FIB processing for natural rubber with nanomatrix structure. (28th January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fukuhara, Lina; Kosugi, Kenichiro; Yamamoto, Yoshimasa; Jinnai, Hiroshi; Nishioka, Hideo; Ishii, Hiroyuki; Kawahara, Seiichi
• Is Part Of: Polymer. Volume 57(2015)
• Page Start: 143
• Page End: 149
• Publication Date: 2015-01-28
• Subjects: Natural rubber -- Focused ion beam -- Transmission electron micro-tomography; Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; Polymères -- Périodiques; Polymérisation -- Périodiques; 547.7
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2014.11.020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-3861

Abstract

Abstracts: Focused ion beam (FIB) processing was performed to prepare an ultra-thin section of graft-copolymer of deproteinized natural rubber and polystyrene (DPNR- graft -PS), in order to obtain a three-dimensional (3D) image of the nanomatrix structure through transmission electron micro-tomography (TEMT) observation. The DPNR- graft- PS was immersed into OsO4 solution for more than 7 days for the sake of enhancing a contrast of the TEMT image during the FIB processing. In-situ observation with a field emission-scanning electron microscope was made during the FIB processing. The ultra-thin section prepared by FIB processing was compared with that prepared with a cryo-microtome in the TEMT observation. A distinctly clear TEMT image of the nanomatrix structure, comprising the natural rubber micro-particles and the nanomatrix of PS nano-particles/natural rubber, was obtained with the ultra-thin section prepared by FIB processing, but not with that prepared with the cryo-microtome. The FIB processing was proved to be indispensable for the TEMT observation of the nano-structure of the soft-materials. Graphical abstract: