1
|
Müller E, Adrion K, Hugenschmidt M, Gerthsen D. Reaction-diffusion study of electron-beam-induced contamination growth. Ultramicroscopy 2024; 264:113995. [PMID: 38851016 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2024.113995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
A time-dependent reaction-diffusion model was elaborated to better understand the dynamical growth of contamination on surfaces illuminated by an electron beam. The goal of this work was to fully describe the flow of hydrocarbon molecules, denoted as contaminants, and their polymerization in the irradiated area with the number of parameters reduced to a minimum necessary. It was considered that the diffusion process of contaminants is driven by the gradient of their surface density generated by the impact of a circular homogeneous electron beam. The contribution of the residual gas atmosphere in the instrument was described by the tendency to reestablish the initial equilibrium surface density of contaminants before irradiation. The four unknown parameters of the model, the electron interaction cross-section, the diffusion coefficient, the initial surface density of contaminants, and the frequency of the supply of contaminants from the residual gas atmosphere were determined by comparing the modeled contamination growth with experimental results. The experiments were designed such that the influence of the single parameters could be unequivocally separated. To follow the dynamical evolution of the system and to generate time-resolved distinct experimental data, successive contamination measurements were performed at short time intervals up to 20 min. The local height and shape of the grown contamination were quantified by evaluating high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) scanning-transmission- electron-microcopy (STEM) image intensities and corresponding Monte-Carlo simulations. Our model also applies to nonhomogeneous initial conditions like the reduced local surface density of contaminants after previous beam-showering. The dynamic analyses of this process might provide hints regarding the relative size of the contaminant molecules and also indicate some measures for the reduction of contamination growth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erich Müller
- Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engesserstr. 7 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany.
| | - Katharina Adrion
- Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engesserstr. 7 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Milena Hugenschmidt
- Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engesserstr. 7 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany; 3DMM2O - Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1 - 390761711), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Dagmar Gerthsen
- Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engesserstr. 7 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mücke D, Liang B, Wang Z, Qi H, Dong R, Feng X, Kaiser U. In-situ imaging of heat-induced phase transition in a two-dimensional conjugated metal-organic framework. Micron 2024; 184:103677. [PMID: 38878605 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2024.103677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Atomically-resolved in-situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) imaging of the structural dynamics in organic materials remains a major challenge. This difficulty persists even with aberration-corrected instruments, as HRTEM images necessitate a high electron dose that is generally intolerable for organic materials. In this study, we report the in-situ HRTEM imaging of heat-induced structural dynamics in a benzenehexathiol-based two-dimensional conjugated metal-organic framework (2D c-MOF, i.e., Cu3(BHT)). Leveraging its hydrogen-free structure and high electrical conductivity, Cu3(BHT) exhibits high electron beam resistance. We demonstrate atomic resolution imaging at an 80 kV electron accelerating voltage using our Cc/Cs-corrected SALVE instrument. However, continuous electron irradiation eventually leads to its amorphization. Intriguingly, under heating in a MEMS holder, the Cu3(BHT) undergoes a phase transition to a new crystalline phase and its phase transition, occurring within the temperature range of 480 °C to 620 °C in dependence on the electron beam illumination. Using HRTEM and energy-dispersive X-ray mapping, we identify this new phase as CuS. Our findings provide insights into the mechanisms governing structural transitions in purposefully engineered structures, potentially pivotal for future endeavours involving the production of metal oxide/sulfide nanoparticles from MOF precursors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Mücke
- Central Facility for Materials Science Electron Microscopy, Universität Ulm, Ulm 89081, Germany; Institute for Quantum Optics, Universität Ulm, Ulm 89081, Germany.
| | - Baokun Liang
- Central Facility for Materials Science Electron Microscopy, Universität Ulm, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Zhiyong Wang
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry & Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfaed), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden 01062, Germany; Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, Halle (Saale) 06120, Germany.
| | - Haoyuan Qi
- Central Facility for Materials Science Electron Microscopy, Universität Ulm, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Renhao Dong
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry & Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfaed), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden 01062, Germany; Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Xinliang Feng
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry & Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfaed), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden 01062, Germany; Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, Halle (Saale) 06120, Germany
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Central Facility for Materials Science Electron Microscopy, Universität Ulm, Ulm 89081, Germany; Institute for Quantum Optics, Universität Ulm, Ulm 89081, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li Y, Liu Y, Zhang Z, Zhou W, Xu J, Ye Y, Peng Y, Xiao X, Chiu W, Sinclair R, Li Y, Cui Y. Electrified Operando-Freezing of Electrocatalytic CO 2 Reduction Cells for Cryogenic Electron Microscopy. NANO LETTERS 2024. [PMID: 39158012 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c03000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
The ability to freeze and stabilize reaction intermediates in their metastable states and obtain their structural and chemical information with high spatial resolution is critical to advance materials technologies such as catalysis and batteries. Here, we develop an electrified operando-freezing methodology to preserve these metastable states under electrochemical reaction conditions for cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) imaging and spectroscopy. Using Cu catalysts for CO2 reduction as a model system, we observe restructuring of the Cu catalyst in a CO2 atmosphere while the same catalyst remains intact in air at the nanometer scale. Furthermore, we discover the existence of a single valence Cu (1+) state and C-O bonding at the electrified liquid-solid interface of the operando-frozen samples, which are key reaction intermediates that traditional ex situ measurements fail to detect. This work highlights our novel technique to study the local structure and chemistry of electrified liquid-solid interfaces, with broad impact beyond catalysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanbin Li
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Yunzhi Liu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Zewen Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Weijiang Zhou
- Biophysics Program, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jinwei Xu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Yusheng Ye
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Yucan Peng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Xin Xiao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Wah Chiu
- Biophysics Program, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Division of CryoEM and Bioimaging, SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Robert Sinclair
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Yuzhang Li
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Yi Cui
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Peters JJP, Reed BW, Jimbo Y, Noguchi K, Müller KH, Porter A, Masiel DJ, Jones L. Event-responsive scanning transmission electron microscopy. Science 2024; 385:549-553. [PMID: 39088619 DOI: 10.1126/science.ado8579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
An ever-present limitation of transmission electron microscopy is the damage caused by high-energy electrons interacting with any sample. By reconsidering the fundamentals of imaging, we demonstrate an event-responsive approach to electron microscopy that delivers more information about the sample for a given beam current. Measuring the time to achieve an electron count threshold rather than waiting a predefined constant time improves the information obtained per electron. The microscope was made to respond to these events by blanking the beam, thus reducing the overall dose required. This approach automatically apportions dose to achieve a given signal-to-noise ratio in each pixel, eliminating excess dose that is associated with diminishing returns of information. We demonstrate the wide applicability of our approach to beam-sensitive materials by imaging biological tissue and zeolite.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J P Peters
- Advanced Microscopy Laboratory, CRANN, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- turboTEM Ltd., Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Yu Jimbo
- JEOL Ltd. Akishima, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Karin H Müller
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Alexandra Porter
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Lewys Jones
- Advanced Microscopy Laboratory, CRANN, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- turboTEM Ltd., Dublin, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Feng W, Gemming T, Giebeler L, Qu J, Weinel K, Jácome LA, Büchner B, Gonzalez-Martinez I. Influence of magnetic field on electron beam-induced Coulomb explosion of gold microparticles in transmission electron microscopy. Ultramicroscopy 2024; 262:113978. [PMID: 38692141 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2024.113978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
In this work we instigated the fragmentation of Au microparticles supported on a thin amorphous carbon film by irradiating them with a gradually convergent electron beam inside the Transmission Electron Microscope. This phenomenon has been generically labeled as "electron beam-induced fragmentation" or EBIF and its physical origin remains contested. On the one hand, EBIF has been primarily characterized as a consequence of beam-induced heating. On the other, EBIF has been attributed to beam-induced charging eventually leading to Coulomb explosion. To test the feasibility of the charging framework for EBIF, we instigated the fragmentation of Au particles under two different experimental conditions. First, with the magnetic objective lens of the microscope operating at full capacity, i.e. background magnetic field B=2 T, and with the magnetic objective lens switched off (Lorenz mode), i.e. B=0 T. We observe that the presence or absence of the magnetic field noticeably affects the critical current density at which EBIF occurs. This strongly suggests that magnetic field effects play a crucial role in instigating EBIF on the microparticles. The dependence of the value of the critical current density on the absence or presence of an ambient magnetic field cannot be accounted for by the beam-induced heating model. Consequently, this work presents robust experimental evidence suggesting that Coulomb explosion driven by electrostatic charging is the root cause of EBIF.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wen Feng
- Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) Dresden, Helmholtzstr.20, Dresden, 01069, Germany.
