A method for structure analysis of nanomaterials by electron diffraction: phase identification and unit cell determination

Acquisition and evaluation procedure to improve the accuracy of SAED

The achievement of this work is that fine tuning of experimental and evaluation parameters can improve the absolute accuracy and reproducibility of selected area electron diffraction (SAED) to 0.1% without using internal standard. Due to the proposed procedure it was possible to reach a reproducibility better than 0.03% for camera length between sessions by careful control of specimen height and illumination conditions by monitoring lens currents. We applied a calibration specimen composed of nanocrystalline grains free of texture and providing narrow diffraction rings. Refinements of the centre of the diffraction pattern and corrections for elliptic ring distortions allowed for determining the ring diameters with an accuracy of 0.1%. We analyze the effect of different error sources and reason the achieved absolute accuracy of the measurement. Application of the proposed evaluation procedure is inevitable in case of multicomponent nanocomposites or textured materials and/or having close diffraction rings where application of automated procedures is limited. The achieved accuracy of 0.1% without internal standard is approaching that of routine laboratory XRD, and reduction of instrumental broadening due to the elaborated evaluation procedure allows for separation of close reflections, provides more reliable ring width and thus improved input parameters for further nanostructure analysis as demonstrated on dental enamel bioapatite.

ZnCl2 loaded TiO2 nanomaterial: an efficient green catalyst to one-pot solvent-free synthesis of propargylamines

One-pot green synthesis of propargylamines using ZnCl₂ loaded TiO₂ nanomaterial under solvent-free conditions has been effectively accomplished. The aromatic aldehydes, amines, and phenylacetylene were reacted at 100 °C in the presence of the resultant catalyst to form propargylamines. The nanocrystalline TiO₂ was initially synthesized by a sol-gel method from titanium(iv) isopropoxide (TTIP) and further subjected to ZnCl₂ loading by a wet impregnation method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed the formation of crystalline anatase phase TiO₂. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) showed the formation of agglomerated spheroid shaped particles having a size in the range of 25-45 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) validates cubical faceted and nanospheroid-like morphological features with clear faceted edges for the pure TiO₂ sample. Surface loading of ZnCl₂ on spheroid TiO₂ nanoparticles is evident in the case of the ZnCl₂ loaded TiO₂ sample. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the presence of Ti⁴⁺ and Zn²⁺ species in the ZnCl₂ loaded TiO₂ catalyst. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDS) spectroscopy also confirmed the existence of Ti, O, Zn and Cl elements in the nanostructured catalyst. 15% ZnCl₂ loaded TiO₂ afforded the highest 97% yield for 3-(1-morpholino-3-phenylprop-2-ynyl)phenol, 2-(1-morpholino-3-phenylprop-2-ynyl)phenol and 4-(1,3-diphenylprop-2-ynyl)morpholine under solvent-free and aerobic conditions. The proposed nanostructure-based heterogeneous catalytic reaction protocol is sustainable, environment-friendly and offers economic viability in terms of recyclability of the catalyst.

Direct observation of oxygen-vacancy formation and structural changes in Bi2WO6 nanoflakes induced by electron irradiation

The prominent role of oxygen vacancies in the photocatalytic performance of bismuth tungsten oxides is well recognized, while the underlying formation mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we use the transmission electron microscopy to investigate the formation of oxygen vacancies and the structural evolution of Bi₂WO₆ under in situ electron irradiation. Our experimental results reveal that under 200 keV electron irradiation, the breaking of relatively weak Bi-O bonds leads to the formation of oxygen vacancies in Bi₂WO₆. With prolonged electron irradiation, the reduced Bi cations tend to form Bi clusters on the nanoflake surfaces, and the oxygen atoms are released from the nanoflakes, while the W-O networks reconstruct to form WO₃. A possible mechanism that accounts for the observed processes of Bi cluster formation and oxygen release under energetic electron irradiation is also discussed.