A new methodology has been developed to prepare electron microscopy, both SEM and TEM, specimens starting from particulate matter collected using environmental sampling systems. The approach is based on the extraction of the particles to be analyzed from the harvesting substrates. The extracted particles can be directly observed in an SEM, possibly in low-vacuum mode to prevent electrical charging. In order to prepare electron transparent samples, TEM observations require a further step, consisting in embedding the particles in an electron transparent carbon film deposited before dissolving the acetate extracting substrate. The protocol has been tested by analyzing particles collected during bench tests on brake pads and discs, carried out on a dynamometer equipped with a particulate matter sampling apparatus. The main advantages of the approach are: the complete extraction of the particulate matter specimens from the original substrates, that in this way do not interfere with the analyses; the extracted samples retain the topological information of the collection in the specimens prepared for SEM; possibility to be applied to any kind of particulate matter harvesting substrates.

已经开发出一种新的方法来制备电子显微镜，包括 SEM 和 TEM，从使用环境采样系统收集的颗粒物质开始。该方法基于从收获基板中提取待分析的颗粒。提取的颗粒可以在 SEM 中直接观察，可能在低真空模式下以防止带电。为了制备电子透明样品，TEM 观察需要进一步的步骤，包括将颗粒嵌入到在溶解乙酸盐提取基材之前沉积的电子透明碳膜中。该协议已通过分析在刹车片和刹车盘的台架测试期间收集的粒子进行测试，该测试是在配备有颗粒物采样装置的测力计上进行的。该方法的主要优点是：从原始基材中完全提取颗粒物样本，这样不会干扰分析；提取的样品在为扫描电镜准备的标本中保留了该集合的拓扑信息；可应用于任何种类的颗粒物收集基材。