Microscopic Structure of Swollen Hydrogels by Scanning Electron and Light Microscopies: Artifacts and Reality.

ABSTRACT: The exact knowledge of hydrogel microstructure, mainly its pore topology, is a key issue in hydrogel engineering. For visualization of the swollen hydrogels, the cryogenic or high vacuum scanning electron microscopies (cryo-SEM or HVSEM) are frequently used while the possibility of artifact-biased images is frequently underestimated. The major cause of artifacts is the formation of ice crystals upon freezing of the hydrated gel. Some porous hydrogels can be visualized with SEM without the danger of artifacts because the growing crystals are accommodated within already existing primary pores of the gel. In some non-porous hydrogels the secondary pores will also not be formed due to rigid network structure of gels that counteracts the crystal nucleation and growth. We have tested the limits

SUBMITTER: Kaberova Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7182949 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature