Researchers from various areas of nanoscience and materials from the Department of Engineering and Chemical, Industrial and Food Sciences (DIQIA), Engineering, and Physics and Mathematics (Fismat), who have high-tech equipment, a microscope scanning electron beam (MEB) (Hitachi SU3500) —capable of amplifying an image up to 300 thousand times, with which our university collaborates with various institutions such as the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) — , launched an invitation to all IBERO students, not just those in engineering programs, to approach this team, to develop transdisciplinary projects such as those that characterize the Jesuit University System (SUJ).
In addition, the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology laboratory (NanoIbero) of Fismat is preparing, together with the Directorate of Cultural Dissemination and Dissemination, an exhibition of micrographs of everyday objects, which, captured with the MEB, invite a different appreciation of reality. that will allow us to have an approach to the tiny with astonishing detail, leading us to imagine and know the world in unsuspected ways. Hardness Tester
But what is a micrograph?It is an image obtained by equipment such as SEM, where we can capture details of morphology through the response of objects to a beam of electrons, instead of using light.With this, high definition images, sharpness and contrast are achieved.
For example, in the following image, also available on the Instagram account of the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Laboratory, we can see the micrograph of an ant's eye:
IBERO Press spoke with professors Dr. Felipe Cervantes Sodi and Dr. Esther Ramírez Meneses, belonging to the Department of Fismat and DIQIA respectively, who commented on the importance of this team for our university and the plans to invite all members of the community to get to know the team.
The SEM, also known as SEM by its acronym in English (Scanning Electron Microscope), “is an expensive piece of equipment that is worth having at universities, research centers and companies, because it allows you to see matter on a scale that cannot be seen.” It can be reached with an optical microscope, since it has magnification limits,” shared Dr. Cervantes Sodi after a brief tour of our Electron Microscopy laboratory, which houses the artifact.
Bougainvillea pollen: The diameter of this pollen grain is 3 or 4 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.
With the microscope “we have seen everything,” the teacher said: “We have done many collaborations with other universities to characterize the materials they are studying, with institutes, with industry.We have seen everything from an apple to carbon nanotubes or 3-atom materials, from meteorites to beach sand, tardigrades (microscopic invertebrates), volcanic ash, everything, we have really seen a lot of things.”
Dr. mentioned that, although other universities have well-equipped laboratories and similar or superior microscopes, research and student communities from UNAM, the Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM) and the IPN come to IBERO to use our equipment for academics and thus avoid long waiting times: “they give me a call, they send me a WhatsApp;and we made an appointment to use the equipment we have, our 'workhorse.'"
In the professor's opinion, in recent years “research in private universities has been disparaged to levels of discrimination, when IBERO carries out cutting-edge research and collaborates with various public institutions;providing valuable resources, as public universities do.In addition, through collaboration we support universities, public and private.”
Bee eye seen with the microscope
“We want to open it to the community,” Cervantes Sodi reiterated about the use of the microscope, “That the entire community can have access, that, if they want to see something on this scale, if they want to do some type of study that requires seeing what they are working with at micrometer or nanometer scales, come closer to us and have access to the microscope.”
As part of the plan to bring IBERO youth closer to the use of the microscope, the exhibition of micrographs is being prepared together with the Directorate of Cultural Dissemination and Dissemination, which could see the light at the end of the summer period, or at the beginning of the autumn period.
“Every time we go to the microscope with the students, there is always this 'wow' moment, in which we see a hair, a bee, the material of our research and magnificent things appear: it looks like a photo of the Grand Canyon or a crater of the Moon, it seems like things that you can't even imagine," the academic said: "We want to share this experience with the community."
Corn grain cut in half and seen under a microscope
For her part, Dr. Esther Ramírez highlighted that, by managing the microscope in three departments of our university, “each of us obtains certain information about the material in question depending on the area of specialty;in my case, Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering with Dr. Alberto Quezada Gallo, polymers, with Dr. Rodolfo Estrada, or Mechanical Engineering, with Professor Carlos Juárez Balderas and various research projects and postgraduate theses in course."
The teacher again launched the call to consider the use of the equipment if required, it would be evaluated whether the material in question requires this amplification for its observation or, a first exploration of it in an optical microscope is recommended.The managers will always be available to guide the process and their offices and emails are open.
Finally, Ramírez invited undergraduate and graduate applicants to come and learn about the study plans of the Universidad Iberoamericana and to participate in the guided tours and experiences intended for them."
Learn about the more than 170 laboratories at IBERO by clicking here.
IBERO Mexico City joins MIT's J-WEL to expand horizons in global education
IBERO and UNAM sign collaboration agreement on technology transfer and entrepreneurship
Industrial Engineering IBERO sweeps first 4 places in international competition
The opinions and points of view expressed in this statement are the exclusive responsibility of those who issue them and do not necessarily represent the thoughts or editorial line of the Universidad Iberoamericana.
For more information about this statement, call the telephone numbers: (55) 59 50 40 00, Ext. 7594, 7759 Institutional Communication of the Universidad Iberoamericana Mexico City Prol.Paseo de la Reforma 880, building F, 1st floor, Col. Lomas de Santa Fe, CP 01219
Digital Microscope 5mp This website uses cookies to improve user experience and ensure it functions effectively.By using it you accept the use of cookies.