Effect of accelerating voltage on beam damage of asbestos fibers in the transmission electron microscope (TEM)

•Increasing the accelerating voltage of the TEM during asbestos analysis, reduce damage.•The predominant damage mechanisms come from ionization process.•Chrysotile must be analyzed at lower current density than amphibole to reduce damage. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a powerful and effi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Micron (Oxford, England : 1993) England : 1993), 2017-05, Vol.96, p.1-8
Main Authors: Martin, Joannie, Beauparlant, Martin, Sauvé, Sébastien, L’Espérance, Gilles
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accelerating voltage
Asbestos fibers
Current density
Damage mechanism
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Summary:•Increasing the accelerating voltage of the TEM during asbestos analysis, reduce damage.•The predominant damage mechanisms come from ionization process.•Chrysotile must be analyzed at lower current density than amphibole to reduce damage. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a powerful and efficient tool for the analysis of asbestos fibers. Although this analysis technique is common and several standard methods exist for asbestos analysis, questions remain about the optimal conditions to be used. Because asbestos fibers are relatively sensitive to the electron beam, it is important to better understand the phenomena of damage in order to avoid them. This study specifically investigates the effect of the acceleration voltage on damage to four different types of asbestos fibers: chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite and anthophyllite. The results support the conclusion that, contrary to what is usually recommended, it is best to use an acceleration voltage of 200kV rather than 100kV in order to avoid damage. The findings shed light on possible damage mechanisms, the most predominant of which seems to be caused by an induced electric field.
ISSN:0968-4328
1878-4291
DOI:10.1016/j.micron.2017.01.006