1
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Allard C, Alvarez L, Bantignies JL, Bendiab N, Cambré S, Campidelli S, Fagan JA, Flahaut E, Flavel B, Fossard F, Gaufrès E, Heeg S, Lauret JS, Loiseau A, Marceau JB, Martel R, Marty L, Pichler T, Voisin C, Reich S, Setaro A, Shi L, Wenseleers W. Advanced 1D heterostructures based on nanotube templates and molecules. Chem Soc Rev 2024. [PMID: 39036944 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00467h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Recent advancements in materials science have shed light on the potential of exploring hierarchical assemblies of molecules on surfaces, driven by both fundamental and applicative challenges. This field encompasses diverse areas including molecular storage, drug delivery, catalysis, and nanoscale chemical reactions. In this context, the utilization of nanotube templates (NTs) has emerged as promising platforms for achieving advanced one-dimensional (1D) molecular assemblies. NTs offer cylindrical, crystalline structures with high aspect ratios, capable of hosting molecules both externally and internally (Mol@NT). Furthermore, NTs possess a wide array of available diameters, providing tunability for tailored assembly. This review underscores recent breakthroughs in the field of Mol@NT. The first part focuses on the diverse panorama of structural properties in Mol@NT synthesized in the last decade. The advances in understanding encapsulation, adsorption, and ordering mechanisms are detailed. In a second part, the review highlights the physical interactions and photophysics properties of Mol@NT obtained by the confinement of molecules and nanotubes in the van der Waals distance regime. The last part of the review describes potential applicative fields of these 1D heterostructures, providing specific examples in photovoltaics, luminescent materials, and bio-imaging. A conclusion gathers current challenges and perspectives of the field to foster discussion in related communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laurent Alvarez
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, CNRS-Université de Montpellier, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Emmanuel Flahaut
- CIRIMAT, Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, Toulouse INP, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, cedex 9, France
| | | | - Frédéric Fossard
- Laboratoire d'Étude des Microstructures, CNRS-Onera, Chatillon, France
| | - Etienne Gaufrès
- Laboratoire Photonique, Numérique et Nanosciences, CNRS-Université de Bordeaux-IOGS, Talence, France.
| | | | - Jean-Sebastien Lauret
- LUMIN, Université Paris Saclay, ENS Paris Saclay, Centrale Supelec, CNRS, Orsay, France
| | - Annick Loiseau
- Laboratoire d'Étude des Microstructures, CNRS-Onera, Chatillon, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Marceau
- Laboratoire Photonique, Numérique et Nanosciences, CNRS-Université de Bordeaux-IOGS, Talence, France.
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Antonio Setaro
- Free University of Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, Pegaso University, Naples, Italy
| | - Lei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Functional Molecular Engineering, Nanotechnology and Research Center, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
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2
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Smith JG, Sawant KJ, Zeng Z, Eldred TB, Wu J, Greeley JP, Gao W. Disproportionation chemistry in K 2PtCl 4 visualized at atomic resolution using scanning transmission electron microscopy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadi0175. [PMID: 38335285 PMCID: PMC10857378 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi0175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The direct observation of a solid-state chemical reaction can reveal otherwise hidden mechanisms that control the reaction kinetics. However, probing the chemical bond breaking and formation at the molecular level remains challenging because of the insufficient spatial-temporal resolution and composition analysis of available characterization methods. Using atomic-resolution differential phase-contrast imaging in scanning transmission electron microscopy, we have visualized the decomposition chemistry of K2PtCl4 to identify its transient intermediate phases and their interfaces that characterize the chemical reduction process. The crystalline structure of K2PtCl4 is found to undergo a disproportionation reaction to form K2PtCl6, followed by gradual reduction to crystalline Pt metal and KCl. By directly imaging different Pt─Cl bond configurations and comparing them to models predicted via density functional theory calculations, a causal connection between the initial and final states of a chemical reaction is established, showcasing new opportunities to resolve reaction pathways through atomistic experimental visualization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob G. Smith
- Future Material Innovation Center, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Kaustubh J. Sawant
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Zhenhua Zeng
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Tim B. Eldred
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Jianbo Wu
- Future Material Innovation Center, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P. R. China
- Center of Hydrogen Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Jeffrey P. Greeley
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Wenpei Gao
- Future Material Innovation Center, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P. R. China
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3
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Fung KLY, Skowron ST, Hayter R, Mason SE, Weare BL, Besley NA, Ramasse QM, Allen CS, Khlobystov AN. Direct measurement of single-molecule dynamics and reaction kinetics in confinement using time-resolved transmission electron microscopy. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:9092-9103. [PMID: 36920796 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp05183d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
We report experimental methodologies utilising transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as an imaging tool for reaction kinetics at the single molecule level, in direct space and with spatiotemporal continuity. Using reactions of perchlorocoronene (PCC) in nanotubes of different diameters and at different temperatures, we found a period of molecular movement to precede the intermolecular addition of PCC, with a stronger dependence of the reaction rate on the nanotube diameter, controlling the local environments around molecules, than on the reaction temperature (-175, 23 or 400 °C). Once initiated, polymerisation of PCC follows zero-order reaction kinetics with the observed reaction cross section σobs of 1.13 × 10-9 nm2 (11.3 ± 0.6 barn), determined directly from time-resolved TEM image series acquired with a rate of 100 frames per second. Polymerisation was shown to proceed from a single point, with molecules reacting sequentially, as in a domino effect, due to the strict conformational requirement of the Diels-Alder cycloaddition creating the bottleneck for the reaction. The reaction mechanism was corroborated by correlating structures of reaction intermediates observed in TEM images, with molecular weights measured by using mass spectrometry (MS) when the same reaction was triggered by UV irradiation. The approaches developed in this study bring the imaging of chemical reactions at the single-molecule level closer to traditional concepts of chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayleigh L Y Fung
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
| | - Stephen T Skowron
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
| | - Ruth Hayter
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
| | - Stephen E Mason
- 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.
| | - Nicholas A Besley
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
| | - Quentin M Ramasse
- SuperSTEM Laboratory, SciTech Daresbury Campus, Keckwick Lane, Daresbury WA4 4AD, UK.,School of Chemical and Process Engineering and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Christopher S Allen
- Electron Physical Sciences Imaging Centre, Diamond Light Source Ltd., Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, UK.,Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH, UK
| | - Andrei N Khlobystov
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
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4
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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.
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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.