| | - Thomas Gemming
- Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) Dresden, Helmholtzstr.20, Dresden, 01069, Germany
| | - Lars Giebeler
- Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) Dresden, Helmholtzstr.20, Dresden, 01069, Germany
| | - Jiang Qu
- Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) Dresden, Helmholtzstr.20, Dresden, 01069, Germany
| | - Kristina Weinel
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, Berlin, 12205, Germany
| | - Leonardo Agudo Jácome
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, Berlin, 12205, Germany
| | - Bernd Büchner
- Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) Dresden, Helmholtzstr.20, Dresden, 01069, Germany
| | - Ignacio Gonzalez-Martinez
- Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) Dresden, Helmholtzstr.20, Dresden, 01069, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Dumaresq N, Brodusch N, Bessette S, Gauvin R. Elemental quantification using electron energy-loss spectroscopy with a low voltage scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM-EELS). Ultramicroscopy 2024; 262:113977. [PMID: 38678862 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2024.113977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Electron beam damage in electron microscopes is becoming more and more problematic in material research with the increasing demand of characterization of new beam sensitive material such as Li based compounds used in lithium-ion batteries. To avoid radiolysis damage, it has become common practice to use Cryo-EM, however, knock-on damage can still occur in conventional TEM/STEM with a high-accelerating voltage (200-300 keV). In this work, electron energy loss spectroscopy with an accelerating voltage of 30,20 and 10 keV was explored with h-BN, TiB2 and TiN compounds. All Ti L2,3, N K and B K edges were successfully observed with an accelerating voltage as low as 10 keV. An accurate elemental quantification for all three samples was obtained using a multi-linear least square (MLLS) procedure which gives at most a 5 % of standard deviation which is well within the error of the computation of the inelastic partial-cross section used for the quantification. These results show the great potential of using low-voltage EELS which is another step towards a knock-on damage free analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Dumaresq
- Department of Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Nicolas Brodusch
- Department of Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Stéphanie Bessette
- Department of Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Raynald Gauvin
- Department of Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Janicek BE, Mair S, Chiang YM, Ophus C, Jiang X. Structural Complexities in Sodium Ion Conductive Antiperovskite Revealed by Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy. NANO LETTERS 2024. [PMID: 39017592 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
We use low-dose cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) to investigate the atomic-scale structure of antiperovskite Na2NH2BH4 crystals by preserving the room-temperature cubic phase and carefully monitoring the electron dose. Via quantitative analysis of electron beam damage using selected area electron diffraction, we find cryogenic imaging provides 6-fold improvement in beam stability for this solid electrolyte. Cryo-TEM images obtained from flat crystals revealed the presence of a new, long-range-ordered supercell with a cubic phase. The supercell exhibits doubled unit cell dimensions of 9.4 Å × 9.4 Å as compared to the cubic lattice structure revealed by X-ray crystallography of 4.7 Å × 4.7 Å. The comparison between the experimental image and simulated potential map indicates the origin of the supercell is a vacancy ordering of sodium atoms. This work demonstrates the potential of using cryo-TEM imaging to study the atomic-scale structure of air- and electron-beam-sensitive antiperovskite-type solid electrolytes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Blanka E Janicek
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Sunil Mair
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Yet-Ming Chiang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Colin Ophus
- The National Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Xi Jiang
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Chen M, Bustillo KC, Patel V, Savitzky BH, Sternlicht H, Maslyn JA, Loo WS, Ciston J, Ophus C, Jiang X, Balsara NP, Minor AM. Direct Imaging of the Crystalline Domains and Their Orientation in the PS- b-PEO Block Copolymer with 4D-STEM. Macromolecules 2024; 57:5629-5638. [PMID: 38948181 PMCID: PMC11210284 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.3c02231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
The arrangement of crystalline domains in semicrystalline polymers is key to understanding how to optimize the nanostructured morphology for enabling better properties. For example, in polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO), the degree of crystallinity and arrangement of the crystallites within the PEO phase plays a crucial role in determining the physical properties of the electrolyte. Here, we used four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy to directly visualize the crystal domains within the PEO-rich region of the PS-b-PEO block copolymer and show the relative angle of the domain with respect to the PEO-PS interface. As demonstrated here, our analysis method is applicable to other electron-beam sensitive materials, especially semicrystalline polymers, to unveil their local phase condition and distribution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Chen
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, University
of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Materials
Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- National
Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Karen C. Bustillo
- National
Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Vivaan Patel
- Materials
Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Benjamin H. Savitzky
- National
Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Hadas Sternlicht
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, University
of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- National
Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jacqueline A. Maslyn
- Materials
Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Whitney S. Loo
- Materials
Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Jim Ciston
- National
Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Colin Ophus
- National
Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Xi Jiang
- Materials
Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Nitash P. Balsara
- Materials
Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Andrew M. Minor
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, University
of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Materials
Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- National
Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Zhai W, Zhang Y, Shi H, Hu X, Hao R, Liu W, Yu Y. Quantifying the Growth Kinetics of Lithium Metal Reduced from Solid Ionic Conductors. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:14095-14104. [PMID: 38718380 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c02567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Investigating the growth kinetics of Li metal in solid-state batteries is crucial to both a fundamental understanding and practical application. Here, by directly observing the formation of Li metal from Ta-doped Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 (LLZTO) in a transmission electron microscope, the growth kinetics is analyzed quantitatively. The growth kinetics of Li deposits shows a cubic-curve characteristic for LLZTO with Li-source-free. Instead, a linear growth process is observed with Li-source supplied. The impact of the illuminating electron dose rate on the growth kinetics is clarified, indicating that even low dose rates (1-3 e-/Å2/s) could affect Li growth, highlighting the significance of controlling dose rates. Furthermore, a new pathway for the formation of Li metal from Li-containing materials utilizing the field-emission effect is reported. This work has implications on the failure mechanism in solid batteries by using limited Li anodes and opens pathways for regulating Li growth in LLZTO at various scenarios, which can also extend to other ionic conductors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Zhai
- School of Physical Science and Technology & Shanghai Key Laboratory of High-Resolution Electron Microscopy, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- School of Physical Science and Technology & Shanghai Key Laboratory of High-Resolution Electron Microscopy, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Hongsheng Shi
- School of Physical Science and Technology & Shanghai Key Laboratory of High-Resolution Electron Microscopy, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Xiangchen Hu
- School of Physical Science and Technology & Shanghai Key Laboratory of High-Resolution Electron Microscopy, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Ruixin Hao
- School of Physical Science and Technology & Shanghai Key Laboratory of High-Resolution Electron Microscopy, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Wei Liu
- School of Physical Science and Technology & Shanghai Key Laboratory of High-Resolution Electron Microscopy, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yi Yu
- School of Physical Science and Technology & Shanghai Key Laboratory of High-Resolution Electron Microscopy, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Huang HH, Miyata T, Sato YK, Mizoguchi T, Jinnai H, Yoshida K. Microscopic chemical characterization of epoxy resin with scanning transmission electron microscopy - electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Micron 2024; 180:103623. [PMID: 38461563 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2024.103623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
The structural characterization of epoxy resins is essential to improve the understanding on their structure-property relationship for promising high-performance applications. Among all analytical techniques, scanning transmission electron microscopy-electron energy-loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS) is a powerful tool for probing the chemical and structural information of various materials at a high spatial resolution. However, for sensitive materials, such as epoxy resins, the structural damage induced by electron-beam irradiation limits the spatial resolution in the STEM-EELS analysis. In this study, we demonstrated the extraction of the intrinsic features and structural characteristics of epoxy resins by STEM-EELS under electron doses below 1 e-/Å2 at room temperature. The reliability of the STEM-EELS analysis was confirmed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and spectrum simulation as low- or non-damaged reference data. The investigation of the dependence of the epoxy resin on the electron dose and exposure time revealed the structural degradation associated with electron-beam irradiation, exploring the prospect of EELS for examining epoxy resin at low doses. Furthermore, the degradation mechanisms in the epoxy resin owing to electron-beam irradiation were revealed. These findings can promote the structural characterization of epoxy-resin-based composites and other soft materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Hui Huang
- Japan Fine Ceramics Center, 2-4-1 Mutsuno, Atsuta-ku, Nagoya 456-8587, Japan.
| | - Tomohiro Miyata
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Yohei K Sato
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Teruyasu Mizoguchi
- Institute of Industrials Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Jinnai
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Kaname Yoshida
- Japan Fine Ceramics Center, 2-4-1 Mutsuno, Atsuta-ku, Nagoya 456-8587, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Harano K, Nakamuro T, Nakamura E. Cinematographic study of stochastic chemical events at atomic resolution. Microscopy (Oxf) 2024; 73:101-116. [PMID: 37864546 DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfad052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The advent of single-molecule atomic-resolution time-resolved electron microscopy (SMART-EM) has created a new field of 'cinematic chemistry,' allowing for the cinematographic recording of dynamic behaviors of organic and inorganic molecules and their assembly. However, the limited electron dose per frame of video images presents a major challenge in SMART-EM. Recent advances in direct electron counting cameras and techniques to enhance image quality through the implementation of a denoising algorithm have enabled the tracking of stochastic molecular motions and chemical reactions with sub-millisecond temporal resolution and sub-angstrom localization precision. This review showcases the development of dynamic molecular imaging using the SMART-EM technique, highlighting insights into nanomechanical behavior during molecular shuttle motion, pathways of multistep chemical reactions, and elucidation of crystallization processes at the atomic level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Koji Harano
- Center for Basic Research on Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
| | - Takayuki Nakamuro
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Eiichi Nakamura
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ishida Y. Atomic-Scale Imaging of Clay Mineral Nanosheets and Their Supramolecular Complexes through Electron Microscopy: A Supramolecular Chemist's Perspective. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:6065-6076. [PMID: 38484331 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Recent advancements in electron microscopy techniques have revolutionized the ability to directly visualize and understand the intricate world of supramolecular chemistry. This paper provides a concise overview of a study delving into the atomic-scale imaging of monolayer clay mineral nanosheets and their associated supramolecular complexes. The imaging is conducted by harnessing the power of aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Clay mineral nanosheets, with their anionic charge and ultrathin thickness (of 1 nm), serve as a stable Coulombic host material for cationic guest molecules through electrostatic interactions, facilitating exceptional stability and control during observation. By incorporation of heavy-metal atom markers coordinated within the target molecules, high-angle annular dark field STEM enables a clear visualization of these supramolecular complexes. This approach helps to overcome the limitations of graphene-based systems and expands the possibilities of atomic-scale imaging of nonperiodic molecular assemblies formed by weak supramolecular interactions. The fusion of electron microscopy techniques with the principles of supramolecular and material chemistry offers exciting opportunities for studying the structure, behavior, and properties of complex supramolecular systems. It sheds light on the intricate molecular architectures and design principles governing these systems. This study showcases the immense potential of electron microscopy in supramolecular chemistry and invites researchers from various disciplines to explore the transformative possibilities of atomic-scale imaging in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Ishida
- Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 816-8580 Japan
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Mücke D, Cooley I, Liang B, Wang Z, Park S, Dong R, Feng X, Qi H, Besley E, Kaiser U. Understanding the Electron Beam Resilience of Two-Dimensional Conjugated Metal-Organic Frameworks. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:3014-3020. [PMID: 38427697 PMCID: PMC10941249 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c04125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Knowledge of the atomic structure of layer-stacked two-dimensional conjugated metal-organic frameworks (2D c-MOFs) is an essential prerequisite for establishing their structure-property correlation. For this, atomic resolution imaging is often the method of choice. In this paper, we gain a better understanding of the main properties contributing to the electron beam resilience and the achievable resolution in the high-resolution TEM images of 2D c-MOFs, which include chemical composition, density, and conductivity of the c-MOF structures. As a result, sub-angstrom resolution of 0.95 Å has been achieved for the most stable 2D c-MOF of the considered structures, Cu3(BHT) (BHT = benzenehexathiol), at an accelerating voltage of 80 kV in a spherical and chromatic aberration-corrected TEM. Complex damage mechanisms induced in Cu3(BHT) by the elastic interactions with the e-beam have been explained using detailed ab initio molecular dynamics calculations. Experimental and calculated knock-on damage thresholds are in good agreement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Mücke
- Central
Facility for Materials Science Electron Microscopy, Universität Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Isabel Cooley
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Baokun Liang
- Central
Facility for Materials Science Electron Microscopy, Universität Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Zhiyong Wang
- Max
Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Food Chemistry & Center for Advancing Electronics
Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - SangWook Park
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Food Chemistry & Center for Advancing Electronics
Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Renhao Dong
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Food Chemistry & Center for Advancing Electronics
Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Key
Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry of the Ministry of Education,
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, 250100 Jinan, China
| | - Xinliang Feng
- Max
Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Food Chemistry & Center for Advancing Electronics
Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Haoyuan Qi
- Central
Facility for Materials Science Electron Microscopy, Universität Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Food Chemistry & Center for Advancing Electronics
Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Elena Besley
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Central
Facility for Materials Science Electron Microscopy, Universität Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Flinn B, Rance GA, Cull WJ, Cardillo-Zallo I, Pitcairn J, Cliffe MJ, Fay MW, Tyler AJ, Weare BL, Stoppiello CT, Davies ES, Mather ML, Khlobystov AN. Sensing the Spin State of Room-Temperature Switchable Cyanometallate Frameworks with Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Nanodiamonds. ACS NANO 2024; 18:7148-7160. [PMID: 38383159 PMCID: PMC10919078 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c11820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Room-temperature magnetically switchable materials play a vital role in current and upcoming quantum technologies, such as spintronics, molecular switches, and data storage devices. The increasing miniaturization of device architectures produces a need to develop analytical tools capable of precisely probing spin information at the single-particle level. In this work, we demonstrate a methodology using negatively charged nitrogen vacancies (NV-) in fluorescent nanodiamond (FND) particles to probe the magnetic switching of a spin crossover (SCO) metal-organic framework (MOF), [Fe(1,6-naphthyridine)2(Ag(CN)2)2] material (1), and a single-molecule photomagnet [X(18-crown-6)(H2O)3]Fe(CN)6·2H2O, where X = Eu and Dy (materials 2a and 2b, respectively), in response to heat, light, and electron beam exposure. We employ correlative light-electron microscopy using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) finder grids to accurately image and sense spin-spin interacting particles down to the single-particle level. We used surface-sensitive optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) and magnetic modulation (MM) of FND photoluminescence (PL) to sense spins to a distance of ca. 10-30 nm. We show that ODMR and MM sensing was not sensitive to the temperature-induced SCO of FeII in 1 as formation of paramagnetic FeIII through surface oxidation (detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) on heating obscured the signal of bulk SCO switching. We found that proximal FNDs could effectively sense the chemical transformations induced by the 200 keV electron beam in 1, namely, AgI → Ag0 and FeII → FeIII. However, transformations induced by the electron beam are irreversible as they substantially disrupt the structure of MOF particles. Finally, we demonstrate NV- sensing of reversible photomagnetic switching, FeIII + (18-crown-6) ⇆ FeII + (18-crown-6)+ •, triggered in 2a and 2b by 405 nm light. The photoredox process of 2a and 2b proved to be the best candidate for room-temperature single-particle magnetic switching utilizing FNDs as a sensor, which could have applications into next-generation quantum technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bradley
T. Flinn
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Graham A. Rance
- Nanoscale
and Microscale Research Centre, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United
Kingdom
| | - William J. Cull
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Cardillo-Zallo
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Jem Pitcairn
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
- School
of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew J. Cliffe
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Michael W. Fay
- Nanoscale
and Microscale Research Centre, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United
Kingdom
| | - Ashley J. Tyler
- Optics
and Photonics Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United
Kingdom
| | - Benjamin L. Weare
- Nanoscale
and Microscale Research Centre, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United
Kingdom
| | - Craig T. Stoppiello
- Centre
for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University
of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072, Australia
| | - E. Stephen Davies
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Melissa L. Mather
- Optics
and Photonics Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United
Kingdom
| | - Andrei N. Khlobystov
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
- Nanoscale
and Microscale Research Centre, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United
Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Egerton RF. Voxel dose-limited resolution for thick beam-sensitive specimens imaged in a TEM or STEM. Micron 2024; 177:103576. [PMID: 38113715 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2023.103576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The resolution limit imposed by radiation damage is quantified in terms of a voxel dose-limited resolution (DLR), applicable to small features within a thick specimen. An analytical formula for this DLR is derived and applied to bright-field mass-thickness contrast from organic (polymer or biological) specimens of thickness between 400 nm and 20 µm. For a permissible dose of 330 MGy (typical of frozen-hydrated tissue), the TEM or STEM image resolution is determined by radiation damage rather than by lens aberrations or beam-broadening effects, which can be restricted by use of a small angle-limiting aperture. DLR is improved by a up to factor of 2 by increasing the primary-electron energy from 300 keV to 3 MeV, or by up to a factor of 3 by heavy-metal staining. For stained samples, a higher electron fluence allows better resolution but the improvement is modest because the voxel DLR is proportional to the 1/4 power of electron dose. The relevance of voxel and columnar DLR is discussed, for both thick and thin samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R F Egerton
- Physics Department, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Sato T, Menon VA, Toshiyoshi H, Tochigi E. Microfabricated double-tilt apparatus for transmission electron microscope imaging of atomic force microscope probe. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2024; 95:023705. [PMID: 38416041 DOI: 10.1063/5.0186983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) uses a scanning stylus to directly measure the surface characteristics of a sample. Since AFM relies on nanoscale interaction between the probe and the sample, the resolution of AFM-based measurement is critically dependent on the geometry of the scanning probe tip. This geometry, therefore, can limit the development of related applications. However, AFM itself cannot be effectively used to characterize AFM probe geometry, leading researchers to rely on indirect estimates based on force measurement results. Previous reports have described sample jigs that enable the observation of AFM probe tips using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). However, such setups are too tall to allow sample tilting within more modern high-resolution TEM systems, which can only tilt samples less than a few millimeters in thickness. This makes it impossible to observe atomic-scale crystallographic lattice fringes by aligning the imaging angle perfectly or to view a flat probe tip profile exactly from the side. We have developed an apparatus that can hold an AFM tip for TEM observation while remaining thin enough for tilting, thereby enabling atomic-scale tip characterization. Using this technique, we demonstrated consistent observation of AFM tip crystal structures using tilting in TEM and found that the radii of curvature of nominally identical probes taken from a single box varied widely from 1.4 nm for the sharpest to 50 nm for the most blunt.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takaaki Sato
- Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Eita Tochigi
- Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Cardillo-Zallo I, Biskupek J, Bloodworth S, Marsden ES, Fay MW, Ramasse QM, Rance GA, Stoppiello CT, Cull WJ, Weare BL, Whitby RJ, Kaiser U, Brown PD, Khlobystov AN. Atomic-Scale Time-Resolved Imaging of Krypton Dimers, Chains and Transition to a One-Dimensional Gas. ACS NANO 2024; 18:2958-2971. [PMID: 38251654 PMCID: PMC10832048 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c07853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Single-atom dynamics of noble-gas elements have been investigated using time-resolved transmission electron microscopy (TEM), with direct observation providing for a deeper understanding of chemical bonding, reactivity, and states of matter at the nanoscale. We report on a nanoscale system consisting of endohedral fullerenes encapsulated within single-walled carbon nanotubes ((Kr@C60)@SWCNT), capable of the delivery and release of krypton atoms on-demand, via coalescence of host fullerene cages under the action of the electron beam (in situ) or heat (ex situ). The state and dynamics of Kr atoms were investigated by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Kr atom positions were measured precisely using aberration-corrected high-resolution TEM (AC-HRTEM), aberration-corrected scanning TEM (AC-STEM), and single-atom spectroscopic imaging (STEM-EELS). The electron beam drove the formation of 2Kr@C120 capsules, in which van der Waals Kr2 and transient covalent [Kr2]+ bonding states were identified. Thermal coalescence led to the formation of longer coalesced nested nanotubes containing more loosely bound Krn chains (n = 3-6). In some instances, delocalization of Kr atomic positions was confirmed by STEM analysis as the transition to a one-dimensional (1D) gas, as Kr atoms were constrained to only one degree of translational freedom within long, well-annealed, nested nanotubes. Such nested nanotube structures were investigated by Raman spectroscopy. This material represents a highly compressed and dimensionally constrained 1D gas stable under ambient conditions. Direct atomic-scale imaging has revealed elusive bonding states and a previously unseen 1D gaseous state of matter of this noble gas element, demonstrating TEM to be a powerful tool in the discovery of chemistry at the single-atom level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ian Cardillo-Zallo
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Biskupek
- Electron
Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron
Microscopy, Ulm University, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Sally Bloodworth
- School
of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth S. Marsden
- School
of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Michael W. Fay
- Nanoscale
and Microscale Research Centre, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2QL, United
Kingdom
| | - Quentin M. Ramasse
- SuperSTEM
Laboratory, SciTech Daresbury Campus, Daresbury WA4 4AD, United Kingdom
- School of
Chemical and Process Engineering and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Graham A. Rance
- Nanoscale
and Microscale Research Centre, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2QL, United
Kingdom
| | - Craig T. Stoppiello
- Centre
for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University
of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - William J. Cull
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin L. Weare
- Nanoscale
and Microscale Research Centre, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2QL, United
Kingdom
| | - Richard J. Whitby
- School
of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Electron
Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron
Microscopy, Ulm University, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Paul D. Brown
- Department
of Mechanical, Materials & Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Andrei N. Khlobystov
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Yörük E, Klein H, Kodjikian S. Dose symmetric electron diffraction tomography (DS-EDT): Implementation of a dose-symmetric tomography scheme in 3D electron diffraction. Ultramicroscopy 2024; 255:113857. [PMID: 37797486 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2023.113857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Beam sensitive nanomaterials such as zeolites or metal-organic frameworks (MOF) represent a great challenge for crystallographic structure determination and refinement. The strong electron-matter interaction and the high spatial resolution achievable make electron diffraction the technique of choice for particles of sizes below a micrometer and many different 3-dimensional electron diffraction (3D ED) techniques have been developed in recent years. Nevertheless, beam sensitivity of the samples can lead to the crystal structure being damaged during the data acquisition impeding the determination of its structure. A simple way to reduce beam damage is to lower the dose during the experiment. However, this implies weaker diffraction intensities which can become problematic for the exploitation of the data. In order to obtain complete data sets with strong intensities without damaging the crystals, we developed the dose symmetric electron diffraction tomography (DS-EDT) method, combining the low-dose electron diffraction tomography (LD-EDT) technique with the dose-symmetric tomography scheme known from cryo-EM. In order to reduce the dose on an individual crystal and still obtain enough data for a structure solution and refinement, we partition the dose over several crystals. The individual datasets are then merged in order to achieve the necessary completeness. On two test structures we first show that merging of data from small domains of the reciprocal space is indeed sufficient to obtain reliable data for structure solution and refinement. Second, we show on the beam sensitive manganese formate that high-quality data can be obtained on a few frames while the frames that have suffered from beam damage can still be used to determine the orientation matrix and the unit cell of the crystals. The results from the dynamical refinement on the obtained data show a high accuracy of the atom positions. In this way, DS-EDT can reduce the total dose on an individual crystal by an order of magnitude with respect to the already very dose-efficient LD-EDT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emre Yörük
- Institut Néel, Université Grenoble-Alpes and CNRS, Grenoble 38000, France.
