6. Laboratory Equipment: SEM-EDX
ASPEX EXpress™ ASPEX EXplorer™
ASPEX EXpress™ desktop SEM The ASPEX EXplorer™ system
provides a fully integrated SEM and
EDX platform that blends state of the
art hardware with software
sophistication.
Experience The Power of ASPEX
CONFIDENTIAL
8. ASTM, ISO and USP Standard Services
061 ISO 4406 ‐ Hydraulic and Oil Particle Count Analysis
062 ISO 4406 ‐ with Elemental Composition
063 ISO 11171 ‐ Fluid Cleanliness Analysis
064 ISO 11171 ‐ with Elemental Composition
066 ASTM‐E45 ‐ Inclusion Cleanliness Analysis of Rolled Steel
067 ASTM‐E2142 ‐ Inclusion Cleanliness Analysis of Rolled Steel
068 JIS G 0555 ‐ Inclusion Cleanliness Analysis of Rolled Steel
069 ISO 4967 ‐ Inclusion Cleanliness Analysis of Rolled Steel
070 USP <788> Particulate Matter
071 ASTM Test Method F1877 Life Cycle Testing
CONFIDENTIAL
9. General Electron Microscopy Services
• Secondary Electron Imaging
• Backscatter Electron Imaging
• Low‐vacuum Backscatter Electron Imaging
• X‐Ray Microanalysis (elemental composition)
• Features (particles or inclusions) characterization
• X‐Ray Mapping
CONFIDENTIAL
11. INTRODUCTION TO ASPEX TECHNOLOGY
Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectrometry
February 10, 2012
CONFIDENTIAL
12. SEM‐EDX Information
• Secondary Electron Imaging
Topographical/Morphological imaging
• Backscatter Electron Imaging
Atomic number based contrast
Low‐vacuum imaging capabilities
• SDD for X‐Ray detection
Chemical composition using Energy
Dispersive Spectrometry
ASPEX
EXPLORER
13. SEM‐EDX Information
SECONDARY ELECTRONS
• Secondary electrons are inelastically
SE scattered.
• Incident electron loses much of its energy
to the sample
• Weakly bound electrons of the sample are
“boiled‐off”.
Nucleus
• <50 eV
• Topographic information.
• SE are drawn to detector with positive
bias.
Incident Electron
CONFIDENTIAL
15. SEM‐EDX Information
BACKSCATTERED ELECTRONS
Electron Beam
BSE
• Backscattered electrons are elastically
scattered.
• Minimal energy loss.
• Large directional change.
• >50 eV
• Strong correlation with atomic number.
Nucleus
CONFIDENTIAL
17. SEM‐EDX Information
X-RAYS MICROANALYSIS
Characteristic X‐Rays are generated in a multi‐step process:
• An inner shell electron is knocked out by incoming electron.
• An outer shell electron drops down to fill vacancy.
• Energy difference is emitted as a photon.
SE Emitted
X‐Ray
Nucleus Nucleus
Incident
Electron
CONFIDENTIAL
18. SEM‐EDX Information
ENERGY DISPERSIVE SPECTRUM
• Energy of emitted X‐Ray is characteristic of chemical element.
• The X‐ray detector collects the X‐rays and results are displayed in a
histogram.
• Used to identify and quantify the elements present in a sample.
CONFIDENTIAL
19. SEM‐EDX Information
SED BSED EDX
Si
1,000
Counts
500 Mn
Fe
Fe
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
keV
• Electron images – How the sample looks? What is the size and shape?
• EDX ‐ What the sample is made of?
