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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

A Rapid Synthesis Method for Au, Pd, and Pt Aerogels Via Direct Solution-Based Reduction
Published on: June 18, 2018
A new scanning electron microscopy approach to image aerogels at the nanoscale
1NASA Glenn Research Center, Materials and Structures Division, Cleveland, OH 44135, USA. francisco.sola-lopez@nasa.gov
Abstract:
A new scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique to image poor electrically conductive aerogels is presented. The process can be performed by non-expert SEM users. We showed that negative charging effects on aerogels can be minimized significantly by inserting dry nitrogen gas close to the region of interest. The process involves the local recombination of accumulated negative charges with positive ions generated from ionization processes. This new technique made possible the acquisition of images of aerogels with pores down to approximately 3 nm in diameter using a positively biased Everhart-Thornley (ET) detector.
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