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  Uncovering the capabilities of Freeze-Fracture Electron Microscopy for Surface Science in the 21st Century
  Alex H.F. Wu, Robert N. Lamb, Grainne Moran and Nick Roberts
  From MRS Proceedings Volume 1146E

  Abstract: Traditionally, freeze-fracture electron microscopy has been widely used for the visualization of cellular ultra-structures for over three decades. However, the rapid development of efficient and readily available electron microscopes has led to a decline in the use of freeze-fracture techniques. As a result, the capabilities of freeze-fracture became heavily underappreciated outside the field of microbiology and cytochemistry. Despite its lack of technological advancement, careful analysis of this technique has revealed its extensive capabilities far beyond its current use. Most notably, freeze-fracture can capture a static snapshot of any dynamic aqueous system by imprinting morphological information to create a metallic thin film. Resolution and detection limits are therefore only confined by the subsequent techniques used to analyse this thin film. Acknowledging this capability, this work is the first report to illustrate a new application for freeze-fracture electron microscopy to conduct in-situ composite interfacial studies. Specifically, a detail study encompassing examples on the fluid-surface interface will be presented.