This is a difficult question to answer because, it will depend a lot on your sample and certainly on the question you ask. In essence the less complex the sample, and the more specific the question the quicker the results are obtained.
Generally I would allow an half an hour to an hour to take the first micrograph, and then ten to twenty minutes thereafter for each subsequent image. To obtain an EDX analysis requires approximately 5 minutes at each analysis point. The first micrograph requires longer, because unless you have only one known feature and know exactly where it is, then there is a necessity to examine the bulk of your sample to ensure that it is representative of what is present. It is a common mistake to assume that what you first see is indicative of the whole sample. The reality is that there are a million square micrometres to every square millimetre, and unless your sample is homogeneous, such as in that obtained from a solution you must look long enough to ensure a representative recording. This does sound daunting, but after a little looking it is generally possible to recognize what is representative and what is the exception. For this reason generally, I would always assume a minimum time spent on the microscope is approximately 2 to 3 hours.
Below is a typical time estimate of what is required in a very brief examination.
This consists of sample preparations and sampling, mounting coating, SEM Time, micrographs 10 spectra, and a short report.
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