Take Meow Star as an example! Application of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) in the study of animal hair microstructure
Use a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to look at cat hair Hair is a derivative of the stratum corneum of the skin epidermis,which is also one of the characteristics of mammals. The hair of all animals has its basic shape and structure, with many differentiated hair morphologies (such as length, thickness, color, etc.). That must be closely related to its microstructure. Therefore, the microstructure of hair has also been the focus of research for many years . In 1837, Brewster used optical microscopy for the first time to discover the specific structure on the surface of hair, marking the beginning of the study of hair microstructure. In the 1980s, with the widespread application of electron microscope in the study of hair microstructure, the study of hair microstructure has been further improved and developed. Under the scanning electron microscope, the image of hair structure is clearer, more precise, and has a strong three-dimensional sense, high resolution and can be observed from different angles. Therefore, scanning electron microscope has become widely used in the observation of animal hair. Microstructure of cat hair under scanning electron microscope Cats are a widely raised pet. Most species have soft fur, which makes people quite fond of them.So, what information can we obtain from SEM images of cat hair? With questions in mind, we collected hair from different body parts of cats and used CIQTEK Tungsten Filament Scanning Electron Microscope to observe the microstructure of the hair.According to the characteristics of hair surface structure and morphology, it can be divided into four categories: finger-like, bud-like, wavy and squamous. The picture below shows the hair of a British shorthair cat. As can be seen from the scanning electron microscope image, its surface has an obvious wavy structure. The same surface structural units are the hair of dogs, roe deer, cows, and donkeys. Their diameters are generally between 20 and 60 μm. The width of the wavy unit is almost transverse to the entire circumference of the hair shaft, and the axial distance between each wavy unit is about 5 μm. The diameter of the British shorthair cat hair in the picture is about 58 μm. After zooming in, you can also see the surface hair scale structure. The width of the scales is about 5 μm, and the aspect ratio is about 12:1. The aspect ratio of the corrugated unit structure is small, and the aspect ratio is related to the flexibility of the hair. The larger the aspect ratio, the better the softness of the hair, and its stiffness is not easy to break. There is a certain gap between the hair scales and the hair shaft. A larger gap can store air, slow down the air flow speed, and reduce the heat exchange speed. Therefore, different surface unit shapes also determine the difference in thermal insulation performance. British shorthair cat hair surface /10kV/ETD British shorthair cat hair surface /10kV/ETD Likewise, cross-sections of h...