In situ sintering of BioGlass Powder observed in XL30 FEG-ESEM

A Bioactive Glass (BG) powder is heated at a constant rate (5°C/min) up to 1100°C in water vapor environnement, in an environmental scanning electron microscope (E-SEM) to observe the in-situ morphological changes.
Changes in the morphology of the BG particles are evident as temperature increased causing a softening of the granule edges, viscous flow leading to sintering, then crystallization, and finally particles deforme under their own weight, as the melting point is reached.

Microscope used: FEG-ESEM XL-30 (FEI) at CLYM facility in Lyon (France).

Published in:  V. Miguez-Pacheco, et al., Development and characterization of lithium-releasing silicate bioactive glasses and their scaffolds for bone repair, J. Non-Cryst. Solids (2015), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2015.03.027

Video : https://youtu.be/xWeOakGCHQA