| | - Holger Klein
- Institut Néel, Université Grenoble-Alpes and CNRS, Grenoble 38000, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Flinn BT, Radu V, Fay MW, Tyler AJ, Pitcairn J, Cliffe MJ, Weare BL, Stoppiello CT, Mather ML, Khlobystov AN. Nitrogen vacancy defects in single-particle nanodiamonds sense paramagnetic transition metal spin noise from nanoparticles on a transmission electron microscopy grid. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2023; 5:6423-6434. [PMID: 38024305 PMCID: PMC10662216 DOI: 10.1039/d3na00155e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Spin-active nanomaterials play a vital role in current and upcoming quantum technologies, such as spintronics, data storage and computing. To advance the design and application of these materials, methods to link size, shape, structure, and chemical composition with functional magnetic properties at the nanoscale level are needed. In this work, we combine the power of two local probes, namely, Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) spin-active defects in diamond and an electron beam, within experimental platforms used in electron microscopy. Negatively charged NVs within fluorescent nanodiamond (FND) particles are used to sense the local paramagnetic environment of Rb0.5Co1.3[Fe(CN)6]·3.7H2O nanoparticles (NPs), a Prussian blue analogue (PBA), as a function of FND-PBA distance (order of 10 nm) and local PBA concentration. We demonstrate perturbation of NV spins by proximal electron spins of transition metals within NPs, as detected by changes in the photoluminescence (PL) of NVs. Workflows are reported and demonstrated that employ a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) finder grid to spatially correlate functional and structural features of the same unique NP studied using NV sensing, based on a combination of Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance (ODMR) and Magnetic Modulation (MM) of NV PL, within TEM imaging modalities. Significantly, spin-spin dipole interactions were detected between NVs in a single FND and paramagnetic metal centre spin fluctuations in NPs through a carbon film barrier of 13 nm thickness, evidenced by TEM tilt series imaging and Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy (EELS), opening new avenues to sense magnetic materials encapsulated in or between thin-layered nanostructures. The measurement strategies reported herein provide a pathway towards solid-state quantitative NV sensing with atomic-scale theoretical spatial resolution, critical to the development of quantum technologies, such as memory storage and molecular switching nanodevices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bradley T Flinn
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Valentin Radu
- Optics and Photonics Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Michael W Fay
- Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre, University of Nottingham Nottingham NG7 1QL UK
| | - Ashley J Tyler
- Optics and Photonics Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Jem Pitcairn
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Matthew J Cliffe
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Benjamin L Weare
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Craig T Stoppiello
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Queensland. St Lucia 4072 Australia
| | - Melissa L Mather
- Optics and Photonics Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Andrei N Khlobystov
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
- Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre, University of Nottingham Nottingham NG7 1QL UK
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Jaberi A, Brodusch N, Song J, Gauvin R. Prediction of primary knock-on damage during electron microscopy characterization of lithium-containing materials. Ultramicroscopy 2023; 256:113884. [PMID: 37976971 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2023.113884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
To fulfill power and energy demands, lithium-ion battery (LIB) is being considered as a promising energy storage device. For the development of LIBs, high-resolution electron microscopy characterization of battery materials is crucial. During this characterization, the interaction of beam-electrons with Li-containing materials causes damage through several processes, especially knock-on damage. In this study, we investigated this damage by determining the probability of knock-on damage and performing Monte Carlo simulation. For this objective, the threshold displacement energies (TDEs) were computed using sudden approximation technique for three sets of materials, including pure elements, LiX (X = F, Cl, Br), and Li2MSiO4 (M = Fe, Co, Mn). By including the Climbing-Image Nudge Elastic Band (CI-NEB) method into the sudden approximation approach, it was found that the accuracy of the predicted TDEs could be improved. Results also indicated that at moderate electron energies, the knock-on damage for Li in both its elemental and compound forms maximized. In addition, it was shown that the TDE should be the principal parameter for assessing the Li sensitivity to knock-on damage across similar structures. Nonetheless, other parameters, including cross-section, density, weight fraction, atomic weight, and atomic number, were found to impact the knock-on damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Jaberi
- Department of Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Nicolas Brodusch
- Department of Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jun Song
- Department of Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Raynald Gauvin
- Department of Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Leth Larsen MH, Lomholdt WB, Nuñez Valencia C, Hansen TW, Schiøtz J. Quantifying noise limitations of neural network segmentations in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Ultramicroscopy 2023; 253:113803. [PMID: 37499574 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2023.113803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Motivated by the need for low electron dose transmission electron microscopy imaging, we report the optimal frame dose (i.e.e-/Å2) range for object detection and segmentation tasks with neural networks. The MSD-net architecture shows promising abilities over the industry standard U-net architecture in generalising to frame doses below the range included in the training set, for both simulated and experimental images. It also presents a heightened ability to learn from lower dose images. The MSD-net displays mild visibility of a Au nanoparticle at 20-30 e-/Å2, and converges at 200 e-/Å2 where a full segmentation of the nanoparticle is achieved. Between 30 and 200 e-/Å2 object detection applications are still possible. This work also highlights the importance of modelling the modulation transfer function when training with simulated images for applications on images acquired with scintillator based detectors such as the Gatan Oneview camera. A parametric form of the modulation transfer function is applied with varying ranges of parameters, and the effects on low electron dose segmentation is presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Helmi Leth Larsen
- Computational Atomic-scale Materials Design (CAMD), Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - William Bang Lomholdt
- National Center for Nano Fabrication and Characterization, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Cuauhtemoc Nuñez Valencia
- Computational Atomic-scale Materials Design (CAMD), Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Thomas W Hansen
- National Center for Nano Fabrication and Characterization, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jakob Schiøtz
- Computational Atomic-scale Materials Design (CAMD), Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Mücke D, Linck M, Guzzinati G, Müller H, Levin BDA, Bammes BE, Brouwer RG, Jelezko F, Qi H, Kaiser U. Effect of self and extrinsic encapsulation on electron resilience of porous 2D polymer nanosheets. Micron 2023; 174:103525. [PMID: 37595407 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2023.103525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Despite the exceptional resolution in aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscope (AC-HRTEM) images of inorganic two-dimensional (2D) materials, achieving high-resolution imaging of organic 2D materials remains a daunting challenge due to their low electron resilience. Optimizing the critical dose (the electron exposure, the material can accept before it is noticeably damaged) is vital to mitigate this challenge. An understanding of electron resilience in porous crystalline 2D polymers including the effect of sample thickness has not been derived thus far. It is assumed, that additional layers of the sample form a cage around inner layers, which are preventing fragments from escaping into the vacuum and enabling recombination. In the literature this so called caging effect has been reported for perylene and pythalocyanine. In this work we determine the critical dose of a porous, triazine-based 2D polymer as function of the sample thickness. The results show that the caging effect should not be generalized to more sophisticated polymer systems. We argue that pore channels in the framework structure serve as escape routes for free fragments preventing the caging effect and thus showing surprisingly a thickness-independent critical dose. Moreover, we demonstrate that graphene encapsulation prevents fragment escape and results in an increase in the critical electron dose and unit-cell image resolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Mücke
- Central Facility for Materials Science Electron Microscopy, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Universität Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Martin Linck
- Corrected Electron Optical Systems GmbH, Englerstr. 28, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Giulio Guzzinati
- Corrected Electron Optical Systems GmbH, Englerstr. 28, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Heiko Müller
- Corrected Electron Optical Systems GmbH, Englerstr. 28, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Barnaby D A Levin
- Direct Electron LP, 13240 Evening Creek S Dr, Ste 311, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin E Bammes
- Direct Electron LP, 13240 Evening Creek S Dr, Ste 311, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Raúl González Brouwer
- Institute for Quantum Optics (IQO) and Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology (IQST), Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Fedor Jelezko
- Institute for Quantum Optics (IQO) and Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology (IQST), Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Haoyuan Qi
- Central Facility for Materials Science Electron Microscopy, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Universität Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany; Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Mommsenstr. 4, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Central Facility for Materials Science Electron Microscopy, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Universität Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Ing G, Stewart A, Battaglia G, Ruiz-Perez L. SimpliPyTEM: An open-source Python library and app to simplify transmission electron microscopy and in situ-TEM image analysis. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285691. [PMID: 37796914 PMCID: PMC10553249 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introducing SimpliPyTEM, a Python library and accompanying GUI that simplifies the post-acquisition evaluation of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, helping streamline the workflow. After an imaging session, a folder of image and/or video files, typically containing low contrast and large file size 32-bit images, can be quickly processed via SimpliPyTEM into high-quality, high-contrast.jpg images with suitably sized scale bars. The app can also generate HTML or PDF files containing the processed images for easy viewing and sharing. Additionally, SimpliPyTEM specifically focuses on in situ TEM videos, an emerging field of EM involving the study of dynamic processes whilst imaging. The package allows fast data processing into preview movies, averages, image series, or motion-corrected averages. The accompanying Python library offers many standard image processing methods, all simplified to a single command, plus a module to analyse particle morphology and population. This latter application is particularly useful for life sciences investigations. User-friendly tutorials and clear documentation are included to help guide users through the processing and analysis. We invite the EM community to contribute to and further develop this open-source package.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Ing
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Stewart
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Guiseppe Battaglia
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution of Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lorena Ruiz-Perez
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Hoelzel H, Lee S, Amsharov KY, Jux N, Harano K, Nakamura E, Lungerich D. Time-resolved imaging and analysis of the electron beam-induced formation of an open-cage metallo-azafullerene. Nat Chem 2023; 15:1444-1451. [PMID: 37386284 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01261-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
The visualization of single-molecule reactions provides crucial insights into chemical processes, and the ability to do so has grown with the advances in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. There is currently a limited mechanistic understanding of chemical reactions under the electron beam. However, such reactions may enable synthetic methodologies that cannot be accessed by traditional organic chemistry methods. Here we demonstrate the synthetic use of the electron beam, by in-depth single-molecule, atomic-resolution, time-resolved transmission electron microscopy studies, in inducing the formation of a doubly holed fullerene-porphyrin cage structure from a well-defined benzoporphyrin precursor deposited on graphene. Through real-time imaging, we analyse the hybrid's ability to host up to two Pb atoms, and subsequently probe the dynamics of the Pb-Pb binding motif in this exotic metallo-organic cage structure. Through simulation, we conclude that the secondary electrons, which accumulate in the periphery of the irradiated area, can also initiate chemical reactions. Consequently, designing advanced carbon nanostructures by electron-beam lithography will depend on the understanding and limitations of molecular radiation chemistry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helen Hoelzel
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuernberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sol Lee
- Center for NanoMedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Norbert Jux
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuernberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Koji Harano
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Center for Basic Research on Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Eiichi Nakamura
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Dominik Lungerich
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
- Center for NanoMedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea.
