Characterization of Paper Coating Structure Using FIB and FE-SEM, 2018 Advanced Coating Symposium

We have developed a new method for characterizing paper coating structure using focused ion beam (FIB) milling technique and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). A new image analysis method combining smart blur function and locally adaptive thresholding technique was applied. This method preserved the edge during noise reduction and gave better automatic image segmentation of pores regardless of pore size and background intensity variation. We applied this method for the measurement of pore structure and depth profile of binder. Osmium tetroxides (OsO₄) stained coated papers with or without resin-embedding treatments were used for image analysis. Control coated paper without OsO₄ staining and resin-embedding was also used for analysis. Back scattered electron (BSE) images of osmium stained and resin-embedded coated paper gave most clear image segmentation of coating components. However, the presence of the top resin layer prevented to pick up the area of interest with this sample for surface observation. The results showed that three sample preparation methods gave similar z-directional porosities. However, resin embedded sample gave substantially larger pore diameter than other two samples. Lower porosity and smaller pore size was obtained from the top surface layer with the osmium stained and resin embedded samples. 

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