Kristy Wendt has extensive experience characterizing materials using various microscopy techniques. She has worked with clients from Washington University to analyze samples ranging from nanoparticles to biological tissues. Wendt enjoys developing new processing protocols to image challenging samples. She also trains others and collaborates across facilities to further characterization capabilities.

1. Kristy D. Wendt
Material Surface Characterization:
Partnership Building and Characterization Experience

2. Nano Research Facility Core Laboratories
FEI NovaTM 230 FE
Fabrication Laboratory
NanoSEM (EDS)
Elemental Mapping
Particle Technology Laboratory
FEI TecnaiTM Spirit TEM
Leica UC7 Ultramicrotome
Surface Characterization Laboratory
Veeco NanomanTM AFM
Bio-Imaging Laboratory
Zeiss LSM 710 Confocal
Microscope

3. Starting On Campus: Training Protocol Development
EM Core Facility Collaboration

4. Image and Technique Portfolio: Image Processing
FEI Tecnai SpiritTM Quantifying Size Dispersion
TEM of ~200 nm Ag Nanocubes Binary Image with Global Threshold
Client: Dr. Younan Xia,
Washington University
Sample: ”Bottom up” shape
controlled synthesis silver and
gold nanoparticles
Expectations: Quantification
of size dispersion
500 nm 500 nm

5. Image and Technique Portfolio:
FEI NovaNanoTM SEM Finding the Right Angle
Client: Dr. Brent Riggs, NRF
Sample: Photolithography, Fabrication
Expectations: Measure the thickness,
density, and composition of films, identify
profile shape, identify contamination and
trace impurities

6. Image and Technique Portfolio:
FEI NovaNanoTM SEM Troubleshooting Difficult Samples
Client: Dr. Pratim Biswas,
Washington University
Sample: TiO2 crystal films
Expectations: Difficult to image sample, high
-contrast/charging
Solution: Sputter coating current, reduced
voltage, immersion mode, increased WD

7. Image and Technique Portfolio:
FEI Tecnai SpiritTM TEM Surface Characterization
Client: Dr. Akira Ohnuma, Washington
University
Sample: Asymmetric hybrid colloidal
particles by precipitation polymerization
Expectations: Characterize a surface
modified polystyrene bead

8. Image and Technique Portfolio:
FEI NovaNanoTM SEM Murine Kidney Glomerulus
Client: Dr. Jeff Miner, Washington University
Sample: Kidney organogenesis in murine
models
Expectations: Processing protocol
development, basement membrane
preservation

9. Image and Technique Portfolio:
FEI NovaNanoTM SEM Aluminum Polarization Filters
Client: Dr. Victor Gruev, Washington
University
Representative Research Area:
Nanofabrication of aluminum polarization
filters
Expectations: Side wall analysis

10. Image and Technique Portfolio:
FEI Tecnai SpiritTM TEM Instrument Limit
Client: Dr. Byungkwon Lim, Washington
University
Sample: Palladium-platinum bimetallic
nanocrystals
Expectations: Ultrahigh magnification, show
dendritic morphology; enhanced activity
toward oxygen reduction in the fuel cell
industry.

11. Image and Technique Portfolio:
Efficient Sessions for Large Group Projects
Client: Dr. Kathy Hafer, Washington
University
Sample: lambda phage
Expectations: Provide large scale learning
experiment, including processing and
imaging for lambda phage

12. Image and Technique Portfolio:
Nanotoxicity in Yeast
Client: Dr. Yujie Xiong, Mark Brunson
(REU) Washington University
Sample: Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Expectations: Processing protocol
development for saccharomyces
cerevisiae

13. Image and Technique Portfolio:
FEI NovaNanoTM SEM Silica Chips on Silicon Substrate
Client: Dr. Lan Yang, Lina He
Washington University
Sample: Silica microresinators
on silicon substrates
Expectations: Lower contrast
image on difficult sample, ETD,
longer working distance

14. Image and Technique Portfolio:
Qualitative Analysis by EDS
Elemental Mapping/Overlay
Secondary Electrons Platinum 1 µm Overlay
Tin balls Overlay

15. Image and Technique Portfolio:
Line Mapping Ag and Pt Nanoparticles
Silver Nanoparticles on Carbon
Platinum Gold on Carbon

16. Image and Technique Portfolio:
Nanoskiving
Conventional Top Down Approach
High capital
Operating costs
No non-planar surfaces
Useful Material class restrictions
Versatile
Highly Developed

17. Conventional to Unconventional Techniques:
Conventional Processing of Biological Tissue
Fixation High Contrast Dry Thin
-Osmium tetroxide -Ethanol Gradient -Resin Infiltration
-Lead Citrate -Thermal Polymerization
-Uranyl Acetate -Section 65 nm

18. Image and Technique Portfolio:
Nanoskiving
PDMS
Cast and cure epoxy
Ultramicrotomy
EPOXY
Thin-section ~70nm
PDMS
Separate epoxy
EPOXY
Deposit metal
EPOXY
Embed in epoxy and cure
EPOXY
EPOXY Knife blade

19. Image and Technique Portfolio:
Nanoskiving
PDMS
Epoxy
Au on epoxy
Xu Q et al. Acc. Chem. Res.,
2008, 41 (12), pp 1566–1577
Epoxy
Knife

20. Image and Technique Portfolio:
Nanoskiving
1. Nanostructure manipulation
2. 3D Stacking
3. No clean room
Xu Q et al. Acc. Chem. Res., 2008, 41 (12),
pp 1566–1577

21. Collaborating with Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network
Participating in WU’s Educational Research Group
Organizing and Hosting Public Outreach Festivals at WU

22. Developing Outreach: Nanodays at the Saint Louis Science Museum

23. Managing Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program

24. Kristy D. Wendt
-Broad range of material and biological EM processing
-Enjoys addressing unique challenges
-Novel protocol development
-Fabrication and particle analysis
-Training and partnership building
-Works well with a broad range of clients to get beautiful results