Transmission electron microscopy of fluorapatite–gelatine composite particles prepared using focused ion beam milling

  1. C. A. VOLKERT1,*,
  2. S. BUSCH1,2,
  3. B. HEILAND1,
  4. G. DEHM1

Article first published online: 21 MAY 2004

DOI: 10.1111/j.0022-2720.2004.01352.x

Issue

Journal of Microscopy

Journal of Microscopy

Volume 214, Issue 3, pages 208–212, June 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

VOLKERT, C. A., BUSCH, S., HEILAND, B. and DEHM, G. (2004), Transmission electron microscopy of fluorapatite–gelatine composite particles prepared using focused ion beam milling. Journal of Microscopy, 214: 208–212. doi: 10.1111/j.0022-2720.2004.01352.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany

  2. 2

    Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Physik fester Stoffe, 01187 Dresden, Germany

* Dr Cynthia A. Volkert. Present address: Institut für Materialforschung II, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany. Fax: +49 (0)7247 82 4566; e-mail: cynthia.volkert@imf.fzk.de

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 21 MAY 2004
  2. Article first published online: 21 MAY 2004
  3. Received 29 August 2003; accepted 27 January 2004

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Keywords:

  • Apatite;
  • FIB;
  • focused ion beam milling;
  • TEM sample preparation;
  • tooth enamel;
  • ultramicrotomy

Summary

In this paper, synthetic fluorapatite–gelatine composite particles are prepared for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies using two methods based on focused ion beam (FIB) milling. TEM studies on the FIB-prepared specimens are compared with TEM observations on samples prepared using an ultramicrotome. The results show that ultramicrotome slicing causes significant cracking of the apatite, whereas the ion beam can be used to make high-quality, crack-free specimens with no apparent ion beam-induced damage. The TEM observations on the FIB-prepared samples confirm that the fluorapatite composite particles are composed of elongated, preferentially orientated grains and reveal that the grain boundaries contain many small interstices filled with an amorphous phase.

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