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5
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Boiko DA, Kashin AS, Sorokin VR, Agaev YV, Zaytsev RG, Ananikov VP. Analyzing ionic liquid systems using real-time electron microscopy and a computational framework combining deep learning and classic computer vision techniques. J Mol Liq 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2023.121407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
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6
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Cadena A, Botka B, Pekker Á, Tschannen CD, Lombardo C, Novotny L, Khlobystov AN, Kamarás K. Molecular Encapsulation from the Liquid Phase and Graphene Nanoribbon Growth in Carbon Nanotubes. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:9752-9758. [PMID: 36223098 PMCID: PMC9589896 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c02046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Growing graphene nanoribbons from small organic molecules encapsulated in carbon nanotubes can result in products with uniform width and chirality. We propose a method based on encapsulation of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene from the liquid phase and subsequent annealing. This procedure results in graphene nanoribbons several tens of nanometers long. The presence of nanoribbons was proven by Raman spectra both on macroscopic samples and on the nanoscale by tip-enhanced Raman scattering and high-resolution transmission electron microscopic images.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cadena
- Institute
for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner
Research Centre for Physics, 1525 Budapest, Hungary
- Department
of Chemical and Environmental Process Engineering, Faculty of Chemical
Technology and Biotechnology, Budapest University
of Technology and Economics, 1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bea Botka
- Institute
for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner
Research Centre for Physics, 1525 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Áron Pekker
- Institute
for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner
Research Centre for Physics, 1525 Budapest, Hungary
| | | | | | - Lukas Novotny
- Photonics
Laboratory, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andrei N. Khlobystov
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Katalin Kamarás
- Institute
for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner
Research Centre for Physics, 1525 Budapest, Hungary
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7
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Chuong TT, Ogura T, Hiyoshi N, Takahashi K, Lee S, Hiraga K, Iwase H, Yamaguchi A, Kamagata K, Mano E, Hamakawa S, Nishihara H, Kyotani T, Stucky GD, Itoh T. Giant Carbon Nano-Test Tubes as Versatile Imaging Vessels for High-Resolution and In Situ Observation of Proteins. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:26507-26516. [PMID: 35548999 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c06318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cryogenic electron microscopy is one of the fastest and most robust methods for capturing high-resolution images of proteins, but stringent sample preparation, imaging conditions, and in situ radiation damage inflicted during data acquisition directly affect the resolution and ability to capture dynamic details, thereby limiting its broader utilization and adoption for protein studies. We addressed these drawbacks by introducing synthesized giant carbon nano-test tubes (GCNTTs) as radiation-insulating materials that lessen the irradiation impact on the protein during data acquisition, physical molecular concentrators that localize the proteins within a nanoscale field of view, and vessels that create a microenvironment for solution-phase imaging. High-resolution electron microscopy images of single and aggregated hemoglobin molecules within GCNTTs in both solid and solution states were acquired. Subsequent scanning transmission electron microscopy, small-angle neutron scattering, and fluorescence studies demonstrated that the GCNTT vessel protected the hemoglobin molecules from electron irradiation-, light-, or heat-induced denaturation. To demonstrate the robustness of GCNTT as an imaging platform that could potentially augment the study of proteins, we demonstrated the robustness of the GCNTT technique to image an alternative protein, d-fructose dehydrogenase, after cyclic voltammetry experiments to review encapsulation and binding insights. Given the simplicity of the material synthesis, sample preparation, and imaging technique, GCNTT is a promising imaging companion for high-resolution, single, and dynamic protein studies under electron microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy T Chuong
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science Technology (AIST), Sendai 983-8551, Japan
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9510, United States
| | - Toshihiko Ogura
- Health and Medical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
| | - Norihito Hiyoshi
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science Technology (AIST), Sendai 983-8551, Japan
| | - Kazuma Takahashi
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Sangho Lee
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Keita Hiraga
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Hiroki Iwase
- Neutron Science and Technology Center, Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society (CROSS), Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
| | - Akira Yamaguchi
- Institute of Quantum Beam Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kamagata
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Eriko Mano
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hamakawa
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science Technology (AIST), Sendai 983-8551, Japan
| | - Hirotomo Nishihara
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
- Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Takashi Kyotani
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Galen D Stucky
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9510, United States
| | - Tetsuji Itoh
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science Technology (AIST), Sendai 983-8551, Japan
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8
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Kharel P, Janicek BE, Bae SH, Loutris AL, Carmichael PT, Huang PY. Atomic-Resolution Imaging of Small Organic Molecules on Graphene. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:3628-3635. [PMID: 35413204 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c00213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Here, we demonstrate atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging of light elements in small organic molecules on graphene. We use low-dose, room-temperature, aberration-corrected STEM to image 2D monolayer and bilayer molecular crystals, followed by advanced image processing methods to create high-quality composite images from ∼102-104 individual molecules. In metalated porphyrin and phthalocyanine derivatives, these images contain an elementally sensitive contrast with up to 1.3 Å resolution─sufficient to distinguish individual carbon and nitrogen atoms. Importantly, our methods can be applied to molecules with low masses (∼0.6 kDa) and nanocrystalline domains containing just a few hundred molecules, making it possible to study systems for which large crystals cannot easily be grown. Our approach is enabled by low-background graphene substrates, which we show increase the molecules' critical dose by 2-7×. These results indicate a new route for low-dose, atomic-resolution electron microscopy imaging to solve the structures of small organic molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priti Kharel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Blanka E Janicek
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Sang Hyun Bae
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Amanda L Loutris
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Patrick T Carmichael
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Pinshane Y Huang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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9
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Krichevsky DM, Shi L, Baturin VS, Rybkovsky DV, Wu Y, Fedotov PV, Obraztsova ED, Kapralov PO, Shilina PV, Fung K, Stoppiello CT, Belotelov VI, Khlobystov A, Chernov AI. Magnetic nanoribbons with embedded cobalt grown inside single-walled carbon nanotubes. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:1978-1989. [PMID: 35060988 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr06179h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Molecular magnetism and specifically magnetic molecules have recently gained plenty of attention as key elements for quantum technologies, information processing, and spintronics. Transition to the nanoscale and implementation of ordered structures with defined parameters is crucial for advanced applications. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) provide natural one-dimensional confinement that can be implemented for encapsulation, nanosynthesis, and polymerization of molecules into nanoribbons. Recently, the formation of atomically precise graphene nanoribbons inside SWCNTs has been reported. However, there have been only a limited amount of approaches to form ordered magnetic structures inside the nanotube channels and the creation of magnetic nanoribbons is still lacking. In this work we synthesize and reveal the properties of cobalt-phthalocyanine based nanoribbons (CoPcNRs) encapsulated in SWCNTs. Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, absorption spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations allowed us to confirm the encapsulation and to reveal the specific fingerprints of CoPcNRs. The magnetic properties were studied by transverse magnetooptical Kerr effect measurements, which indicated a strong difference in comparison with the pristine unfilled SWCNTs due to the impact of Co incorporated atoms. We anticipate that this approach of polymerization of encapsulated magnetic molecules inside SWCNTs will result in a diverse class of protected low-dimensional ordered magnetic materials for various applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis M Krichevsky
- Center for Photonics and 2D Materials, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), Dolgoprudny, 141701, Russia.
- Russian Quantum Center, 30, Bolshoy Bulvar, building 1, Skolkovo Innovative Center, Moscow region, 143026, Russian Federation
| | - Lei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Nanotechnology Research Center, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronic Materials and Wearable Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Vladimir S Baturin
- Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, 19, Kosygina street, Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 3, Nobel street, Moscow, 143026, Russian Federation
| | - Dmitry V Rybkovsky
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 3, Nobel street, Moscow, 143026, Russian Federation
| | - Yangliu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Nanotechnology Research Center, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronic Materials and Wearable Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Pavel V Fedotov
- Center for Photonics and 2D Materials, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), Dolgoprudny, 141701, Russia.
- A. M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 38, Vavilov street, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Elena D Obraztsova
- Center for Photonics and 2D Materials, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), Dolgoprudny, 141701, Russia.
- A. M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 38, Vavilov street, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Pavel O Kapralov
- Russian Quantum Center, 30, Bolshoy Bulvar, building 1, Skolkovo Innovative Center, Moscow region, 143026, Russian Federation
| | - Polina V Shilina
- Russian Quantum Center, 30, Bolshoy Bulvar, building 1, Skolkovo Innovative Center, Moscow region, 143026, Russian Federation
| | - Kayleigh Fung
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Craig T Stoppiello
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
- Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Vladimir I Belotelov
- Russian Quantum Center, 30, Bolshoy Bulvar, building 1, Skolkovo Innovative Center, Moscow region, 143026, Russian Federation
- Photonic and Quantum technologies school, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie gori, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrei Khlobystov
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Alexander I Chernov
- Center for Photonics and 2D Materials, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), Dolgoprudny, 141701, Russia.
