SGER: Ultramicrotomy for Petrographic Thin Sections

该项目将解决岩石标本标准化样品制备的需求，用于透射电子显微镜（TEM）研究；目前还没有通用的样品制备方法。超显微切开术广泛应用于生物材料的切片，类似的方法也可以应用于地质薄片。薄片岩相幻灯片有几个优点。其中两个问题涉及整体颗粒结构的保存和试样厚度的均匀性。前者可以在对其微观结构和岩石学干扰最小的情况下检查晶界和界面的织构性质。使用UM方法，可以将单个10毫米的颗粒切成200片，几乎完全保留了内部微观结构的三维结构。该项目将导致能够从岩石切片中产生超薄切片的超切开术方法的发展。这将扩大透射电镜在岩石学研究中的应用。

Ultramicrotomy for Petrographic Thin SectionsCheryl Young: EAR-0071152This project will address the need for standardized sample preparation of rock specimens for study by transmission electron microscopy (TEM); presently there is no universal method of sample preparation. Ultramicrotomy (UM) is widely used for sectioning biological materials and a similar procedure may be applied to geological thin sections. There are several advantages in being able to thin section petrographic slides. Two of these concern preservation of overall particle structure and uniformity of specimen thickness. The former makes it possible to examine textural properties of grain boundaries and interfaces with minimal disturbance to their microstructures and petrography. Using methods of UM it is possible to section a single 10-mm particle into 200 slices with almost complete preservation of internal microstructure in three dimensions. This project will result in the development of ultramictomy methods capable of producing ultrathin sections from petrographic slides. This will broaden the use the use of TEM in petrologic studies.