Scanning electron microscopes

Tender description

LEMAS, the Leeds Electron Microscopy And Spectroscopy centre in the School of Chemical And Process Engineering (SCAPE) at the University of Leeds is seeking tenders for a versatile dual beam Focused Ion Beam/ Scanning Electron Microscope (FIBSEM) with a fast, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) detector & integrated Cryo-stage and TEM Cryo transfer. The new instrument will provide enhanced research capability and capacity for the 3D Volume Microscopy and TEM Sample Preparation of Complex Hybrid Nanostructures (mixed inorganic/ organic) nanomaterial microstructures and their interfaces by both 3 dimensional (3D) imaging via serial sectioning and site specific, low damage transmission EM (TEM) thin sample preparation. The new FIBSEM will be used to study not only traditional advanced materials (e.g. alloys, energy materials, traditional composites, nanomaterials etc.) but also novel hybrid (mixed inorganic/organic) materials not normally studied using EM owing to beam sensitivity and difficulty of sample preparation. There will be a rigorous application of the proposed new microscope to the characterisation of a range of challenging advanced materials systems. An enormous range of samples could and will be examined using this instrument, providing unique information, including nanostructured and beam sensitive inorganic materials (e.g. Calcite and halides), poorly crystalline materials such as hydrates, organic crystals (e.g. pharmaceuticals), hybrid organic-inorganic materials including metal organic frameworks, biocomposites, nanoparticle dispersions (and their interactions with cells and tissue), self-assembling organic and inorganic systems, proteins and DNA. These systems are important for many applications including functional material devices, bioelectronics, energy storage, separation technologies, nanomedicines, toxic metal and gaseous sorbents, and complex particulate formulated products including those used in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, foods, home and personal care, agrochemicals, fine chemicals, catalysts, and coatings industries. The University has an existing FEI Nova200 Dual Beam system which will be de-commissioned. Tenderers should include their trade-in offers against this system within the Tender Pricing Schedule (page 17).