Smart Iterative Analysis Tool for the Size Distribution of Spherical Nanoparticles

authored by: Jannik Guckel, Marion Görke, Georg Garnweitner, Daesung Park
Abstract: The size of nanoparticles is a critical parameter with regard to their performance. Therefore, precise measurement of the size distribution is often required. While electron microscopy (EM) is a useful tool to image large numbers of particles at once, manual analysis of individual particles in EM images is a time-consuming and labor-intensive task. Therefore, reliable automatic detection methods have long been desired. This paper introduces a novel automatic particle analysis software package based on the circular Hough transform (CHT). Our software package includes novel features to enhance precise particle analysis capabilities. We applied the CHT algorithm in an iterative workflow, which ensures optimal detection over wide radius intervals, to deal with overlapping particles. In addition, smart intensity criteria were implemented to resolve common difficult cases that lead to false particle detection. Implementing these criteria enabled an effective and precise analysis by minimizing detection of false particles. Overall, our approach showed reliable particle analysis results by resolving common types of particle overlaps and deformation with only negligible errors.
Type: Article
Journal: Microscopy and microanalysis
Volume: 29
Pages: 1062-1070
No. of pages: 9
ISSN: 1431-9276
Publication date: 06.2023
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Instrumentation
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1093/micmic/ozad036 (Access: Open)
https://academic.oup.com/mam/advance-article/doi/10.1093/micmic/ozad036/7162605 (Access: Unknown)

BibTeX

@article{fb98caa9f42f474980f0ae5fc3dfc22f,
title = "Smart Iterative Analysis Tool for the Size Distribution of Spherical Nanoparticles",
abstract = "The size of nanoparticles is a critical parameter with regard to their performance. Therefore, precise measurement of the size distribution is often required. While electron microscopy (EM) is a useful tool to image large numbers of particles at once, manual analysis of individual particles in EM images is a time-consuming and labor-intensive task. Therefore, reliable automatic detection methods have long been desired. This paper introduces a novel automatic particle analysis software package based on the circular Hough transform (CHT). Our software package includes novel features to enhance precise particle analysis capabilities. We applied the CHT algorithm in an iterative workflow, which ensures optimal detection over wide radius intervals, to deal with overlapping particles. In addition, smart intensity criteria were implemented to resolve common difficult cases that lead to false particle detection. Implementing these criteria enabled an effective and precise analysis by minimizing detection of false particles. Overall, our approach showed reliable particle analysis results by resolving common types of particle overlaps and deformation with only negligible errors.",
keywords = "circular Hough transform, nanoparticle, OpenCV, particle size distribution analysis, python, transmission electron microscopy",
author = "Jannik Guckel and Marion G{\"o}rke and Georg Garnweitner and Daesung Park",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Microscopy Society of America.",
year = "2023",
month = jun,
doi = "10.1093/micmic/ozad036",
language = "English",
volume = "29",
pages = "1062--1070",
journal = "Microscopy and microanalysis",
issn = "1431-9276",
publisher = "Cambridge University Press",
number = "3",
}