- Russian Quantum Center, 30, Bolshoy Bulvar, building 1, Skolkovo Innovative Center, Moscow region, 143026, Russian Federation
- NTI Center for Quantum Communications, National University of Science and Technology MISiS, 4, Leninskiy pr., Moscow, 119049, Russia
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10
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Lehnert T, Kretschmer S, Bräuer F, Krasheninnikov AV, Kaiser U. Quasi-two-dimensional NaCl crystals encapsulated between graphene sheets and their decomposition under an electron beam. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:19626-19633. [PMID: 34816852 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr04792b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Quasi-two-dimensional (2D) sodium chloride (NaCl) crystals of various lateral sizes between graphene sheets were manufactured via supersaturation from a saline solution. Aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy was used for systematic in situ investigations of the crystals and their decomposition under an 80 kV electron beam. Counterintuitively, bigger clusters were found to disintegrate faster under electron irradiation, but in general no correlation between crystal sizes and electron doses at which the crystals decompose was found. As for the destruction process, an abrupt decomposition of the crystals was observed, which can be described by a logistic decay function. Density-functional theory molecular dynamics simulations provide insights into the destruction mechanism, and indicate that even without account for ionization and electron excitations, free-standing NaCl crystals must quickly disintegrate due to the ballistic displacement of atoms from their surface and edges during imaging. However, graphene sheets mitigate damage development by stopping the displaced atoms and enable the immediate recombination of defects at the surface of the crystal. At the same time, once a hole in graphene appears, the displaced atoms escape, giving rise to the quick destruction of the crystal. Our results provide quantitative data on the stability of encapsulated quasi 2D NaCl crystals under electron irradiation and allow the conclusion that only high-quality graphene is suitable for protecting ionic crystals from beam damage in electron microscopy studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor Lehnert
- Electron Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
- Institute for Quantum Optics, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Silvan Kretschmer
- Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Fredrik Bräuer
- Electron Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Arkady V Krasheninnikov
- Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01328 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11100, 00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Electron Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
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11
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Tebyani A, Baalbergen FB, Tromp RM, van der Molen SJ. Low-Energy Electron Irradiation Damage in Few-Monolayer Pentacene Films. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2021; 125:26150-26156. [PMID: 34887975 PMCID: PMC8647077 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c06749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Crystalline films of pentacene molecules, two to four monolayers in thickness, are grown via in situ sublimation on silicon substrates in the ultrahigh vacuum chamber of a low-energy electron microscope. It is observed that the diffraction pattern of the pentacene layers fades upon irradiation with low-energy electrons. The damage cross section is found to increase by more than an order of magnitude for electron energies from 0 to 10 eV and by another order of magnitude from 10 to 40 eV. Close to 0 eV, damage is virtually nil. Creation of chemically reactive atomic centers after electron attachment or impact ionization is thought to trigger chemical reactions between neighboring molecules that gradually transform the layer into a disordered carbon nanomembrane. Additionally, diminishing spectroscopic features related to the unoccupied band structure of the layers, accompanied by loss of definition in real-space images, and an increase in the background intensity of diffraction images during irradiation point to chemical changes and formation of a disordered layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Tebyani
- Huygens-Kamerlingh
Onnes Laboratorium, Leiden Institute of
Physics, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, P.O. Box 9504, NL-2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - F. B. Baalbergen
- Huygens-Kamerlingh
Onnes Laboratorium, Leiden Institute of
Physics, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, P.O. Box 9504, NL-2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - R. M. Tromp
- Huygens-Kamerlingh
Onnes Laboratorium, Leiden Institute of
Physics, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, P.O. Box 9504, NL-2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
- IBM
T. J. Watson Research Center, 1101 Kitchawan Road, P.O. Box 218, Yorktown Heights, New York, New York 10598, United States
| | - S. J. van der Molen
- Huygens-Kamerlingh
Onnes Laboratorium, Leiden Institute of
Physics, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, P.O. Box 9504, NL-2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
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12
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Fung KLY, Skowron ST, Allen CS, Khlobystov AN. Counting molecules in nano test tubes: a method for determining the activation parameters of thermally driven reactions through direct imaging. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:10628-10631. [PMID: 34580683 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc03827c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A methodology for measuring activation parameters of a thermally driven chemical reaction by direct imaging and counting reactant molecules has been developed. The method combines the use of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as a nano test tube, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as an imaging tool, and a heating protocol that decouples the effect of the electron beam from the thermal activation. Polycyclic aromatic perchlorocoronene molecules are stable within SWNTs at room temperature, allowing imaging of individual molecules before and after each heating cycle between 500-600 °C. Polymerisation reaction rates can be determined at different temperatures simply by counting the number of molecules, resulting in an enthalpy of activation of 104 kJ mol-1 and very large entropic contributions to the Gibbs free energy of activation. This experimental methodology provides a link between reactions at the single-molecule level and macroscopic chemical kinetics parameters, through filming the chemical reaction in direct space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayleigh L Y Fung
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
| | - Stephen T Skowron
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
| | - Christopher S Allen
- Electron Physical Sciences Imaging Centre, Diamond Light Source Ltd., Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, UK.,Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH, UK
| | - Andrei N Khlobystov
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
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13
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Cambré S, Liu M, Levshov D, Otsuka K, Maruyama S, Xiang R. Nanotube-Based 1D Heterostructures Coupled by van der Waals Forces. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 17:e2102585. [PMID: 34355517 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202102585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
1D van der Waals heterostructures based on carbon nanotube templates are raising a lot of excitement due to the possibility of creating new optical and electronic properties, by either confining molecules inside their hollow core or by adding layers on the outside of the nanotube. In contrast to their 2D analogs, where the number of layers, atomic type and relative orientation of the constituting layers are the main parameters defining physical properties, 1D heterostructures provide an additional degree of freedom, i.e., their specific diameter and chiral structure, for engineering their characteristics. The current state-of-the-art in synthesizing 1D heterostructures are discussed here, in particular focusing on their resulting optical properties, and details the vast parameter space that can be used to design heterostructures with custom-built properties that can be integrated into a large variety of applications. First, the effects of van der Waals coupling on the properties of the simplest and best-studied 1D heterostructure, namely a double-walled carbon nanotube, are described, and then heterostructures built from the inside and the outside are considered, which all use a nanotube as a template, and, finally, an outlook is provided for the future of this research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofie Cambré
- Nanostructured and Organic Optical and Electronic Materials, Department of Physics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp 2610, Belgium
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Dmitry Levshov
- Nanostructured and Organic Optical and Electronic Materials, Department of Physics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp 2610, Belgium
| | - Keigo Otsuka
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Shigeo Maruyama
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Rong Xiang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
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14
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Lungerich D, Hoelzel H, Harano K, Jux N, Amsharov KY, Nakamura E. A Singular Molecule-to-Molecule Transformation on Video: The Bottom-Up Synthesis of Fullerene C 60 from Truxene Derivative C 60H 30. ACS NANO 2021; 15:12804-12814. [PMID: 34018713 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c02222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Singular reaction events of small molecules and their dynamics remain a hardly understood territory in chemical sciences since spectroscopy relies on ensemble-averaged data, and microscopic scanning probe techniques show snapshots of frozen scenes. Herein, we report on continuous high-resolution transmission electron microscopic video imaging of the electron-beam-induced bottom-up synthesis of fullerene C60 through cyclodehydrogenation of tailor-made truxene derivative 1 (C60H30), which was deposited on graphene as substrate. During the reaction, C60H30 transformed in a multistep process to fullerene C60. Hereby, the precursor, metastable intermediates, and the product were identified by correlations with electron dose-corrected molecular simulations and single-molecule statistical analysis, which were substantiated with extensive density functional theory calculations. Our observations revealed that the initial cyclodehydrogenation pathway leads to thermodynamically favored intermediates through seemingly classical organic reaction mechanisms. However, dynamic interactions of the intermediates with the substrate render graphene as a non-innocent participant in the dehydrogenation process, which leads to a deviation from the classical reaction pathway. Our precise visual comprehension of the dynamic transformation implies that the outcome of electron-beam-initiated reactions can be controlled with careful molecular precursor design, which is important for the development and design of materials by electron beam lithography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Lungerich
