Thanks for replies and multiple suggestions for "future work". Unfortunately there will be no (or almost no) future work. I am not in e-cig research. Sure, I can spend an hour or two playing with things, but nothing more involving. What is more, e-cig research now is its infancy, there are no material scientists or metallurgists involved (they are people who can find a good use of electron microscopy). As I see it, for now the most important part in e-cig research is testing composition of vapor (from different devices, different coils, different power) and something similar to cytotoxicity testing (treating cell cultures with vapor or e-liquid). Obtained results will show in what direction future research should follow. If, for example, it will be found that in certain circumstances vapor is enriched with metals, then metallurgical research will be needed. And so on. We can only hope that sooner or later some useful research work will start flowing in journals. What we have now is mostly politicized "research" which in advance knows it will say "no" or "yes" to vaping.
As I said earlier in the post from 77, I would like to see a filter magnified, then vaped through for 10 to 30ml , then magnified again.
Maybe even with multiple circumstances. One of which could be a filter before and after a dozen or so dry hits.
One with silica One of rayon. All with before and after magnified shots.
Extreme close-up shots from magnification can be scary, an extreme close-up of your pillow cover and bed sheets and you might not go to sleep ever again.
It makes sense, but it is not for me. It will take a lot of time.
Are any of those pictures of wet cotton?
Moisture will make a huge difference.
It will make some difference. But what we can learn from it?
maybe put a coil from different types of metal under the electron microscope --just to see what they would look like--just sayin...
It is not a problem to observe surface of wires, unfortunately it will mostly tell about manufacturing process (quality of dies, metal ductility).
How about pics of a coil then glow the coil a few times and take more pics.
Actually I am planning to do something like this. It is easy, will take just a few minutes. But... I replaced a coil in my everyday tank just a day before yesterday. I will take it off only in a month or three; I use very little of flavorings and my wicks last at least a week, mostly two weeks.