- Department of Nano Biomedical Engineering (NanoBME), Advanced Science Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Yao Y, Zhu Y, Zhu C. Geometric phase correction: A direct phase correction method to register low contrast noisy TEM images. Micron 2023; 172:103503. [PMID: 37419024 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2023.103503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
A major challenge in the emerging field of low-dose electron microscopy lies in the development of drift correction algorithms against beam-induced specimen motion and compatible with highly noisy transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. We report here a new drift correction method, namely geometric phase correlation (GPC), to correlate the specimen motion in real space by directly measuring the unwrapped geometric phase shift in the spatial frequency domain of the TEM image (especially from the intensive Bragg spots for crystalline materials) with sub-pixel precision. The GPC method outperforms cross-correlation-based methods in both accuracy of specimen motion prediction from highly noisy TEM movies and computational efficiency of drift calculation from abundant image frames, which holds great promise for diverse applications in low-dose TEM imaging of beam-sensitive materials, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Yao
- Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Yihan Zhu
- Center for Electron Microscopy, Institute for Frontier and Interdisciplinary Sciences, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry Synthesis Technology and College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Chongzhi Zhu
- Center for Electron Microscopy, Institute for Frontier and Interdisciplinary Sciences, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry Synthesis Technology and College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Zhang Y, van Schayck JP, Pedrazo-Tardajos A, Claes N, Noteborn WEM, Lu PH, Duimel H, Dunin-Borkowski RE, Bals S, Peters PJ, Ravelli RBG. Charging of Vitreous Samples in Cryogenic Electron Microscopy Mitigated by Graphene. ACS NANO 2023; 17:15836-15846. [PMID: 37531407 PMCID: PMC10448747 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c03722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Cryogenic electron microscopy can provide high-resolution reconstructions of macromolecules embedded in a thin layer of ice from which atomic models can be built de novo. However, the interaction between the ionizing electron beam and the sample results in beam-induced motion and image distortion, which limit the attainable resolutions. Sample charging is one contributing factor of beam-induced motions and image distortions, which is normally alleviated by including part of the supporting conducting film within the beam-exposed region. However, routine data collection schemes avoid strategies whereby the beam is not in contact with the supporting film, whose rationale is not fully understood. Here we characterize electrostatic charging of vitreous samples, both in imaging and in diffraction mode. We mitigate sample charging by depositing a single layer of conductive graphene on top of regular EM grids. We obtained high-resolution single-particle analysis (SPA) reconstructions at 2 Å when the electron beam only irradiates the middle of the hole on graphene-coated grids, using data collection schemes that previously failed to produce sub 3 Å reconstructions without the graphene layer. We also observe that the SPA data obtained with the graphene-coated grids exhibit a higher b factor and reduced particle movement compared to data obtained without the graphene layer. This mitigation of charging could have broad implications for various EM techniques, including SPA and cryotomography, and for the study of radiation damage and the development of future sample carriers. Furthermore, it may facilitate the exploration of more dose-efficient, scanning transmission EM based SPA techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- Maastricht
MultiModal Molecular Imaging Institute (M4i), Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - J. Paul van Schayck
- Maastricht
MultiModal Molecular Imaging Institute (M4i), Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Adrián Pedrazo-Tardajos
- Electron
Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Antwerp 2020, Belgium
- NANOlab
Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Claes
- Electron
Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Antwerp 2020, Belgium
- NANOlab
Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Willem E. M. Noteborn
- Netherlands
Centre for Electron Nanoscopy (NeCEN), Leiden
University, 2300 RS Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peng-Han Lu
- Ernst
Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons and Peter
Grünberg Institute, Forschungszentrum
Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Hans Duimel
- Maastricht
MultiModal Molecular Imaging Institute (M4i), Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski
- Ernst
Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons and Peter
Grünberg Institute, Forschungszentrum
Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Sara Bals
- Electron
Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Antwerp 2020, Belgium
- NANOlab
Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Peter J. Peters
- Maastricht
MultiModal Molecular Imaging Institute (M4i), Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Raimond B. G. Ravelli
- Maastricht
MultiModal Molecular Imaging Institute (M4i), Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Mangan GL, Moldovan G, Stewart A. InFluence: An Open-Source Python Package to Model Images Captured with Direct Electron Detectors. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1380-1401. [PMID: 37488831 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The high detection efficiencies of direct electron detectors facilitate the routine collection of low fluence electron micrographs and diffraction patterns. Low dose and low fluence electron microscopy experiments are the only practical way to acquire useful data from beam sensitive pharmaceutical and biological materials. Appropriate modeling of low fluence images acquired using direct electron detectors is, therefore, paramount for quantitative analysis of the experimental images. We have developed a new open-source Python package to accurately model any single layer direct electron detector for low and high fluence imaging conditions, including a means to validate against experimental data through computation of modulation transfer function and detective quantum efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gearóid Liam Mangan
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Grigore Moldovan
- Point Electronic Gmbh, Erich-Neuss-Weg 15, Halle (Saale) D-06120, Germany
| | - Andrew Stewart
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Mullarkey T, Geever M, Peters JJP, Griffiths I, Nellist PD, Jones L. How Fast is Your Detector? The Effect of Temporal Response on Image Quality. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1402-1408. [PMID: 37488817 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
With increasing interest in high-speed imaging, there should be an increased interest in the response times of our scanning transmission electron microscope detectors. Previous works have highlighted and contrasted the performance of various detectors for quantitative compositional or structural studies, but here, we shift the focus to detector temporal response, and the effect this has on captured images. The rise and decay times of eight detectors' single-electron response are reported, as well as measurements of their flatness, roundness, smoothness, and ellipticity. We develop and apply a methodology for incorporating the temporal detector response into simulations, showing that a loss of resolution is apparent in both the images and their Fourier transforms. We conclude that the solid-state detector outperforms the photomultiplier tube-based detectors in all areas bar a slightly less elliptical central hole and is likely the best detector to use for the majority of applications. However, using the tools introduced here, we encourage users to effectively evaluate which detector is most suitable for their experimental needs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiarnan Mullarkey
- School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
- Centre for Doctoral Training in the Advanced Characterisation of Materials, AMBER Centre, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Matthew Geever
- School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Jonathan J P Peters
- School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Ian Griffiths
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH, UK
| | - Peter D Nellist
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH, UK
| | - Lewys Jones
- School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
- Advanced Microscopy Laboratory, Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN), Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Peters JJP, Mullarkey T, Gott JA, Nelson E, Jones L. Interlacing in Atomic Resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1373-1379. [PMID: 37488815 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Fast frame rates are desirable in scanning transmission electron microscopy for a number of reasons: controlling electron beam dose, capturing in situ events, or reducing the appearance of scan distortions. While several strategies exist for increasing frame rates, many impact image quality or require investment in advanced scan hardware. Here, we present an interlaced imaging approach to achieve minimal loss of image quality with faster frame rates that can be implemented on many existing scan controllers. We further demonstrate that our interlacing approach provides the best possible strain precision for a given electron dose compared with other contemporary approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J P Peters
- Advanced Microscopy Laboratory, Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN), Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 DA31, Ireland
- School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 E8C0, Ireland
| | - Tiarnan Mullarkey
- Advanced Microscopy Laboratory, Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN), Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 DA31, Ireland
- School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 E8C0, Ireland
- Centre for Doctoral Training in the Advanced Characterisation of Materials, AMBER Centre, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 W9K7, Ireland
| | - James A Gott
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- Advanced Materials Manufacturing Centre (AMMC), Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Elizabeth Nelson
- School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 E8C0, Ireland
| | - Lewys Jones
- Advanced Microscopy Laboratory, Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN), Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 DA31, Ireland
- School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 E8C0, Ireland
- Centre for Doctoral Training in the Advanced Characterisation of Materials, AMBER Centre, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 W9K7, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Dumaresq N, Brodusch N, Trudeau M, Gauvin R. Low Voltage (10 to 30 keV) CRYO-STEM-EELS: Another Step Toward a Damage-free Mapping of Li in Beam Sensitive Materials. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1720-1721. [PMID: 37613921 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad067.889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
|
31
|
Banerjee P, Kollmannsberger KL, Fischer RA, Jinschek JR. On the Electron Dose-rate Dependency of Radiation Effects and Total Dose Criteria in ZIF-8 Metal-organic-framework (MOF). MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1253-1254. [PMID: 37613419 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad067.642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Pritam Banerjee
- National Centre for Nano Fabrication and Characterisation (DTU Nanolab), Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kathrin L Kollmannsberger
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Roland A Fischer
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Joerg R Jinschek
- National Centre for Nano Fabrication and Characterisation (DTU Nanolab), Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Thron A, Spillane L, Twesten R. Dose-Fractionated EELS Through Multipass In-Situ Spectrum Imaging. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1845-1846. [PMID: 37613980 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad067.953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Thron
- Gatan Inc., Pleasanton, California, United States
| | | | - Ray Twesten
- Gatan Inc., Pleasanton, California, United States