- Center for Nanomedicine (CNM), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), IBS Hall, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
- Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering (NanoBME), Advanced Science Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Helen Hoelzel
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Organic Chemistry II, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuernberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Koji Harano
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Norbert Jux
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Organic Chemistry II, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuernberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Konstantin Yu Amsharov
- Department of Chemistry, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 2, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Eiichi Nakamura
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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15
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Boiko DA, Pentsak EO, Cherepanova VA, Gordeev EG, Ananikov VP. Deep neural network analysis of nanoparticle ordering to identify defects in layered carbon materials. Chem Sci 2021; 12:7428-7441. [PMID: 34163833 PMCID: PMC8171319 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc05696k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Smoothness/defectiveness of the carbon material surface is a key issue for many applications, spanning from electronics to reinforced materials, adsorbents and catalysis. Several surface defects cannot be observed with conventional analytic techniques, thus requiring the development of a new imaging approach. Here, we evaluate a convenient method for mapping such "hidden" defects on the surface of carbon materials using 1-5 nm metal nanoparticles as markers. A direct relationship between the presence of defects and the ordering of nanoparticles was studied experimentally and modeled using quantum chemistry calculations and Monte Carlo simulations. An automated pipeline for analyzing microscopic images is described: the degree of smoothness of experimental images was determined by a classification neural network, and then the images were searched for specific types of defects using a segmentation neural network. An informative set of features was generated from both networks: high-dimensional embeddings of image patches and statics of defect distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniil A Boiko
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Pr. 47 Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Evgeniy O Pentsak
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Pr. 47 Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Vera A Cherepanova
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Pr. 47 Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Evgeniy G Gordeev
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Pr. 47 Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Valentine P Ananikov
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences Leninsky Pr. 47 Moscow 119991 Russia
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16
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Kalinin SV, Zhang S, Valleti M, Pyles H, Baker D, De Yoreo JJ, Ziatdinov M. Disentangling Rotational Dynamics and Ordering Transitions in a System of Self-Organizing Protein Nanorods via Rotationally Invariant Latent Representations. ACS NANO 2021; 15:6471-6480. [PMID: 33861068 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c08914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The dynamics of complex ordering systems with active rotational degrees of freedom exemplified by protein self-assembly is explored using a machine learning workflow that combines deep learning-based semantic segmentation and rotationally invariant variational autoencoder-based analysis of orientation and shape evolution. The latter allows for disentanglement of the particle orientation from other degrees of freedom and compensates for lateral shifts. The disentangled representations in the latent space encode the rich spectrum of local transitions that can now be visualized and explored via continuous variables. The time dependence of ensemble averages allows insight into the time dynamics of the system and, in particular, illustrates the presence of the potential ordering transition. Finally, analysis of the latent variables along the single-particle trajectory allows tracing these parameters on a single-particle level. The proposed approach is expected to be universally applicable for the description of the imaging data in optical, scanning probe, and electron microscopy seeking to understand the dynamics of complex systems where rotations are a significant part of the process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergei V Kalinin
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Shuai Zhang
- Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Mani Valleti
- Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Harley Pyles
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - David Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - James J De Yoreo
- Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Maxim Ziatdinov
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
- Computational Sciences and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
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17
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Jordan JW, Fung KLY, Skowron ST, Allen CS, Biskupek J, Newton GN, Kaiser U, Khlobystov AN. Single-molecule imaging and kinetic analysis of intermolecular polyoxometalate reactions. Chem Sci 2021; 12:7377-7387. [PMID: 34163827 PMCID: PMC8171355 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc01874d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We induce and study reactions of polyoxometalate (POM) molecules, [PW12O40]3- (Keggin) and [P2W18O62]6- (Wells-Dawson), at the single-molecule level. Several identical carbon nanotubes aligned side by side within a bundle provided a platform for spatiotemporally resolved imaging of ca. 100 molecules encapsulated within the nanotubes by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Due to the entrapment of POM molecules their proximity to one another is effectively controlled, limiting molecular motion in two dimensions but leaving the third dimension available for intermolecular reactions between pairs of neighbouring molecules. By coupling the information gained from high resolution structural and kinetics experiments via the variation of key imaging parameters in the TEM, we shed light on the reaction mechanism. The dissociation of W-O bonds, a key initial step of POM reactions, is revealed to be reversible by the kinetic analysis, followed by an irreversible bonding of POM molecules to their nearest neighbours, leading to a continuous tungsten oxide nanowire, which subsequently transforms into amorphous tungsten-rich clusters due to progressive loss of oxygen atoms. The overall intermolecular reaction can therefore be described as a step-wise reductive polycondensation of POM molecules, via an intermediate state of an oxide nanowire. Kinetic analysis enabled by controlled variation of the electron flux in TEM revealed the reaction to be highly flux-dependent, which leads to reaction rates too fast to follow under the standard TEM imaging conditions. Although this presents a challenge for traditional structural characterisation of POM molecules, we harness this effect by controlling the conditions around the molecules and tuning the imaging parameters in TEM, which combined with theoretical modelling and image simulation, can shed light on the atomistic mechanisms of the reactions of POMs. This approach, based on the direct space and real time chemical reaction analysis by TEM, adds a new method to the arsenal of single-molecule kinetics techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack W Jordan
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Kayleigh L Y Fung
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Stephen T Skowron
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Christopher S Allen
- Electron Physical Science Imaging Center, Diamond Light Source Ltd. Didcot OX11 0DE UK
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford Oxford OX1 3HP UK
| | - Johannes Biskupek
- Electron Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Ulm University 89081 Ulm Germany
| | - Graham N Newton
- GSK Carbon Neutral Laboratories for Sustainable Chemistry, University of Nottingham Nottingham NG7 2TU UK
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Electron Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Ulm University 89081 Ulm Germany
| | - Andrei N Khlobystov
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
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18
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Neumann C, Wilhelm RA, Küllmer M, Turchanin A. Low-energy electron irradiation induced synthesis of molecular nanosheets: influence of the electron beam energy. Faraday Discuss 2021; 227:61-79. [PMID: 33295359 DOI: 10.1039/c9fd00119k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Aromatic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) can be cross-linked into molecular nanosheets - carbon nanomembranes (CNMs) -via low-energy electron irradiation. Due to their favorable mechanical stability and tunable functional properties, they possess a high potential for various applications including nanosensors and separation membranes for osmosis or energy conversion devices. Despite this potential, the mechanistic details of the electron irradiation induced cross-linking process still need to be understood in more detail. Here, we studied the cross-linking of 4'-nitro-1,1'-biphenyl-4-thiol SAM on gold. The SAM samples were irradiated with different electron energies ranging from 2.5 to 100 eV in ultra-high vacuum and subsequently analysed by complementary techniques. We present results obtained via spectroscopy and microscopy characterization by high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), low-energy electron diffraction with micrometre sized electron beams (μLEED) and low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM). To demonstrate the formation of CNMs, the formed two-dimensional molecular materials were transferred onto grids and oxidized wafer and analyzed by optical, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). We found a strong energy dependence for the cross section for the cross-linking process, the rate of which decreases exponentially towards lower electron energies by about four orders of magnitude. We conduct a comparative analysis of the cross sections for the C-H bond scission via electron impact ionization and dissociative electron attachment and find that these different ionization mechanisms are responsible for the variation of the cross-linking cross section with electron energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof Neumann
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany.
