Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with EDS
SEMs are powerful microscopes that can achieve tens of thousands of magnification. This type of microscope is able to scan surfaces by shooting electrons at a surface and creating an image based on how the electrons bounce back. This allows for detailed views of features you could not observe otherwise, including crucial surface indications regarding failure modes and conditions.
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While SEMs can typically only "see" conductive materials (metallics), BEAR's SEM allows for a low voltage mode for insulating materials such as polymers or composites. Our SEM is also equipped with EDS (or EDX) capability, allowing for the identification of specific elements on your sample. This can, for example, reveal phase separations, oxidation locations, or even simply confirm sample ID.
