A practical guide of aerogels characterization by transmission electron microscopy

Aerogel is a synthetic porous ultralight material derived from a gel, in which the liquid component of the gel has been replaced with a gas. The structural characterization of these disparate materials often requires techniques beyond routine application of basic transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technique. With care in sample preparation and operating technique, the full range of TEM techniques from high-resolution imaging to energy-filtered imaging and high-angle annular dark field imaging can be used to obtain more detailed information about the aerogels. This paper serves as a guide to introduce TEM modes for investigating aerogel architectures.