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19
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Biskupek J, Skowron ST, Stoppiello CT, Rance GA, Alom S, Fung KLY, Whitby RJ, Levitt MH, Ramasse QM, Kaiser U, Besley E, Khlobystov AN. Bond Dissociation and Reactivity of HF and H 2O in a Nano Test Tube. ACS NANO 2020; 14:11178-11189. [PMID: 32816453 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c02661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Molecular motion and bond dissociation are two of the most fundamental phenomena underpinning the properties of molecular materials. We entrapped HF and H2O molecules within the fullerene C60 cage, encapsulated within a single-walled carbon nanotube (X@C60)@SWNT, where X = HF or H2O. (X@C60)@SWNT represents a class of molecular nanomaterial composed of a guest within a molecular host within a nanoscale host, enabling investigations of the interactions of isolated single di- or triatomic molecules with the electron beam. The use of the electron beam simultaneously as a stimulus of chemical reactions in molecules and as a sub-angstrom resolution imaging probe allows investigations of the molecular dynamics and reactivity in real time and at the atomic scale, which are probed directly by chromatic and spherical aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging, or indirectly by vibrational electron energy loss spectroscopy in situ during scanning transmission electron microscopy experiments. Experimental measurements indicate that the electron beam triggers homolytic dissociation of the H-F or H-O bonds, respectively, causing the expulsion of the hydrogen atoms from the fullerene cage, leaving fluorine or oxygen behind. Because of a difference in the mechanisms of penetration through the carbon lattice available for F or O atoms, atomic fluorine inside the fullerene cage appears to be more stable than the atomic oxygen under the same conditions. The use of (X@C60)@SWNT, where each molecule X is "packaged" separately from each other, in combination with the electron microscopy methods and density functional theory modeling in this work, enable bond dynamics and reactivity of individual atoms to be probed directly at the single-molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Biskupek
- Electron Microscopy of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron Microscopy, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Stephen T Skowron
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Craig T Stoppiello
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Graham A Rance
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
- Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Shamim Alom
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Kayleigh L Y Fung
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J Whitby
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Malcolm H Levitt
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Quentin M Ramasse
- SuperSTEM Laboratory, SciTech Daresbury Campus, Keckwick Lane, Daresbury, WA4 4AD, United Kingdom
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Electron Microscopy of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron Microscopy, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Elena Besley
- 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
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20
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Nabeela K, Thomas RT, Nair RV, Namboorimadathil Backer S, Mohan K, Chandran PR, Pillai S. Direct Visualization of Crystalline Domains in Carboxylated Nanocellulose Fibers. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:12136-12143. [PMID: 32548393 PMCID: PMC7271348 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c00410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Direct visualization of soft organic molecules like cellulose is extremely challenging under a high-energy electron beam. Herein, we adopt two ionization damage extenuation strategies to visualize the lattice arrangements of the β-(1→4)-d-glucan chains in carboxylated nanocellulose fibers (C-NCFs) having cellulose II crystalline phase using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Direct imaging of individual nanocellulose fibrils with high-resolution and least damage under high-energy electron beam is achieved by employing reduced graphene oxide, a conducting material with high electron transmittance and Ag+ ions, with high electron density, eliminating the use of sample-specific, toxic staining agents, or other advanced add-on techniques. Furthermore, the imaging of cellulose lattices in a C-NCF/TiO2 nanohybrid system is accomplished in the presence of Ag+ ions in a medium revealing the mode of association of C-NCFs in the system, which validates the feasibility of the presented strategy. The methods adopted here can provide further understanding of the fine structures of carboxylated nanocellulose fibrils for studying their structure-property relationship for various applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kallayi Nabeela
- Functional
Materials, Materials Science and Technology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology
(NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 019, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201 002, India
| | - Reny Thankam Thomas
- Functional
Materials, Materials Science and Technology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology
(NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 019, India
| | - Raji V. Nair
- Functional
Materials, Materials Science and Technology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology
(NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 019, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201 002, India
| | - Sumina Namboorimadathil Backer
- Functional
Materials, Materials Science and Technology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology
(NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 019, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201 002, India
| | - Kiran Mohan
- Functional
Materials, Materials Science and Technology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology
(NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 019, India
| | - Parvathy R. Chandran
- Functional
Materials, Materials Science and Technology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology
(NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 019, India
| | - Saju Pillai
- Functional
Materials, Materials Science and Technology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology
(NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 019, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201 002, India
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21
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Vats N, Wang Y, Sen S, Szilagyi S, Ochner H, Abb S, Burghard M, Sigle W, Kern K, van Aken PA, Rauschenbach S. Substrate-Selective Morphology of Cesium Iodide Clusters on Graphene. ACS NANO 2020; 14:4626-4635. [PMID: 32283013 PMCID: PMC7304923 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b10053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Formation and characterization of low-dimensional nanostructures is crucial for controlling the properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene. Here, we study the structure of low-dimensional adsorbates of cesium iodide (CsI) on free-standing graphene using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy at atomic resolution. CsI is deposited onto graphene as charged clusters by electrospray ion-beam deposition. The interaction with the electron beam forms two-dimensional CsI crystals only on bilayer graphene, while CsI clusters consisting of 4, 6, 7, and 8 ions are exclusively observed on single-layer graphene. Chemical characterization by electron energy-loss spectroscopy imaging and precise structural measurements evidence the possible influence of charge transfer on the structure formation of the CsI clusters and layers, leading to different distances of the Cs and I to the graphene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilesh Vats
- Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Yi Wang
- Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Suman Sen
- Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sven Szilagyi
- Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Hannah Ochner
- Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sabine Abb
- Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Marko Burghard
- Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Wilfried Sigle
- Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Klaus Kern
- Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Institut
de Physique de la Matière Condensée, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Peter A. van Aken
- Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Stephan Rauschenbach
- Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3TA, United Kingdom
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22
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Pitto‐Barry A, Barry NPE. Effect of Temperature on the Nucleation and Growth of Precious Metal Nanocrystals. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201912219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Pitto‐Barry
- School of Chemistry and BiosciencesUniversity of Bradford Bradford BD7 1DP UK
| | - Nicolas P. E. Barry
- School of Chemistry and BiosciencesUniversity of Bradford Bradford BD7 1DP UK
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23
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Pitto-Barry A, Barry NPE. Effect of Temperature on the Nucleation and Growth of Precious Metal Nanocrystals. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019; 58:18482-18486. [PMID: 31592560 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201912219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the effect of physical parameters (e.g., temperature) on crystallisation dynamics is of paramount importance for the synthesis of nanocrystals of well-defined sizes and geometries. However, imaging nucleation and growth is an experimental challenge owing to the resolution required and the kinetics involved. Here, by using an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope, we report the fabrication of precious metal nanocrystals from nuclei and the identification of the dynamics of their nucleation at three different temperatures (20, 50, and 100 °C). A fast, and apparently linear, acceleration of the growth rate is observed against increasing temperature (78.8, 117.7, and 176.5 pm min-1 , respectively). This work appears to be the first direct observation of the effect of temperature on the nucleation and growth of metal nanocrystals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Pitto-Barry
- School of Chemistry and Biosciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Nicolas P E Barry
- School of Chemistry and Biosciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
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24
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Kumar CNS, Konrad M, Chakravadhanula VSK, Dehm S, Wang D, Wenzel W, Krupke R, Kübel C. Nanocrystalline graphene at high temperatures: insight into nanoscale processes. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2019; 1:2485-2494. [PMID: 36132723 PMCID: PMC9419052 DOI: 10.1039/c9na00055k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
During high temperature pyrolysis of polymer thin films, nanocrystalline graphene with a high defect density, active edges and various nanostructures is formed. The catalyst-free synthesis is based on the temperature assisted transformation of a polymer precursor. The processing conditions have a strong influence on the final thin film properties. However, the precise elemental processes that govern the polymer pyrolysis at high temperatures are unknown. By means of time resolved in situ transmission electron microscopy investigations we reveal that the reactivity of defects and unsaturated edges plays an integral role in the structural dynamics. Both mobile and stationary structures with varying size, shape and dynamics have been observed. During high temperature experiments, small graphene fragments (nanoflakes) are highly unstable and tend to lose atoms or small groups of atoms, while adjacent larger domains grow by addition of atoms, indicating an Ostwald-like ripening in these 2D materials, besides the mechanism of lateral merging of nanoflakes with edges. These processes are also observed in low-dose experiments with negligible electron beam influence. Based on energy barrier calculations, we propose several inherent temperature-driven mechanisms of atom rearrangement, partially involving catalyzing unsaturated sites. Our results show that the fundamentally different high temperature behavior and stability of nanocrystalline graphene in contrast to pristine graphene is caused by its reactive nature. The detailed analysis of the observed dynamics provides a pioneering overview of the relevant processes during ncg heating.
