Scanning Electron Microscope Observation of Nano Carbon Materials with Imidazolium-Type Room Temperature Ionic Liquids

A novel pre-treatment method for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation using room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) was used for several carbon nano materials. After the ILs pre-treatment, the quality of the SEM images obtained was almost the same as that obtained with conventional platinum/palladium (Pt/Pd) spattering pre-treatment. The highest resolution in this study was under 30 nm. This result means that the pre-treatment with IL can form ultrathin layer on the sample surface at several molecules level. Therefore, the ILs pre-treatment is a simple and easy tool for SEM observation of nano materials on insulating substrates.