Microscopy advance

Australian scientists have launched a second-generation probe described as the biggest advance in microscopy since the electron microscope.

The CSIRO EvolutionProbe (CEP) has been so named because of the features it offers for real-time study of corrosion and other surface chemistry phenomena.

The developer of the CEP, Aaron Neufeld of CSIRO Sustainable Materials Engineering says, "The CEP is the only analytical instrument that can provide information about electrochemical reactions and surface changes on coated metal products affected by the thin films of moisture typically deposited as dew or rain".

The CEP can capture a picture of these electrochemical reactions within minutes compared to other instruments, which take hours and then only offer data from a small section of material.

The CEP can be used for a range of applications from accelerated testing, to quality control and quality assurance, and product/process refinement and development. In particular the CEP offers easy quantification of the previously complex measurement of tribocharging effects.