Morphological Analysis of Biomass

Various microscopic techniques need to be employed frequently in morphological analyses of biomass in order to study and characterize its physical characteristics and structures. This chapter’s objective is to give a summary of the key concepts underlying the most significant morphological approaches that have been utilized to study biomasses. Our objective is to make it easy for readers to select the morphological techniques that best suit their unique interests. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and optical microscopy are among the methods frequently used for this purpose. SEM and TEM are versatile methods that offer high-resolution pictures and permit careful examination of the surface morphology of biomasses. The chapter starts off with discussions of scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. It then discusses optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. With a few instances of how these approaches are used for the morphological study of biomasses, the fundamental concepts of each methodology are explained.