Technology

Hello, Bentonite! Drilling Down to the Nanoscale

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I performed my first Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) picture at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) where I am doing my PhD in the Energy Resources and Petroleum Engineering program.

This SEM image shows a bentonite clay particle. Bentonite is a nanocomponent, which is very useful in the drilling process. At KAUST, we are doing research to find new use for this type of material. The SEM technique is useful to image the surface of a particle in the nanoscale. It is amazing to explore our world at this scale.