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Affiliation(s)
- C N Shyam Kumar
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
- Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University Darmstadt 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Manuel Konrad
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
| | | | - Simone Dehm
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
| | - Di Wang
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
- Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wenzel
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
| | - Ralph Krupke
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
- Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University Darmstadt 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Christian Kübel
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
- Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University Darmstadt 64287 Darmstadt Germany
- Helmholtz Institute Ulm, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
- Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology 76021 Karlsruhe Germany
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25
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Rummeli MH, Ta HQ, Mendes RG, Gonzalez-Martinez IG, Zhao L, Gao J, Fu L, Gemming T, Bachmatiuk A, Liu Z. New Frontiers in Electron Beam-Driven Chemistry in and around Graphene. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2019; 31:e1800715. [PMID: 29888408 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201800715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2018] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Modern aberration corrected transmission electron microscopes offer the potential for electron beam sensitive materials, such as graphene, to be examined with low energy electrons to minimize, and even avoid, damage while still affording atomic resolution, and thus providing excellent characterization. Here in this review, the exploits in which the electron beam interactions, which are often considered negative, are explored to usefully drive a wealth of chemistry in and around graphene, importantly, with no other external stimuli. After introducing the technique, this review covers carbon phase reactions between amorphous carbon, graphene, fullerenes, carbon chains, and carbon nanotubes. It then explores different studies with clusters and nanoparticles, followed by coverage of single atom and molecule interactions with graphene, and finally concludes and highlights the anticipated exciting future for electron beam driving chemistry in and around graphene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark H Rummeli
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials InnovationS, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Curie-Sklodowskiej 34, Zabrze, 41-819, Poland
- IFW Dresden, P.O. Box D-01171, Dresden, Germany
| | - Huy Q Ta
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials InnovationS, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Rafael G Mendes
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials InnovationS, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- IFW Dresden, P.O. Box D-01171, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Liang Zhao
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials InnovationS, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Jing Gao
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials InnovationS, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Lei Fu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | | | - Alicja Bachmatiuk
- Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials InnovationS, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Curie-Sklodowskiej 34, Zabrze, 41-819, Poland
- IFW Dresden, P.O. Box D-01171, Dresden, Germany
| | - Zhongfan Liu
- Center for Nanochemistry, Beijing Science and Engineering Centre for Nanocarbons, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
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26
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Skowron ST, Roberts SL, Khlobystov AN, Besley E. The effects of encapsulation on damage to molecules by electron radiation. Micron 2019; 120:96-103. [PMID: 30818248 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2019.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Encapsulation of materials imaged by high resolution transmission electron microscopy presents a promising route to the reduction of sample degradation, both independently and in combination with other traditional solutions to controlling radiation damage. In bulk crystals, the main effect of encapsulation (or coating) is the elimination of diffusion routes of beam-induced radical species, enhancing recombination rates and acting to limit overall damage. Moving from bulk to low dimensional materials has significant effects on the nature of damage under the electron beam. We consider the major changes in mechanisms of damage of low dimensional materials by separating the effects of dimensional reduction from the effects of encapsulation. An effect of confinement is discussed using a model example of coronene molecules encapsulated inside single walled carbon nanotubes as determined from molecular dynamics simulations calculating the threshold energy required for hydrogen atom dissociation. The same model system is used to estimate the rate at which the nanotube can dissipate excess thermal energy above room temperature by acting as a thermal sink.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T Skowron
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Sarah L Roberts
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Andrei N Khlobystov
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Elena Besley
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
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27
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Gerkman MA, Sinha S, Warner JH, Han GGD. Direct Imaging of Photoswitching Molecular Conformations Using Individual Metal Atom Markers. ACS NANO 2019; 13:87-96. [PMID: 30521310 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b08441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Photoswitching behavior of individual organic molecules was imaged by annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM) using a highly electron beam transparent graphene support. Photoswitching azobenzene derivatives with ligands at each end containing single transition-metal atoms (Pt) were designed (Pt-complex), and the distance between the strong ADF-STEM contrast from the two Pt atoms in each Pt-complex is used to track molecular length changes. UV irradiation was used to induce photoswitching of the Pt complex on graphene, and we show that the measured Pt-Pt distances within isolated molecules decrease from ∼2.1 nm to ∼1.4 nm, indicative of a trans-to- cis isomerization. Light illumination of the Pt-complex on the graphene support also caused their diffusion out from initial clusters to the surrounding area of graphene, indicating that the light-activated mobilization overcomes the intermolecular van der Waals interactions. This approach shows how individual isolated heavy metal atoms can be included as markers into complex molecules to track their structural changes using ADF-STEM on graphene supports, providing an effective method to study a diverse range of complex organic materials at the single molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihael A Gerkman
- Department of Chemistry , Brandeis University , 415 South Street , Waltham , Massachusetts 02453 , United States
| | - Sapna Sinha
- Department of Materials , University of Oxford , 16 Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3PH , United Kingdom
| | - Jamie H Warner
- Department of Materials , University of Oxford , 16 Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3PH , United Kingdom
| | - Grace G D Han
- Department of Chemistry , Brandeis University , 415 South Street , Waltham , Massachusetts 02453 , United States
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28
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Cao K, Chamberlain TW, Biskupek J, Zoberbier T, Kaiser U, Khlobystov AN. Direct Correlation of Carbon Nanotube Nucleation and Growth with the Atomic Structure of Rhenium Nanocatalysts Stimulated and Imaged by the Electron Beam. NANO LETTERS 2018; 18:6334-6339. [PMID: 30185052 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b02657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Subnanometer Re clusters confined in a single-walled carbon nanotube are activated by the 80 keV electron beam to promote the catalytic growth of a new carbon nanotube. Transmission electron microscopy images the entire process step-by-step, with atomic resolution in real time, revealing details of the initial nucleation followed by a two-stage growth. The atomic dynamics of the Re cluster correlate strongly with the nanotube formation process, with the growth accelerating when the catalyst becomes more ordered. In addition to the nanotube growth catalyzed by Re nanoclusters, individual atoms of Re released from the nanocluster play a role in the nanotube formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kecheng Cao
- Electron Microscopy of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron Microscopy , Ulm University , Albert-Einstein-Allee 11 , Ulm 89081 , Germany
| | - Thomas W Chamberlain
- School of Chemistry , University of Nottingham , University Park , Nottingham NG7 2RD , United Kingdom
- Institute of Process Research and Development, School of Chemistry , University of Leeds , Leeds LS2 9JT , United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Biskupek
- Electron Microscopy of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron Microscopy , Ulm University , Albert-Einstein-Allee 11 , Ulm 89081 , Germany
| | - Thilo Zoberbier
- Electron Microscopy of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron Microscopy , Ulm University , Albert-Einstein-Allee 11 , Ulm 89081 , Germany
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Electron Microscopy of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron Microscopy , Ulm University , Albert-Einstein-Allee 11 , Ulm 89081 , Germany
| | - Andrei N Khlobystov
- School of Chemistry , University of Nottingham , University Park , Nottingham NG7 2RD , United Kingdom
- Nanoscale & Microscale Research Centre (nmRC) , University of Nottingham , University Park , Nottingham NG7 2RD , United Kingdom
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29
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Comparison of atomic scale dynamics for the middle and late transition metal nanocatalysts. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3382. [PMID: 30139935 PMCID: PMC6107508 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05831-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Catalysis of chemical reactions by nanosized clusters of transition metals holds the key to the provision of sustainable energy and materials. However, the atomistic behaviour of nanocatalysts still remains largely unknown due to uncertainties associated with the highly labile metal nanoclusters changing their structure during the reaction. In this study, we reveal and explore reactions of nm-sized clusters of 14 technologically important metals in carbon nano test tubes using time-series imaging by atomically-resolved transmission electron microscopy (TEM), employing the electron beam simultaneously as an imaging tool and stimulus of the reactions. Defect formation in nanotubes and growth of new structures promoted by metal nanoclusters enable the ranking of the different metals both in order of their bonding with carbon and their catalytic activity, showing significant variation across the Periodic Table of Elements. Metal nanoclusters exhibit complex dynamics shedding light on atomistic workings of nanocatalysts, with key features mirroring heterogeneous catalysis. The atomistic behaviour of nanocatalysts still remains largely unknown. Here, the authors reveal and explore reactions of nm-sized clusters of 14 technologically important metals in carbon nano test tubes using time-series imaging by atomically-resolved transmission electron microscopy.
