The Supply, Delivery and Validation of a Desktop Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for University College Cork (UCC)

Tenders are sought for the supply, delivery and validation of a desktop Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences at University College Cork (UCC). The Food Packaging and Material Sciences Research Group in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences is focussed on research into various aspects of food packaging, including the development of new and sustainable packaging materials for enhanced quality and shelf-life of food products. Currently, research is being conducted into the use of natural and sustainable hydrophobic compounds (e.g. zein) and biodegradable polymers (e.g. chitosan) to produce multi-functional packaging materials with enhanced moisture barrier characteristics. A benchtop SEM is required by the research group for daily sub-micron characterisation of packaging materials (sub-micron pattern formation i.e. segregative phase separation). Following segregative phase separation and the production of patterned materials, sub micron characterisation will be required to control the route of phase separation, pattern morphology, monitor growth mechanisms of packaging surfaces and produce patterns with desirable characteristics etc.