
    Motorised sample guidance
    Digital image capture and analysis
    EDX with mapping function (analysis of the element composition in the surface)
    RBS detector (visualisation of element contrasts)
    Creation of 3D images (anaglyphs)
  • Leica RM 2155 with cryo attachment LN 21 and slide microtome Fa. Jung Typ K
  • Struers DAP-7
  • Emitech K550 and K250