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30
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Sandoval S, Kepić D, Pérez Del Pino Á, György E, Gómez A, Pfannmoeller M, Tendeloo GV, Ballesteros B, Tobias G. Selective Laser-Assisted Synthesis of Tubular van der Waals Heterostructures of Single-Layered PbI 2 within Carbon Nanotubes Exhibiting Carrier Photogeneration. ACS NANO 2018; 12:6648-6656. [PMID: 29975504 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b01638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The electronic and optical properties of two-dimensional layered materials allow the miniaturization of nanoelectronic and optoelectronic devices in a competitive manner. Even larger opportunities arise when two or more layers of different materials are combined. Here, we report on an ultrafast energy efficient strategy, using laser irradiation, which allows bulk synthesis of crystalline single-layered lead iodide in the cavities of carbon nanotubes by forming cylindrical van der Waals heterostructures. In contrast to the filling of van der Waals solids into carbon nanotubes by conventional thermal annealing, which favors the formation of inorganic nanowires, the present strategy is highly selective toward the growth of monolayers forming lead iodide nanotubes. The irradiated bulk material bearing the nanotubes reveals a decrease of the resistivity as well as a significant increase in the current flow upon illumination. Both effects are attributed to the presence of single-walled lead iodide nanotubes in the cavities of carbon nanotubes, which dominate the properties of the whole matrix. The present study brings in a simple, ultrafast and energy efficient strategy for the tailored synthesis of rolled-up single-layers of lead iodide (i.e., single-walled PbI2 nanotubes), which we believe could be expanded to other two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals solids. In fact, initial tests with ZnI2 already reveal the formation of single-walled ZnI2 nanotubes, thus proving the versatility of the approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Sandoval
- Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) , Campus UAB , Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona , Spain
| | - Dejan Kepić
- Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) , Campus UAB , Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona , Spain
- Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences , University of Belgrade , P.O. Box 522, 11001 Belgrade , Serbia
| | - Ángel Pérez Del Pino
- Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) , Campus UAB , Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona , Spain
| | - Enikö György
- Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) , Campus UAB , Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona , Spain
| | - Andrés Gómez
- Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) , Campus UAB , Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona , Spain
| | - Martin Pfannmoeller
- Electron Microscopy for Materials Research (EMAT) , University of Antwerp , Groenenborgerlaan 171 , 2020 Antwerp , Belgium
| | - Gustaaf Van Tendeloo
- Electron Microscopy for Materials Research (EMAT) , University of Antwerp , Groenenborgerlaan 171 , 2020 Antwerp , Belgium
| | - Belén Ballesteros
- Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) , CSIC and The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology , Campus UAB , Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona , Spain
| | - Gerard Tobias
- Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) , Campus UAB , Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona , Spain
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31
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Blanco M, Nieto-Ortega B, de Juan A, Vera-Hidalgo M, López-Moreno A, Casado S, González LR, Sawada H, González-Calbet JM, Pérez EM. Positive and negative regulation of carbon nanotube catalysts through encapsulation within macrocycles. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2671. [PMID: 29991679 PMCID: PMC6039438 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05183-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most attractive applications of carbon nanomaterials is as catalysts, due to their extreme surface-to-volume ratio. The substitution of C with heteroatoms (typically B and N as p- and n-dopants) has been explored to enhance their catalytic activity. Here we show that encapsulation within weakly doping macrocycles can be used to modify the catalytic properties of the nanotubes towards the reduction of nitroarenes, either enhancing it (n-doping) or slowing it down (p-doping). This artificial regulation strategy presents a unique combination of features found in the natural regulation of enzymes: binding of the effectors (the macrocycles) is noncovalent, yet stable thanks to the mechanical link, and their effect is remote, but not allosteric, since it does not affect the structure of the active site. By careful design of the macrocycles' structure, we expect that this strategy will contribute to overcome the major hurdles in SWNT-based catalysts: activity, aggregation, and specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías Blanco
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, c/Faraday 9, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Belén Nieto-Ortega
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, c/Faraday 9, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto de Juan
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, c/Faraday 9, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mariano Vera-Hidalgo
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, c/Faraday 9, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro López-Moreno
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, c/Faraday 9, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Santiago Casado
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, c/Faraday 9, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luisa R González
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - José M González-Calbet
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Emilio M Pérez
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, c/Faraday 9, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
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32
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Konovalov AI, Antipin IS, Burilov VA, Madzhidov TI, Kurbangalieva AR, Nemtarev AV, Solovieva SE, Stoikov II, Mamedov VA, Zakharova LY, Gavrilova EL, Sinyashin OG, Balova IA, Vasilyev AV, Zenkevich IG, Krasavin MY, Kuznetsov MA, Molchanov AP, Novikov MS, Nikolaev VA, Rodina LL, Khlebnikov AF, Beletskaya IP, Vatsadze SZ, Gromov SP, Zyk NV, Lebedev AT, Lemenovskii DA, Petrosyan VS, Nenaidenko VG, Negrebetskii VV, Baukov YI, Shmigol’ TA, Korlyukov AA, Tikhomirov AS, Shchekotikhin AE, Traven’ VF, Voskresenskii LG, Zubkov FI, Golubchikov OA, Semeikin AS, Berezin DB, Stuzhin PA, Filimonov VD, Krasnokutskaya EA, Fedorov AY, Nyuchev AV, Orlov VY, Begunov RS, Rusakov AI, Kolobov AV, Kofanov ER, Fedotova OV, Egorova AY, Charushin VN, Chupakhin ON, Klimochkin YN, Osyanin VA, Reznikov AN, Fisyuk AS, Sagitullina GP, Aksenov AV, Aksenov NA, Grachev MK, Maslennikova VI, Koroteev MP, Brel’ AK, Lisina SV, Medvedeva SM, Shikhaliev KS, Suboch GA, Tovbis MS, Mironovich LM, Ivanov SM, Kurbatov SV, Kletskii ME, Burov ON, Kobrakov KI, Kuznetsov DN. Modern Trends of Organic Chemistry in Russian Universities. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s107042801802001x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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33
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Chamorro R, de Juan-Fernández L, Nieto-Ortega B, Mayoral MJ, Casado S, Ruiz-González L, Pérez EM, González-Rodríguez D. Reversible dispersion and release of carbon nanotubes via cooperative clamping interactions with hydrogen-bonded nanorings. Chem Sci 2018; 9:4176-4184. [PMID: 29780548 PMCID: PMC5941269 DOI: 10.1039/c8sc00843d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to their outstanding electronic and mechanical properties, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are promising nanomaterials for the future generation of optoelectronic devices and composites. However, their scarce solubility limits their application in many technologies that demand solution-processing of high-purity SWCNT samples. Although some non-covalent functionalization approaches have demonstrated their utility in extracting SWCNTs into different media, many of them produce short-lived dispersions or ultimately suffer from contamination by the dispersing agent. Here, we introduce an unprecedented strategy that relies on a cooperative clamping process. When mixing (6,5)SWCNTs with a dinucleoside monomer that is able to self-assemble in nanorings via Watson-Crick base-pairing, a synergistic relationship is established. On one hand, the H-bonded rings are able to associate intimately with SWCNTs by embracing the tube sidewalls, which allows for an efficient SWCNT debundling and for the production of long-lasting SWCNT dispersions of high optical quality along a broad concentration range. On the other, nanoring stability is enhanced in the presence of SWCNTs, which are suitable guests for the ring cavity and contribute to the establishment of multiple cooperative noncovalent interactions. The inhibition of these reversible interactions, by just adding, for instance, a competing solvent for hydrogen-bonding, proved to be a simple and effective method to recover the pristine nanomaterial with no trace of the dispersing agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Chamorro
- Organic Chemistry Department , Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , 28049 Madrid , Spain .
