2.5.2. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

The morphology of the MCC and MD-MCC were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (QUANTA FEG 250, FEI, Hillsboro, OR, USA) at a voltage of 5.0 kV. The specimens were placed on a bronze stub and sputter-coated with gold before testing.

The morphological characteristics of NC were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with a TECNAI 20 U-TWIN microscope (PHIA, Eindhoven, Netherlands) using an acceleration voltage of 100 kV. The prepared suspension was spotted on to a carbon coated copper grid. The grid was dried before TEM analysis. The length and diameter of NC were measured using image analysis (Nano Measure software) at least 100 randomly selected NC fibrils in certain TEM images.
