Cryogenic Ultramicrotome

具有纳米尺寸颗粒或分散相的纳米复合材料和聚合物共混物的精细形态表征需要使用透射电子显微镜（TEM）分析。然而，TEM观察需要厚度通常约为500 nm的样品。在Polytechnique和蒙特利尔大学都没有这样的设备，并且由于时间可用性，可操作性和成本，蒙特利尔地区的设备不容易获得;这限制了研究人员在此应用中的许多研究项目的进展。要求的设备是一台超薄切片机，配有精确的切割系统、触摸感应控制和样品室。此外，该系统还配备了一个带180°旋转显微镜架的立体显微镜、一个防震台、一个用于玻璃和金刚石刀的刀保持器、样品夹和镊子，最重要的是，还配备了一个低温室（使用液氮），用于切割玻璃化转变温度低于室温的聚合物样品。预计该设备将提供给蒙特利尔理工大学和蒙特利尔大学的10多名教授，这将促进他们与纳米复合材料、共混物和功能性纳米结构相关的研究项目。

Fine morphological characterization of nanocomposites and polymer blends with nanosized particles or dispersed phase requires the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) anaysis. However, TEM observations require ultrathin samples, generally about 500 nm in thickness. No such equipment is available at Polytechnique nor at the University of Montreal and those available in the Montreal region are not easily accessible because of time availability, operability and costs; which limits the adavnces in many research projects of the researchers in this application. The requested equipment is an ultramicrotome with precise cutting system, touch-sensitive control and sample chamber. In addition the system is equipped with a stereomicroscope with a 180° swiveling microscope carrier, an antivibration table, a knife holder for glass and diamond knives, sample holders and forceps, and most importantly a cryogenic chamber (using liquid nitrogen) to cut polymer-based samples that have a glass transition temperature below room temperature. It is expected that the availability of this equipment to the more than 10 professors in Polytechnique and University of Montreal will foster their research projects related to nanocomposites, blends and functional nanostructures.