| | | | - Belén Nieto-Ortega
- IMDEA Nanociencia , c/Faraday 9, Campus de Cantoblanco , 28049 , Madrid , Spain .
| | - Maria J Mayoral
- Organic Chemistry Department , Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , 28049 Madrid , Spain .
| | - Santiago Casado
- IMDEA Nanociencia , c/Faraday 9, Campus de Cantoblanco , 28049 , Madrid , Spain .
| | - Luisa Ruiz-González
- Inorganic Chemistry Department , Universidad Complutense de Madrid , 28040 , Madrid , Spain
| | - Emilio M Pérez
- IMDEA Nanociencia , c/Faraday 9, Campus de Cantoblanco , 28049 , Madrid , Spain .
| | - David González-Rodríguez
- Organic Chemistry Department , Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , 28049 Madrid , Spain .
- Institute for Advanced Research in Chemical Sciences (IAdChem) , Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , 28049 Madrid , Spain
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34
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Jones L, Lin L, Chamberlain TW. Oxygen, sulfur and selenium terminated single-walled heterocyclic carbon nanobelts (SWHNBs) as potential 3D organic semiconductors. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:7639-7648. [PMID: 29645046 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr01216d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Carbon nanomaterials such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), graphene, fullerenes and nanotubes are on the frontline of materials research due to their excellent physical properties, which in recent years, have started to compete with conventional inorganic materials in charge transfer based applications. Recently, a variety of new structures such as single-walled carbon nanobelts (SWCNBs) have been conceived, however, to date only one 'all-phenyl' example has been synthesised, due to problems with their stability and the challenging synthetic methodologies required. This study introduces a new class of phenacene-based SWCNBs and their chalcogenide derivatives, forming the new sub-class of single-walled heterocyclic carbon nanobelts (SWHNBs) which are expected to be both more stable and easier to synthesise than the all carbon analogues. Subsequent theoretical examination of the structure-property relationships found that unlike the small-molecule acene homologues (tetracene, pentacene etc.) which become more reactive with addition of oxygen, an increase in the molecular size of the SWCNBs actually stabilises the HOMO energy level, in correlation with the increasingly negative nuclear independent chemical shift (NICS) calculations of their cylindrical aromaticities. The FMO energies of the phenacene SWCNBs are similar to that of the nanobelt reported by Itami and co-workers, but those of the SWHNBs are deeper and thus more stable. The sulfur derivative of one SWHNB was found to give hole-charge transfer mobilities as high as 1.12 cm2 V-1 s-1, which is three orders of magnitude larger than the corresponding unsubstituted SWCNB (3 × 10-3 cm2 V-1 s-1). These findings suggest the candidates are air-stable and potentially high-performing organic semiconductors for organic thin film transistor (OTFT) devices, while the structure-property relationships uncovered here will aid the design and synthesis of future three-dimensional organic nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Jones
- Centre for Industrial Collaboration, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
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Schattschneider P, Löffler S. Entanglement and decoherence in electron microscopy. Ultramicroscopy 2018; 190:39-44. [PMID: 29684905 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Interaction of the probe with the specimen in an electron microscope inevitably leads to entanglement between the probe and the scatterer. In spite of the importance of entanglement in many areas of modern physics, this subject has not been touched in the literature. Here, we develop some ideas about entanglement in electron microscopy for a number of scattering mechanisms. The relationship between entropy, density matrices, and coherence is discussed. In addition, we explore the questions "Why is Bragg scattering coherent and energy loss incoherent?" and "When does decoherence play a role?" It seems to be possible to measure decoherence on extremely short timescales of ∼10-8s. This is especially important in view of recent developments in ultrafast electron microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Schattschneider
- Institute of Solid State Physics, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstraße 8-10/E138, Wien 1040, Austria; University Service Centre for Transmission Electron Microscopy, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstraße 8-10/E057-02, Wien 1040, Austria.
| | - S Löffler
- University Service Centre for Transmission Electron Microscopy, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstraße 8-10/E057-02, Wien 1040, Austria
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Chernov AI, Fedotov PV, Lim HE, Miyata Y, Liu Z, Sato K, Suenaga K, Shinohara H, Obraztsova ED. Band gap modification and photoluminescence enhancement of graphene nanoribbon filled single-walled carbon nanotubes. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:2936-2943. [PMID: 29369315 DOI: 10.1039/c7nr07054c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Molecule encapsulation inside the single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) core has been demonstrated to be a successful route for the modification of nanotube properties. SWCNT diameter-dependent filling results in band gap modification together with the enhancement of photoluminescence quantum yield. However, the interaction between the inner structure and the outer shell is complex. It depends on the orientation of the molecules inside, the geometry of the host nanotube and on several other mechanisms determining the resulting properties of the hybrid nanosystem. In this work we study the influence of encapsulated graphene nanoribbons on the optical properties of the host single-walled carbon nanotubes. The interplay of strain and dielectric screening caused by the internal environment of the nanotube affects its band gap. The photoluminescence of the filled nanotubes becomes enhanced when the graphene nanoribbons are polymerized inside the SWCNTs at low temperatures. We show a gradual photoluminescence quenching together with a selective signal enhancement for exact nanotube geometries, specifically (14,6) and (13,8) species. A precise adjustment of the optical properties and an enhancement of the photoluminescence quantum yield upon filling for nanotubes with specific diameters were assigned to optimal organization of the inner structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- A I Chernov
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute RAS, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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Skowron ST, Chamberlain TW, Biskupek J, Kaiser U, Besley E, Khlobystov AN. Chemical Reactions of Molecules Promoted and Simultaneously Imaged by the Electron Beam in Transmission Electron Microscopy. Acc Chem Res 2017; 50:1797-1807. [PMID: 28696097 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.7b00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The main objective of this Account is to assess the challenges of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of molecules, based on over 15 years of our work in this field, and to outline the opportunities in studying chemical reactions under the electron beam (e-beam). During TEM imaging of an individual molecule adsorbed on an atomically thin substrate, such as graphene or a carbon nanotube, the e-beam transfers kinetic energy to atoms of the molecule, displacing them from equilibrium positions. Impact of the e-beam triggers bond dissociation and various chemical reactions which can be imaged concurrently with their activation by the e-beam and can be presented as stop-frame movies. This experimental approach, which we term ChemTEM, harnesses energy transferred from the e-beam to the molecule via direct interactions with the atomic nuclei, enabling accurate predictions of bond dissociation events and control of the type and rate of chemical reactions. Elemental composition and structure of the reactant molecules as well as the operating conditions of TEM (particularly the energy of the e-beam) determine the product formed in ChemTEM processes, while the e-beam dose rate controls the reaction rate. Because the e-beam of TEM acts simultaneously as a source of energy for the reaction and as an imaging tool monitoring the same reaction, ChemTEM reveals atomic-level chemical information, such as pathways of reactions imaged for individual molecules, step-by-step and in real time; structures of illusive reaction intermediates; and direct comparison of catalytic activity of different transition metals filmed with atomic resolution. Chemical transformations in ChemTEM often lead to previously unforeseen products, demonstrating the potential of this method to become not only an analytical tool for studying reactions, but also a powerful instrument for discovery of materials that can be synthesized on preparative scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T. Skowron
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas W. Chamberlain
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
- Institute
of Process Research and Development, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Biskupek
- Central
Facility of Electron Microscopy, Electron Microscopy Group of Materials
Science, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Central
Facility of Electron Microscopy, Electron Microscopy Group of Materials
Science, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Elena Besley
- 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
- Nanoscale & Microscale Research Centre, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
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