For the microstructure investigation, the dried JAT samples
were cut and mounted on brass specimen stubs using
electrically conductive double-sided adhesive tape. The
samples were then sputtered with gold (SCD 040, Balzers
Union, Switzerland) prior to microstructure observation
with a JEOL scanning electron microscope (SEM) (model
JSM-6610LV, Seal Laboratories, El Segundo, Cal.). Magnifications
of 100× to 500× and an accelerating voltage of
15 kV were applied using the signals of secondary and
backscattered electrons (Totosaus and Perez-Chabela,
2009).