2.1.1 Fused-Salt Templates
Crystalline sodium chloride 99% (Sigma Aldrich, Switzerland) was initially ground in a mortar and pestle and then sieved (Filtra Vibracio´n S.L., Barcelona, Spain; standard laboratory test sieves) to obtain either 80–112mm, 180–250mm or 425–560mm sized salt particles. As previously described [24], the salt particles were transferred to a vial, packed down lightly and placed in a humidifier (relative humidity 100%) at 40C for 3h. The resulting fused-salt tem-plates were dried in an oven at 100C for 3h and stored in a desiccator until required.