This high-performance equipment will allow structural and chemical analyses to be carried out with greater precision, speed, and resolution. The infrastructure is shared among three CSIC institutes: the Institute of Materials Science of Madrid (ICMM-CSIC), the Institute of Ceramics and Glass (ICV-CSIC), and the Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry (ICP-CSIC).
The acquisition of the equipment was financed by the European Union – NextGenerationEU, through the Recovery and Resilience Facility within the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) of the Government of Spain (Scientific Project MICRO24004).
The new FE-SEM significantly expands the electron microscopy capabilities available to the scientific community. Among its main advantages is the ability to perform integrated quantitative X-ray microanalysis, allowing for quantitative elemental maps to be obtained in real-time while observing the sample. This functionality notably speeds up experimental work and facilitates the detection of light elements without the need for complex additional configurations.
Another of the equipment's most relevant features is its capacity to study magnetic materials with nanometric resolution without the samples' own magnetism affecting observation quality. This capability is particularly valuable for numerous research projects in materials science, energy, electronics, and catalysis.
Furthermore, the Apreo 2 incorporates advanced automation tools for the alignment and adjustment of the electron beam, optimizing analysis times and promoting more efficient use of the instrument. The technical team responsible for the service, comprising staff from the three participating centers, also highlights the incorporation of a vacuum sample transfer system that allows sensitive materials to be introduced without exposure to potentially harmful atmospheres, thus preserving their original state during analysis.
With this new scientific infrastructure, the ICV, along with the ICMM and ICP, continues to strengthen the CSIC's advanced materials research and characterization capabilities, consolidating a reference platform for national and international research projects.