• Complete physical and chemical characterization of materials
CONFIDENTIAL
20. Applications
SELECTED EXAMPLES OF TESTING SERVICES
• Contamination studies in Pharmaceuticals
• Particulate Matter Characterization
• X‐Ray Mapping
• Elemental Distribution in samples
• Surface Characterization of Materials
• Morphology, porosity, size and shape
• Oil Analysis
• Characterize wear debris to understand wear and tear patterns
• Inspection of Medical Devices and Implants
• Wear Debris, fractures and failures
CONFIDENTIAL
21. Contaminant Particle Found
in a Pharmaceutical Product
200 µm 200 µm
SED BSED
800 Br Br
C
600 P
Counts
Cl
400
Ca
F
200 O Br
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
keV
EDX (Chemical Composition)
CONFIDENTIAL
22. Contaminant Particle Found
in a Pharmaceutical Product
500 µm
100 µm
Stainless
Steel in raw
material
sample
2,500
2,000
Counts
1,500
Fe Fe
Al Cr
1,000 O
500 Ni Si Ni
Cr Fe
Ni
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
keV
CONFIDENTIAL
23. X‐Ray Mapping used to evaluate
elemental distribution in samples
MAGNESIUM STEARATE
50 µm
Sample: Aleve 220 mg
Scanning conditions: 10
frames at 1ms/pixel
CONFIDENTIAL
24. Surface Characterization:
Morphology
100 µm 1000 µm
100 µm
20 µm 20 µm
• How clean is your product?
• Is your product free of defects?
• Are your coatings uniform?
• Does your product meet specifications?
CONFIDENTIAL
25. Foreign Particles Identified in
Pharmaceutical Products
Al
20 µm
20,000
C u ts
on
Aluminum 10,000
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Teflon keV
100 µm
6,000
C u ts
on
4,000 Fe Fe
Iron 2,000
0
Fe
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
keV
200 µm 3,000
C
Synthetic
C u ts
2,000
on
1,000 O
Fibers 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
keV
Si
20 µm
15,000 O Mg
C u ts
on
Talc
10,000
5,000
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
keV
Fe Fe
100 µm
4,000
Stainless
C u ts
on
2,000 Cr Cr
Steel 0
0 1 2 3 4 5
C
6
r
Fe
7 8 9 10
keV
CONFIDENTIAL
26. Manual Inspection of
Medical Devices
Denuded area
Coated area
Metallic stent with polymer coating
CONFIDENTIAL
27. Applications of Automated
SEM‐EDX Technology
WHY USE AUTOMATED SEM-EDX TECHNOLOGY?
• To obtain statistically meaningful metrics.
• To recognize groupings within a population.
• To locate low‐probability features (“needle in haystack”).
• To verify absence of contaminants.
CONFIDENTIAL
28. Applications of Automated
SEM‐EDX Technology
• For each feature (a particle or material inclusion):
• Total number of features per area analyzed
• Exact location on specimen to relocate for advanced analysis
• Size (average diameter, area)
• Shape information (aspect ratio)
• BSE contrast level (~average atomic number)
• Elemental composition
• Electron Images
CONFIDENTIAL
29. How does an automated
SEM‐EDX works?
Spectrum Analyzed
Composition Determined
Particle Identified
Iron Rich Class
CONFIDENTIAL
30. How does an automated
SEM‐EDX works?
WHAT IS USED FOR CHARACTERIZATION?
Size and Shape Parameters Elemental Chemistry
• Elemental Composition
• Average diameter
• Maximum Diameter
• Minimum Diameter
• Aspect Ratio
• Area
CONFIDENTIAL
32. Case 1
PARTICLE COUNT IN PARENTERAL SOLUTIONS
• USP Test Chapter <788>
– Enumeration standard for foreign particles
– Recommended for particles ≥10 µm and ≥25 µm
– Two step inspection:
• light obscuration for inspection with a given set of limits
Small Volume Large Volume
Parenterals Parenterals
<6000 @ 10um <25/ml @ 10um
U.S. Pharmacopoeia
<600 @ 25um <3/ml @ 25um
• microscopy if sample does not pass the limits
Small Volume Large Volume
Parenterals Parenterals
<300 @25 mm
<6000 @ 10um <2/mL @ 25 mm
<25/ml @ 10um
U.S. Pharmacopoeia
<3000 @10 mm
<600 @ 25um <12/mL @10 m
<3/ml @ 25um
– SEM‐EDX analysis provides elemental composition in addition to enumeration
CONFIDENTIAL
33. Case 1
PARTICLE COUNT IN PARENTERAL SOLUTIONS
E-Beam Analysis is used to understand distributions
195 Particles >10 um
85 Particles >25 um
Filter particulate onto
40
a membrane 35
Scan filter 30
25
Parenteral
Count
20
Solution 15
10
5
0
0-5 10-15 25-30 40-45 55-60 70-75 85-90 100-105 120-125 140-145
DMAX
CONFIDENTIAL
34. Case 2
OIL ANALYSIS: UNDERSTANDING KNOWN CONTAMINANTS
Filtered solution
with know
contaminants ready
High pressure wash for automated
E-beam analysis
Manufactured parts
CONFIDENTIAL
35. Case 2
OIL ANALYSIS: UNDERSTANDING KNOWN CONTAMINANTS
Contour plot of the average elemental composition for each particle type
CONFIDENTIAL
36. Case 2
OIL ANALYSIS: UNDERSTANDING KNOWN CONTAMINANTS
Particle Size Distributions What do they look like?