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Qu J, Sui M, Li R. Recent advances in in-situ transmission electron microscopy techniques for heterogeneous catalysis. iScience 2023; 26:107072. [PMID: 37534164 PMCID: PMC10391733 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The process of heterogeneous catalytic reaction under working conditions has long been considered a "black box", which is mainly because of the difficulties in directly characterizing the structural changes of catalysts at the atomic level during catalytic reactions. The development of in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques offers opportunities for introducing a realistic chemical reaction environment in TEM, making it possible to uncover the mystery of catalytic reactions. In this article, we present a comprehensive overview of the application of in situ TEM techniques in heterogeneous catalysis, highlighting its utility for observing gas-solid and liquid-solid reactions during thermal catalysis, electrocatalysis, and photocatalysis. in situ TEM has a unique advantage in revealing the complex structural changes of catalysts during chemical reactions. Revealing the real-time dynamic structure during reaction processes is crucial for understanding the intricate relationship between catalyst structure and its catalytic performance. Finally, we present a perspective on the future challenges and opportunities of in situ TEM in heterogeneous catalysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiangshan Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, The Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM-2011), Dalian 116023, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Manling Sui
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microstructure and Properties of Solids, Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Rengui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, The Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM-2011), Dalian 116023, China
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Flannigan DJ, VandenBussche EJ. Pulsed-beam transmission electron microscopy and radiation damage. Micron 2023; 172:103501. [PMID: 37390662 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2023.103501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
We review the use of pulsed electron-beams in transmission electron microscopes (TEMs) for the purpose of mitigating specimen damage. We begin by placing the importance of TEMs with respect to materials characterization into proper context, and we provide a brief overview of established methods for reducing or eliminating the deleterious effects of beam-induced damage. We then introduce the concept of pulsed-beam TEM, and we briefly describe the basic methods and instrument configurations used to create so-called temporally structured electron beams. Following a brief overview of the use of high-dose-rate pulsed-electron beams in cancer radiation therapy, we review historical speculations and more recent compelling but mostly anecdotal findings of a pulsed-beam TEM damage effect. This is followed by an in-depth technical review of recent works seeking to establish cause-and-effect relationships, to conclusively uncover the presence of an effect, and to explore the practicality of the approach. These studies, in particular, provide the most compelling evidence to date that using a pulsed electron beam in the TEM is indeed a viable way to mitigate damage. Throughout, we point out current gaps in understanding, and we conclude with a brief perspective of current needs and future directions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David J Flannigan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Minnesota Institute for Ultrafast Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Elisah J VandenBussche
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Minnesota Institute for Ultrafast Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Gault B, Khanchandani H, Prithiv TS, Antonov S, Britton TB. Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction Mapping Induces Structural Damage in Atom Probe Specimens. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1026-1036. [PMID: 37749672 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Measuring local chemistry of specific crystallographic features by atom probe tomography (APT) is facilitated by using transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD) to help position them sufficiently close to the apex of the needle-shaped specimen. However, possible structural damage associated to the energetic electrons used to perform TKD is rarely considered and is hence not well-understood. Here, in two case studies, we evidence damage in APT specimens from TKD mapping. First, we analyze a solid solution, metastable β-Ti-12Mo alloy, in which the Mo is expected to be homogenously distributed. Following TKD, APT reveals a planar segregation of Mo among other elements. Second, specimens were prepared near Σ3 twin boundaries in a high manganese twinning-induced plasticity steel, and subsequently charged with deuterium gas. Beyond a similar planar segregation, voids containing a high concentration of deuterium, i.e., bubbles, are detected in the specimen on which TKD was performed. Both examples showcase damage from TKD mapping leading to artefacts in the distribution of solutes. We propose that the structural damage is created by surface species, including H and C, subjected to recoil from incoming energetic electrons during mapping, thereby getting implanted and causing cascades of structural damage in the sample.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baptiste Gault
- Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Str. 1, Düsseldorf 40237, Germany
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, Prince Consort Road, SW7 2BP London, UK
| | - Heena Khanchandani
- Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Str. 1, Düsseldorf 40237, Germany
| | - Thoudden Sukumar Prithiv
- Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Str. 1, Düsseldorf 40237, Germany
| | - Stoichko Antonov
- Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Str. 1, Düsseldorf 40237, Germany
- National Energy Technology Laboratory, 1450 Queen Ave. SW, Albany, 97321 OR, USA
| | - T Ben Britton
- Department of Materials Engineering, University of British Columbia, Frank Forward Building, Stores Road 309-6350, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Konečná A, Rotunno E, Grillo V, García de Abajo FJ, Vanacore GM. Single-Pixel Imaging in Space and Time with Optically Modulated Free Electrons. ACS PHOTONICS 2023; 10:1463-1472. [PMID: 37215321 PMCID: PMC10197172 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.3c00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Single-pixel imaging, originally developed in light optics, facilitates fast three-dimensional sample reconstruction as well as probing with light wavelengths undetectable by conventional multi-pixel detectors. However, the spatial resolution of optics-based single-pixel microscopy is limited by diffraction to hundreds of nanometers. Here, we propose an implementation of single-pixel imaging relying on attainable modifications of currently available ultrafast electron microscopes in which optically modulated electrons are used instead of photons to achieve subnanometer spatially and temporally resolved single-pixel imaging. We simulate electron beam profiles generated by interaction with the optical field produced by an externally programmable spatial light modulator and demonstrate the feasibility of the method by showing that the sample image and its temporal evolution can be reconstructed using realistic imperfect illumination patterns. Electron single-pixel imaging holds strong potential for application in low-dose probing of beam-sensitive biological and molecular samples, including rapid screening during in situ experiments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Konečná
- ICFO-Institut
de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona 08860, Spain
- Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Enzo Rotunno
- Centro
S3, Istituto di Nanoscienze-CNR, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | | | - F. Javier García de Abajo
- ICFO-Institut
de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona 08860, Spain
- ICREA-Institució
Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Giovanni Maria Vanacore
- Laboratory
of Ultrafast Microscopy for Nanoscale Dynamics (LUMiNaD), Department
of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cozzi 55, 20121 Milano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Girod R, Lazaridis T, Gasteiger HA, Tileli V. Three-dimensional nanoimaging of fuel cell catalyst layers. Nat Catal 2023; 6:383-391. [PMID: 37252670 PMCID: PMC10212762 DOI: 10.1038/s41929-023-00947-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Catalyst layers in proton exchange membrane fuel cells consist of platinum-group-metal nanocatalysts supported on carbon aggregates, forming a porous structure through which an ionomer network percolates. The local structural character of these heterogeneous assemblies is directly linked to the mass-transport resistances and subsequent cell performance losses; its three-dimensional visualization is therefore of interest. Herein we implement deep-learning-aided cryogenic transmission electron tomography for image restoration, and we quantitatively investigate the full morphology of various catalyst layers at the local-reaction-site scale. The analysis enables computation of metrics such as the ionomer morphology, coverage and homogeneity, location of platinum on the carbon supports, and platinum accessibility to the ionomer network, with the results directly compared and validated with experimental measurements. We expect that our findings and methodology for evaluating catalyst layer architectures will contribute towards linking the morphology to transport properties and overall fuel cell performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robin Girod
- Institute of Materials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Timon Lazaridis
- Chair of Technical Electrochemistry, Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
| | - Hubert A. Gasteiger
- Chair of Technical Electrochemistry, Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
| | - Vasiliki Tileli
- Institute of Materials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Kammerer JA, Feist F, Ryklin D, Sarkar A, Barner-Kowollik C, Schröder RR. Direct Visualization of Homogeneous Chemical Distribution in Functional Polyradical Microspheres. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2211074. [PMID: 36639825 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202211074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
It is demonstrated that the postfunctionalization of solid polymeric microspheres can generate fully and throughout functionalized materials, contrary to the expectation that core-shell structures are generated. The full functionalization is illustrated on the example of photochemically generated microspheres, which are subsequently transformed into polyradical systems. Given the all-organic nature of the functionalized microspheres, characterization methods with high analytical sensitivity and spatial resolution are pioneered by directly visualizing the inner chemical distribution of the postfunctionalized microspheres based on characteristic electron energy loss signals in transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Specifically, ultrasonic ultramicrotomy is combined successfully with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI) during TEM. These findings open a key avenue for analyzing all-organic low-contrast soft-matter material structures, while the specifically investigated system concomitantly holds promise as an all-radical solid-state functional material.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jochen A Kammerer
- 3DMM2O, Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1-390761711) and Cryo Electron Microscopy, BioQuant, Heidelberg University and University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Florian Feist
- 3DMM2O, Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1-390761711) and Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Daniel Ryklin
- 3DMM2O, Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1-390761711) and Cryo Electron Microscopy, BioQuant, Heidelberg University and University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Abhishek Sarkar
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- KIT-TUD Joint Research Laboratory Nanomaterials-Technische Universität Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christopher Barner-Kowollik
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
- 3DMM2O, Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1-390761711) and Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Rasmus R Schröder
- 3DMM2O, Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1-390761711) and Cryo Electron Microscopy, BioQuant, Heidelberg University and University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Identifying and imaging polymer functionality at high spatial resolution with core-loss EELS. Ultramicroscopy 2023; 246:113688. [PMID: 36701963 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2023.113688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) is a proven tool for probing materials chemistry at high spatial resolution. Core-loss EELS fine structure should allow measurement of local polymer chemistry. For organic materials, sensitivity to radiolysis is expected to limit the resolution achievable with EELS: but core-loss EELS has proven difficult at any resolution, yielding inconsistent spectra that compare unfavorably with theoretically analogous x-ray absorption spectra. Many of the previously identified shortcomings should not be limiting factors on modern equipment. This study establishes that EELS can generate identifiable carbon K-edge spectra for a range of common polymer types and chemistry, and demonstrates fine structure features matching prior x-ray absorption spectra. EELS fine structure features broaden intuitively with the instrument's energy resolution, and beam-induced features are readily differentiated by collecting spectra at a series of doses. The results are demonstrated with spectrum images of a model polymer blend, and used to estimate practical pixel sizes that can be used for mapping core-loss EELS as a function of electron dose.
