The Electron Microscopy Facility is a state-of-the-art facility enabling researchers to observe and measure materials at the micro, nano, and atomic scales.
This facility empowers both research and industry to unlock new insights into material properties, supporting innovation across a wide range of fields.
The Electron Microscopy Facility provides advanced imaging and analytical capabilities, allowing users to visualise structures and compositions with exceptional precision. The facility supports fundamental research, applied projects, and industry collaborations, helping to accelerate material discovery, characterisation, and development.
This facility is a Linked Laboratory of Microscopy Australia—Australia’s open-access microscopy facility and part of the national research infrastructure supported by the federal government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.
How it works
The Electron Microscopy Suite is equipped with a comprehensive range of electron and ion beam instruments; each tailored for specific imaging and analytical tasks:
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM):
- JEOL JSM 7800F (+EBSD +EDX)
- Zeiss Gemini 460 (+EBSD +EDX +In Situ +ECCI)
- ThermoFisher Phenom ProX (+EDX)
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM):
- JEOL JEM 2100 (Conventional LaB6 TEM) (+EDX)
- JEOL JEM 2100F (Field emission gun TEM) (+EDX +EELS +DigiStar)
Focussed Ion Beam Microscopy (FIB):
- FEI Quanta 3D (+EBSD +EDX +In Situ)
Atom Probe Tomography:
- Cameca LEAP 5000XHR
These technologies enable high-resolution imaging, elemental analysis, crystallographic mapping, and three-dimensional reconstruction of materials, supporting both routine and advanced research needs.
Industry and research applications
The Electron Microscopy Suite supports a diverse range of research themes and industries, including:
- Advanced manufacturing and materials engineering
- Nanotechnology and nanomaterials
- Energy storage and conversion
- Biomedical devices and biomaterials
- Polymers, composites, and textiles
- Surface science and corrosion studies
Projects
Ti3C2Tx MXene coated carbon fibre electrodes for high performance structural supercapacitors
Project overview
This project demonstrates the first successful integration of MXene-coated carbon fibres into structural supercapacitors, addressing the challenge of translating MXenes’ nanoscale properties into macroscale composites. The resulting multifunctional composites achieved ~725-fold improvements in capacitance while retaining fibre strength, marking a significant advance in the design of sustainable, multifunctional structural energy storage devices.
Electron microscopy (SEM and EDX mapping) played a critical role in confirming uniform MXene coatings, and Ti distribution across functionalised fibres. These insights validated the stability of interphases and guided optimisation of electrochemical and mechanical performance.
People
- Dr Bhagya Dharmasiri
- Prof. Luke C. Henderson
- Dr Ken Aldren S. Usman
- Dr Si (Alex) Qin
- Prof. Joselito M. Razal
- Piers Coia, Timothy Harte – PhD candidates
- N. T. Tran – Collaborator (DEVCOM ARL, USA)