90
80
70
Number of Particles
60 Aluminum
Al/Cu/Zn
Al/Fe
50 Al/Cu/Zn/Fe
Aluminum Aggs
Misc
40 Misc Metals
Titanium and Lead
30 Titanium (Paint)
e
yp
Misc Salts
eT
20 Brass
icl
Bushing
rt
10 Fe/Zn/Cu
Pa
Iron
0 Stainless
20-60
Silicates
60-100
100-150
150-300
300-450
450-600
600-1000
1000-1600
>1600
Particle Size Ranges
(micrometers)
CONFIDENTIAL
37. Case 2
UNDERSTANDING KNOWN CONTAMINANTS
• Assess if your cleaning process is performing as it should.
• You may be producing products that may fail later on
down the line.
• Are you expending too much effort – and money — on
cleaning?
• Cleanliness analyzers are resulting in over 30%
reductions in warranty cost
CONFIDENTIAL
38. Case 3
FOREIGN PARTICLE DETECTION
• Foreign particle: contaminated particle derived from
active, recipients, containers, formulation,
environment, process of manufacture/actuating drug
device
• A number of different regulatory authorities demand
the evaluation of foreign particles in all types of
respiratory drugs.
• Number, size, elemental composition
CONFIDENTIAL
39. Case 3
FOREIGN PARTICLE DETECTION
Investigation into manufacturing contamination of an
inhalable drug powder
Dissolve drug powder and pass through a polycarbonate filter membrane
CONFIDENTIAL
43. Case 4
COATING DURABILITY OF METALS
• Characterization of coating durability of implantable
metals
• Need to know: How many particles are generated by the
device under typical use?
• Problem: Coating is organic, all other particles are
inorganic, or organics with inorganic components.
CONFIDENTIAL
44. Case 4
COATING DURABILITY OF METALS
Organic Mica
Light-on-Dark Dark-on-Light
Gold coat
Reverse
Contrast
Aluminum Silica Bead
CONFIDENTIAL
45. Case 5
PARTICLE ENUMERATION IN INHALABLE ASTHMA KIT
• Active drug processed into a respirable dry powder. The product is
administered with a hand‐held device
• Determine origin, profile and number of foreign particle material
in drug powder, packaging and device.
• Data was tabulated in the following detection size ranges
> 20‐10 mm, 25‐50 mm, 50‐150 mm, 150‐500 mm
> 0‐1 mm, 1‐2 mm, 2‐3 mm, 4‐5 mm, 5‐6 mm, 6‐7 mm, 7‐8 mm, 8‐
9 mm, 9‐10 mm
> >10 mm
> >25 mm
• Elemental composition data and total particle count
CONFIDENTIAL
48. Case 6
ACTIVE PHARMACEUTICAL INGREDIENT
• API has significant exposure to FP during dissolution,
filtering, spray drying , milling and blending with
excipients.
• If the API is obtained from outside sources, the supplier
should be included in the control process.
API containing Br
CONFIDENTIAL
49. Case 6
ACTIVE PHARMACEUTICAL INGREDIENT
Particle map showing distribution of
API on filter membrane
Particle image (thumbnail), percentage composition and
EDS spectra of API using
ASPEX AFA Data ViewerTM
CONFIDENTIAL