Collapse
|
40
|
Robinson AW, Wells J, Nicholls D, Moshtaghpour A, Chi M, Kirkland AI, Browning ND. Towards real-time STEM simulations through targeted subsampling strategies. J Microsc 2023; 290:53-66. [PMID: 36800515 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.13177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Scanning transmission electron microscopy images can be complex to interpret on the atomic scale as the contrast is sensitive to multiple factors such as sample thickness, composition, defects and aberrations. Simulations are commonly used to validate or interpret real experimental images, but they come at a cost of either long computation times or specialist hardware such as graphics processing units. Recent works in compressive sensing for experimental STEM images have shown that it is possible to significantly reduce the amount of acquired signal and still recover the full image without significant loss of image quality, and therefore it is proposed here that similar methods can be applied to STEM simulations. In this paper, we demonstrate a method that can significantly increase the efficiency of STEM simulations through a targeted sampling strategy, along with a new approach to independently subsample each frozen phonon layer. We show the effectiveness of this method by simulating a SrTiO3 grain boundary and monolayer 2H-MoS2 containing a sulphur vacancy using the abTEM software. We also show how this method is not limited to only traditional multislice methods, but also increases the speed of the PRISM simulation method. Furthermore, we discuss the possibility for STEM simulations to seed the acquisition of real data, to potentially lead the way to self-driving (correcting) STEM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alex W Robinson
- Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Jack Wells
- Distributed Algorithms Centre for Doctoral Training, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Daniel Nicholls
- Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Amirafshar Moshtaghpour
- Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.,Correlated Imaging Group, Rosalind Franklin Institute, Didcot, UK
| | - Miaofang Chi
- Chemical Science Division, Centre for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States
| | - Angus I Kirkland
- Correlated Imaging Group, Rosalind Franklin Institute, Didcot, UK.,Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nigel D Browning
- Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.,Materials Sciences, Physical and Computational Science Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States.,Research and Development, Sivananthan Laboratories, Bolingbrook, Illinois, United States
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Persson I, Laval H, Chambon S, Bonfante G, Hirakawa K, Wantz G, Watts B, Marcus MA, Xu X, Ying L, Lakhwani G, Andersson MR, Cairney JM, Holmes NP. Sub-4 nm mapping of donor-acceptor organic semiconductor nanoparticle composition. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:6126-6142. [PMID: 36939532 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr00839h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
We report, for the first time, sub-4 nm mapping of donor : acceptor nanoparticle composition in eco-friendly colloidal dispersions for organic electronics. Low energy scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) mapping has revealed the internal morphology of organic semiconductor donor : acceptor blend nanoparticles at the sub-4 nm level. A unique element was available for utilisation as a fingerprint element to differentiate donor from acceptor material in each blend system. Si was used to map the location of donor polymer PTzBI-Si in PTzBI-Si:N2200 nanoparticles, and S (in addition to N) was used to map donor polymer TQ1 in TQ1:PC71BM nanoparticles. For select material blends, synchrotron-based scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), was demonstrated to remain as the superior chemical contrast technique for mapping organic donor : acceptor morphology, including for material combinations lacking a unique fingerprint element (e.g. PTQ10:Y6), or systems where the unique element is in a terminal functional group (unsaturated, dangling bonds) and can hence be easily damaged under the electron beam, e.g. F on PTQ10 donor polymer in the PTQ10:IDIC donor : acceptor blend. We provide both qualitative and quantitative compositional mapping of organic semiconductor nanoparticles with STEM EDX, with sub-domains resolved in nanoparticles as small as 30 nm in diameter. The sub-4 nm mapping technology reported here shows great promise for the optimisation of organic semiconductor blends for applications in organic electronics (solar cells and bioelectronics) and photocatalysis, and has further applications in organic core-shell nanomedicines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ingemar Persson
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
- Thin Film Physics, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Hugo Laval
- University of Bordeaux, IMS, CNRS, UMR 5218, Bordeaux INP, ENSCBP, F-33405 Talence, France
| | - Sylvain Chambon
- LIMMS/CNRS-IIS (IRL2820), Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8505, Japan
| | - Gwenael Bonfante
- LIMMS/CNRS-IIS (IRL2820), Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8505, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Hirakawa
- LIMMS/CNRS-IIS (IRL2820), Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8505, Japan
| | - Guillaume Wantz
- University of Bordeaux, IMS, CNRS, UMR 5218, Bordeaux INP, ENSCBP, F-33405 Talence, France
| | | | - Matthew A Marcus
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Xiaoxue Xu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Lei Ying
- Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, P. R. China
| | - Girish Lakhwani
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- The University of Sydney Nano Institute, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Mats R Andersson
- Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5042, Australia
| | - Julie M Cairney
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Natalie P Holmes
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
- The University of Sydney Nano Institute, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Mrazova K, Bacovsky J, Sedrlova Z, Slaninova E, Obruca S, Fritz I, Krzyzanek V. Urany-Less Low Voltage Transmission Electron Microscopy: A Powerful Tool for Ultrastructural Studying of Cyanobacterial Cells. Microorganisms 2023; 11:888. [PMID: 37110311 PMCID: PMC10146862 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11040888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Sample preparation protocols for conventional high voltage transmission electron microscopy (TEM) heavily rely on the usage of staining agents containing various heavy metals, most commonly uranyl acetate and lead citrate. However high toxicity, rising legal regulations, and problematic waste disposal of uranyl acetate have increased calls for the reduction or even complete replacement of this staining agent. One of the strategies for uranyless imaging is the employment of low-voltage transmission electron microscopy. To investigate the influence of different imaging and staining strategies on the final image of cyanobacterial cells, samples stained by uranyl acetate with lead citrate, as well as unstained samples, were observed using TEM and accelerating voltages of 200 kV or 25 kV. Moreover, to examine the possibilities of reducing chromatic aberration, which often causes issues when imaging using electrons of lower energies, samples were also imaged using a scanning transmission electron microscopy at 15 kV accelerating voltages. The results of this study demonstrate that low-voltage electron microscopy offers great potential for uranyless electron microscopy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Mrazova
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Kralovopolska 147, 612 64 Brno, Czech Republic;
| | - Jaromir Bacovsky
- Delong Instruments a.s., Palackeho Trida 3019/153 b, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic;
| | - Zuzana Sedrlova
- Department of Food Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 118, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (Z.S.); (E.S.); (S.O.)
| | - Eva Slaninova
- Department of Food Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 118, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (Z.S.); (E.S.); (S.O.)
| | - Stanislav Obruca
- Department of Food Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 118, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (Z.S.); (E.S.); (S.O.)
| | - Ines Fritz
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Department of Agrobiotechnology, IFA-Tulln, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Konrad-Lorenz-Strase 20, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria;
| | - Vladislav Krzyzanek
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Kralovopolska 147, 612 64 Brno, Czech Republic;
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Chatterjee D, Huang S, Gu K, Ju J, Yu J, Bock H, Yu L, Ediger MD, Voyles PM. Using 4D STEM to Probe Mesoscale Order in Molecular Glass Films Prepared by Physical Vapor Deposition. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:2009-2015. [PMID: 36799489 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c00197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Physical vapor deposition can be used to prepare highly stable organic glass systems where the molecules show orientational and translational ordering at the nanoscale. We have used low-dose four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D STEM), enabled by a fast direct electron detector, to map columnar order in glassy samples of a discotic mesogen using a 2 nm probe. Both vapor-deposited and liquid-cooled glassy films show domains of similar orientation, but their size varies from tens to hundreds of nanometers, depending on processing. Domain sizes are consistent with surface-diffusion-mediated ordering during film deposition. These results demonstrate the ability of low-dose 4D STEM to characterize a mesoscale structure in a molecular glass system which may be relevant to organic electronics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Debaditya Chatterjee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, California, 95054 United States
| | - Shuoyuan Huang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Kaichen Gu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Jianzhu Ju
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Junguang Yu
- School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, United States
| | - Harald Bock
- Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal-CNRS & Université de Bordeaux, 33600 Pessac, France
| | - Lian Yu
- School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, United States
| | - M D Ediger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Paul M Voyles
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin─Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Xing J, Zhang H, Bai L, Zhu G, Yu Q, Huang B, Liu Y, Wang W, Li S, Liu Y. Nano-Voids in Ultrafine Explosive Particles: Characterization and Effects on Thermal Stability. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:3391-3399. [PMID: 36821086 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c03320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Ultrafine explosives show high safety and reliable initiation and have been widely used in aerospace, military, and industrial systems. The outstanding performance of ultrafine explosives is largely given by the unique void defects according to the simulation results. However, the structures and effects of internal nano-voids in ultrafine explosive particles have been rarely investigated experimentally. In this work, contrast-variation small angle X-ray scattering was verified to reliably measure the structures of internal nano-voids in ultrafine explosive 2,6-diamino-3,5-dinitropyrazine-1-oxide (LLM-105) and 2,2',4,4',6,6'-hexanitro diphenylethylene (HNS). The size of nano-voids is around 10 nm, and the estimated number of nano-voids in a single particle is considerable. Moreover, the thermal stability of ultrafine LLM-105 was improved via changing the structures of nano-voids. This work provides a methodology for the study of nano-void defects in ultrafine organic particles and may pave the path to enhance the performance of ultrafine explosives via defect engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiangtao Xing
- Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, China
- College of Ordnance Engineering, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan 430033, China
| | - Haobin Zhang
- Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, China
| | - Liangfei Bai
- Key Laboratory of Neutron Physics and Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621999, China
| | - Guoxiang Zhu
- Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, China
| | - Qian Yu
- Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, China
| | - Bing Huang
- Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, China
| | - Yousong Liu
- Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, China
| | - Weili Wang
- College of Ordnance Engineering, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan 430033, China
| | - Shichun Li
- Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, China
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Agarwal A, Simonaitis J, Goyal VK, Berggren KK. Secondary electron count imaging in SEM. Ultramicroscopy 2023; 245:113662. [PMID: 36521266 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2022.113662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is a versatile technique used to image samples at the nanoscale. Conventional imaging by this technique relies on finding the average intensity of the signal generated on a detector by secondary electrons (SEs) emitted from the sample and is subject to noise due to variations in the voltage signal from the detector. This noise can result in degradation of the SEM image quality for a given imaging dose. SE count imaging, which uses the direct count of SEs detected from the sample instead of the average signal intensity, would overcome this limitation and lead to improvement in SEM image quality. In this paper, we implement an SE count imaging scheme by synchronously outcoupling the detector and beam scan signals from the microscope and using custom code to count detected SEs. We demonstrate a ∼30% increase in the image signal-to-noise-ratio due to SE counting compared to conventional imaging. The only external hardware requirement for this imaging scheme is an oscilloscope fast enough to accurately sample the detector signal for SE counting, making the scheme easily implementable on any SEM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akshay Agarwal
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States of America.
