ESEM Applications: From Cultural Heritage Conservation to Nano-Behaviour.

The application of ESEM technology to the conservation of cultural heritage and other fields is reviewed. Several applications are presented with a focus on reaction kinetics and micro to nano-scale material behaviours, including time-lapse studies of reaction kinetics for NaCl and NaNO3; verification of the stone decay mechanism at the site of Copan, Honduras; and ESEM/EDS analysis of the first photograph (1826). A review of other ESEM applications reveals some important trends, especially in the materials science, electronics and biosciences fields, such as quantitative ESEM/EDS; 1.8 nm resolution imaging of extreme insulators in VP/ESEM; and ESEM analysis of emulsions and cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]