Combining scanning electron microscopy and fast Fourier transform for characterizing mesopore and defect structures in mesoporous materials

•The inter pore structure of SBA-15, KIT-6 were revealed by ion-milling.•The technique combined SEM imaging and fast Fourier transformation.•The difference between surface morphologies and N2 adsorption-desorption.

The mesopore structure is normally determined through Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). In this study, a novel technique is proposed for assessing the surface and interior planar pore structures, plane groups of ordered pore arrangements and defect structures in a number of mesoporous materials through a combination of SEM imaging, ion milling and fast Fourier transformation (FFT). This strategy provides a unique and facile approach to characterize the surface and inner pore structures and interior defects of bulky mesoporous materials with varied complex structures.

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