| | - John Simonaitis
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States of America
| | - Vivek K Goyal
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, United States of America
| | - Karl K Berggren
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Chaupard M, Degrouard J, Li X, Stéphan O, Kociak M, Gref R, de Frutos M. Nanoscale Multimodal Analysis of Sensitive Nanomaterials by Monochromated STEM-EELS in Low-Dose and Cryogenic Conditions. ACS NANO 2023; 17:3452-3464. [PMID: 36745677 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c09571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS) provides spatially resolved chemical information down to the atomic scale. However, studying radiation-sensitive specimens such as organic-inorganic composites remains extremely challenging. Here, we analyzed metal-organic framework nanoparticles (nanoMOFs) at low-dose (10 e-/Å2) and liquid nitrogen temperatures, similar to cryo-TEM conditions usually employed for high-resolution imaging of biological specimens. Our results demonstrate that monochromated STEM-EELS enables damage-free analysis of nanoMOFs, providing in a single experiment, signatures of intact functional groups comparable with infrared, ultraviolet, and X-ray data, with an energy resolution down to 7 meV. The signals have been mapped at the nanoscale (<10 nm) for each of these energy spectral ranges, including the chemical features observed for high energy losses (X-ray range). By controlling beam irradiation and monitoring spectral changes, our work provides insights into the possible pathways of chemical reactions occurring under electron exposure. These results demonstrate the possibilities for characterizing at the nanoscale the chemistry of sensitive systems such as organic and biological materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maeva Chaupard
- Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, CNRS, UMR 8502, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay, France
- Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d'Orsay, CNRS, UMR 8214, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay, France
| | - Jéril Degrouard
- Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, CNRS, UMR 8502, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay, France
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, CNRS, UMR 8502, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay, France
| | - Odile Stéphan
- Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, CNRS, UMR 8502, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay, France
| | - Mathieu Kociak
- Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, CNRS, UMR 8502, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay, France
| | - Ruxandra Gref
- Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d'Orsay, CNRS, UMR 8214, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay, France
| | - Marta de Frutos
- Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, CNRS, UMR 8502, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay, France
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Simon A, Zhang Z, Abetz C, Abetz V, Segal-Peretz T. Atomic layer deposition enables multi-modal three-dimensional electron microscopy of isoporous membranes. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:3219-3229. [PMID: 36722895 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr05477a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Block copolymers (BCPs) are promising materials for water purification. They enable the fabrication of integral asymmetric isoporous membranes with high permeability and good selectivity. Commonly, the characterization of such hierarchical structures is performed by conventional electron microscopy (EM) means, namely scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM, respectively). However, due to the inherent lack of contrast between BCP domains, external contrast agents are required to achieve informative, high-resolution imaging. In addition, such EM techniques are typically limited to a certain cross-section or surface morphology only. In this paper, we harness the selective growth of AlOx in the pore-forming domains of BCPs to create an internal and stable contrast difference between the blocks. This in turn allowed us to perform advanced three-dimensional characterization of the membranes with focused ion beam (FIB)-SEM and TEM tomography, providing an understanding of the 3D structure and properties such as 3D geometry of the pores, 3D tortuosity, and 3D permeability. This 3D characterization also provides better correlations between the membrane structure and its performance. Such knowledge can allow better design and fine-tuning of BCP membranes and other membranes for their applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Assaf Simon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion, Haifa-3200003, Israel.
| | - Zhenzhen Zhang
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Membrane Research, Max-Planck-Str.1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany.
| | - Clarissa Abetz
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Membrane Research, Max-Planck-Str.1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany.
| | - Volker Abetz
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Membrane Research, Max-Planck-Str.1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany.
- Universität Hamburg, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Fung KLY, Weare BL, Fay MW, Argent SP, Khlobystov AN. Reactions of polyaromatic molecules in crystals under electron beam of the transmission electron microscope. Micron 2023; 165:103395. [PMID: 36543056 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2022.103395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Reactivity of a series of related molecules under the 80 keV electron beam have been investigated and correlated with their structures and chemical composition. Hydrogenated and halogenated derivatives of hexaazatrinaphthylene, coronene, and phthalocyanine were prepared by sublimation in vacuum to form solventless crystals then deposited onto transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grids. The transformation of the molecules in the microcrystals were triggered by an 80 keV electron beam in the TEM and studied using correlated selected area electron diffraction, conventional bright field imaging, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The critical fluence (ē nm-2) required to cause a disappearance of the diffraction pattern was recorded and used as a measure of the reactivity of the molecules. The same electron flux (102 ē nm-2 s-1) was used throughout. Fully halogenated molecules were found to be the most stable and did not change significantly under our experimental conditions, followed by fully hydrogenated molecules with critical fluences of 104 ē nm-2. Surprisingly, semi-halogenated molecules that contained an equal number of hydrogen and halogen atoms were found to be the least stable, with critical fluences an order of magnitude lower at 103 ē nm-2. This is attributed to elimination of H-X (where X = F or Cl), followed by polymerisation of aryne / aryl radicals within the crystal. The critical fluence for the semi-fluorinated hexaazatrinaphthylene is the lowest as the presence of water molecules in its crystal lattice significantly decreased the stability of the organic molecules under the electron beam. Semi-halogenation reduces the beam stability of organic molecules compared to the parent hydrogenated molecule, thus providing the chemical guidance for design of electron beam stable materials. Understanding of molecular reactivity in the electron beam is necessary for advancement of molecular imaging and analysis methods by the TEM, molecular materials processing, and electron beam-driven synthesis of novel materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kayleigh L Y Fung
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin L Weare
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Michael W Fay
- Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre, Cripps South, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen P Argent
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Andrei N Khlobystov
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Xie Y, Wang J, Savitzky BH, Chen Z, Wang Y, Betzler S, Bustillo K, Persson K, Cui Y, Wang LW, Ophus C, Ercius P, Zheng H. Spatially resolved structural order in low-temperature liquid electrolyte. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadc9721. [PMID: 36638171 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adc9721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Determining the degree and the spatial extent of structural order in liquids is a grand challenge. Here, we are able to resolve the structural order in a model organic electrolyte of 1 M lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) dissolved in 1:1 (v/v) ethylene carbonate:diethylcarbonate by developing an integrated method of liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cryo-TEM operated at -30°C, four-dimensional scanning TEM, and data analysis based on deep learning. This study reveals the presence of short-range order (SRO) in the high-salt concentration domains of the liquid electrolyte from liquid phase separation at the low temperature. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest the SRO originates from the Li+-(PF6-)n (n > 2) local structural order induced by high LiPF6 salt concentration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yujun Xie
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- National Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jingyang Wang
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | - Benjamin H Savitzky
- National Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Zheng Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Yu Wang
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Sophia Betzler
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Karen Bustillo
- National Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kristin Persson
- Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Yi Cui
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lin-Wang Wang
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Colin Ophus
- National Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Peter Ercius
- National Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Haimei Zheng
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Hassanzadeh P, Atyabi F, Dinarvand R. Technical and engineering considerations for designing therapeutics and delivery systems. J Control Release 2023; 353:411-422. [PMID: 36470331 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.11.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The newly-emerged pathological conditions and increased rates of drug resistance necessitate application of the state-of-the-art technologies for accelerated discovery of the therapeutic candidates and obtaining comprehensive knowledge about their targets, action mechanisms, and interactions within the body including those between the receptors and drugs. Using the physics- and chemistry-based modern techniques for theranostic purposes, preparing smart carriers, local delivery of genes or drugs, and enhancing pharmaceutical bioavailability could be of great value against the hard-to-treat diseases and growing drug resistance. Besides the artificial intelligence- and quantum-based techniques, crystal engineering capable of designing new molecules with appropriate characteristics, improving the stability and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs, and efficient carrier development could play a crucial role in manufacturing efficient pharmaceuticals and reducing the adverse events. In this context, identifying the structures and behaviors of crystals and predicting their characteristics are of great value. Electron diffraction by accelerated analysis of the chemicals and sensitivity to charge alterations, electromechanical tools for controlled delivery of therapeutics, mechatronics via fabrication of multi-functional smart products including the organ-on-chip devices for healthcare applications, and optomechatronics by overcoming the limitations of conventional biomedical techniques could address the unmet biomedical requirements and facilitate development of more effective theranostics with improved outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Parichehr Hassanzadeh
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 13169-43551, Iran; Sasan Hospital, Tehran 14159-83391, Iran.
| | - Fatemeh Atyabi
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 13169-43551, Iran
| | - Rassoul Dinarvand
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 13169-43551, Iran
| |
Collapse
|