Surface Morphology

Surfaces are distinct states of matter with drastically different compositions and
geometries than the body of a substance. Surfaces play a crucial part in how a material
interacts with its surroundings since they are the connection between a material and its
surroundings. Moreover, many processes are influenced by physical qualities such as
particle size, particle shape, and surface roughness. They can have an impact on
absorption, agglomeration, compressibility, combustibility, packing, and segregation, to
name a few (Kruggel-Emden, H., 2018). As a result, it is vital to characterize the surface
structure as well as the makeup of the material in as much detail as feasible.
There are various methods for characterizing the surface morphology of
materials, however, in this study, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission
electron microscope (TEM) are the two methods used. An electron microscope called
an SEM scans a sample's surface using a tiny, focused electron beam. An enlarged
image is produced by the sample's interaction with the electrons, which is recorded by
the microscope. A picture may be magnified up to 2 million times using SEM. On the
other hand, a TEM is a form of electron microscope that produces an image of a
sample's interior structure using a wide electron beam. A sample's morphology,
chemical makeup, and crystal structure are all visible in an image made by an electron
beam that passes through it (Gleichmann, 2023).

Fig. 5 a SEM of CS-PAAc hydrogel; b SEM of CS-PAAc/TiO2 nanocomposite and c

TEM of CS-PAAc/TiO2 nanocomposites; TiO2 content 3 wt.%
 Figure 5 shows the surface morphology of the prepared CS-PAAc hydrogel and
CS-PAAc/TiO2 nanocomposites hydrogel. Based on their results, due to the hydrophilic
nature of both CS and PAAc, which have a high propensity to swell in water, the SEM
image of CS-PAAc hydrogel which can be seen in Fig. 5a looks like a net-like network
with pores. Then, the addition of TiO 2 into the hydrogel makes its shape change
dramatically [Fig. 5b]. The surface morphological structure of CS-PAAc/TiO 2
nanocomposite with 3 wt.% TiO2 emerges as a compact surface with very wide pores,
demonstrating the rise in swelling percentage in the presence of TiO 2 nanoparticles. On
the other hand, a TEM picture of a CS-PAAc/TiO 2 nanocomposite hydrogel is shown in
Figure 5c. TiO2 nanoparticles are clearly visible as black irregular spherical particles.
The particle size ranges from 32 to 59 nm. This suggests that there are some
agglomerations with particle sizes measured by the Scherrer equation of around 6 nm.
The data shown above show that the surface and cross-sectional morphology of
the hydrogel, as studied by SEM, revealed the matrix's porous nature with linked
network-like structures. The SEM images were useful in comparing the nature of CS-
PAAc/TiO2 to CS-PAAc hydrogel, which has a compact surface with very broad pores,
revealing the increase in swelling percentage. Morphological analysis was used in
Rahman et al. (2019).'s work to explain the rate and extent of swelling of freeze-dried
hydrogel. It is claimed that because the hydrogel comprises linked pores, these
channel-like structures can take up the water phase in the matrix by capillary action,
resulting in swelling via fast solvent diffusion in the matrix. Hence, morphological
characterization aids in explaining many hydrogels physical features such as hardness,
swelling behavior, hydrophilic nature and so on.
References:
Gleichmann, N. (2023). SEM vs TEM. Analysis & Separations From Technology
Networks. https://www.technologynetworks.com/analysis/articles/sem-vs-tem-
331262
Kruggel-Emden, H. (2018). Particle Morphology, Size, Density and Surface Texture
Characterization I | AIChE. https://www.aiche.org/conferences/world-congress-
on-particle-technology/2018/proceeding/session/particle-morphology-size-
density-and-surface-texture-characterization-i
Rahman, M. S., Islam, M. M., Islam, M. S., Zaman, A., Ahmed, T., Biswas, S.,
Sharmeen, S., Rashid, T. U., & Rahman, M. M. (2019). Morphological
Characterization of Hydrogels. Polymers and Polymeric Composites, 819–863.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77830-3_28