Phenom Pharos G2 Desktop FEG-SEM Applications

Materials researchers face the challenge of verifying the synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) needles on carbon substrates, which is crucial for applications like antibacterial coatings for medical devices. The process requires multiple iterations of adjusting parameters and verifying results through visual inspection and EDX analysis. Without an in-house system, research progress is slow, and quality cannot be guaranteed using optical techniques.

For example, one customer needed to validate the synthesis of 100 nm-thick ZnO nanorods on a carbon substrate. They required an affordable, easy-to-use SEM that delivers high resolution. The Phenom Pharos G2 Desktop FEG-SEM was the solution, imaging the nanorods with <3 nm resolution. It helped them confirm the structure and chemical nature of the nanorods as zinc oxide.

The Phenom Pharos G2 Desktop FEG-SEM helped them ensure accurate parameter adjustments and high-quality ZnO coatings, proving essential for the customer's research needs. Its user-friendly design and cost effectiveness made it an outstanding tool for advancing materials research efficiently.

Titanium alloys fail at temperatures above 500°C due to porous oxide layers allowing oxygen diffusion, which weakens the material. This poses risks in environments like airplane engines, causing potential failures and safety hazards.

Protective MoSi₂ coatings can prevent oxidation, but developing defect-free coatings is challenging. Minor defects can lead to substrate failure. Our customer aimed to develop stable MoSi₂ coatings by understanding their high-temperature failure mechanisms.

The Phenom Pharos G2 Desktop FEG-SEM with EDS provided resolution better than 2 nm for imaging and elemental analysis, essential for measuring coating thickness and density as well as detecting 100 nm-wide defects.

Using the Phenom Pharos G2 Desktop FEG-SEM, the customer confirmed that intact MoSi₂ coatings (800 nm thick) prevented oxygen diffusion into the titanium alloy (Ti₆Al₄V). However, cracks allowed oxygen to penetrate, causing oxidation. Oxygen mapping showed a silicon oxide layer forming on the coating surface, blocking further diffusion.

The Phenom Pharos G2 Desktop FEG-SEM enabled detailed analysis of the MoSi₂ coatings, aiding the development of next-generation protective layers for high-temperature applications.