New Microscope Reveals World Of Nanotechnology

The JEOL ARM 200F HRTEM that was tested in Tokyo, Japan on 12 January 2011 by Professors Angus Kirkland and Jan Neethling (insert).

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth was the recipient of a new JEOL ARM 200F high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) for the institution’s Centre forHigh-Resolution Electron Microscopy currently under construction.

Assembly of the HRTEM has been completed and once the Centre is up and running will be used in conjunction with a feeder transmission electron microscope (TEM) and a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIBSEM) along with the infrastructure available for the preparation of samples and data processing.

The Centre has been designed to operate as a world class facility focused on key areas that the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has identified as grand challenges including:

  • Research into clean, safe energy such as nuclear, clean coal and coal-to-liquid.
  • Fuel cell and catalyst research for use in the hydrogen economy.
  • Space science, particularly in the area of semiconductors and optoelectronic devices.
  • Biotechnology such as biochemistry, microbiology and pharmaceutical research in an effort to further the aims of the “farmer to pharma” value chain.
Image of the installed radiant water cooling panels in HRTEM room. These panels from Switzerland will be a first for South Africa.

The DST has committed funds of R69 million over a three-year period for the establishment and operation of the Centre with additional funding of R6 million coming from SASOL. The Centre’s building infrastructure has already been completed with the installation of training microscopes and delivery of the HRTEM to its specified area outstanding. Final handover of the facility is scheduled for October 2011.

The Centre for High-Resolution Electron Microscopy will engage in three activities to fulfil its objectives:

  • Human Capacity Development – post-graduate students at Masters and Doctorate level will be trained as will staff and students from other institutions and private companies.
  • Basic & Applied Research – Multi- and cross-disciplinary, grant-funded research will be undertaken in co-operation with local and international collaborators with the aim of creating new knowledge and problem solving.
    • Installation of the JEOL ARM 200F HRTEM in the Microscope Section of the new building.
  • Contract Research – Research with the aim of solving industry-specific problems will also be undertaken for the benefit of all South Africans.