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Banhart F. The Formation and Transformation of Low-Dimensional Carbon Nanomaterials by Electron Irradiation. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2310462. [PMID: 38700071 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202310462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Low-dimensional materials based on graphene or graphite show a large variety of phenomena when they are subjected to irradiation with energetic electrons. Since the 1990s, electron microscopy studies, where a certain irradiation dose is unavoidable, have witnessed unexpected structural transformations of graphitic nanoparticles. It is recognized that electron irradiation is not only detrimental but also bears considerable potential in the formation of new graphitic structures. With the availability of aberration-corrected electron microscopes and the discovery of techniques to produce monolayers of graphene, detailed insight into the atomic processes occurring during electron irradiation became possible. Threshold energies for atom displacements are determined and models of different types of lattice vacancies are confirmed experimentally. However, experimental evidence for the configuration of interstitial atoms in graphite or adatoms on graphene remained indirect, and the understanding of defect dynamics still depends on theoretical concepts. This article reviews irradiation phenomena in graphene- or graphite-based nanomaterials from the scale of single atoms to tens of nanometers. Observations from the 1990s can now be explained on the basis of new results. The evolution of the understanding during three decades of research is presented, and the remaining problems are pointed out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Banhart
- Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux, UMR 7504, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, 67034, France
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2
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Park J, Lee S, Jafter OF, Cheon J, Lungerich D. Electron beam-induced demetallation of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pd, and Pt metalloporphyrins: insights in e-beam chemistry and metal cluster formations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:8051-8061. [PMID: 38314818 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05848d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Electron beams are versatile tools for nanoscale fabrication processes, however, the underlying e-beam chemistry remains in its infancy. Through operando transmission electron microscopy investigations, we elucidate a redox-driven cargo release of individual metal atoms triggered by electron beams. The chosen organic delivery molecule, tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP), proves highly versatile, forming complexes with nearly all metals from the periodic table and being easily processed in solution. A comprehensive cinematographic analysis of the dynamics of single metal atoms confirms the nearly instantaneous ejection of complexed metal atoms under an 80 kV electron beam, underscoring the system's broad versatility. Providing mechanistic insights, we employ density functional theory to support the proposed reductive demetallation pathway facilitated by secondary electrons, contributing novel perspectives to electron beam-mediated chemical reaction mechanisms. Lastly, our findings demonstrate that all seven metals investigated form nanoclusters once ejected from TPP, highlighting the method's potential for studying and developing sustainable single-atom and nanocluster catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jongseong Park
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nano Biomedical Engineering (NanoBME), Advanced Science Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sol Lee
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Orein Francis Jafter
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nano Biomedical Engineering (NanoBME), Advanced Science Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jinwoo Cheon
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nano Biomedical Engineering (NanoBME), Advanced Science Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Dominik Lungerich
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nano Biomedical Engineering (NanoBME), Advanced Science Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Matsokin NA, Sinitsa AS, Polynskaya YG, Lebedeva IV, Knizhnik AA, Popov AM. Formation of carbon propeller-like molecules from starphenes under electron irradiation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:27027-27033. [PMID: 37789827 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp03611a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Formation of carbon propeller-like molecules (CPLMs) from starphenes on a graphene substrate under electron irradiation with about 100% yield is observed in molecular dynamics simulations using the REBO-1990EVC_CH potential and CompuTEM algorithm. A CPLM consists of three carbon atomic chains connected to the central hexagon and is formed as a result of the spontaneous breaking of bonds between zigzag atomic rows in starphene arms after hydrogen removal by electron impacts. In the absence of the substrate, the CPLM yield is slightly decreased due to sticking between forming chains, while the formation time is increased threefold. The increase of the kinetic electron energy from 45 to 80 keV has no effect on the CPLM formation. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations performed show the stability of CPLMs with respect to the formation of new bonds between carbon atoms in the chains. DFT calculations using the accurate hybrid B3LYP functional provide an insight into the electronic structure of these new molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita A Matsokin
- Kintech Lab Ltd., 3rd Khoroshevskaya Street 12, Moscow 123298, Russia.
| | - Alexander S Sinitsa
- Kintech Lab Ltd., 3rd Khoroshevskaya Street 12, Moscow 123298, Russia.
- National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | | | - Irina V Lebedeva
- Simune Atomistics, Avenida de Tolosa 76, San Sebastian 20018, Spain
| | - Andrey A Knizhnik
- Kintech Lab Ltd., 3rd Khoroshevskaya Street 12, Moscow 123298, Russia.
- National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Andrey M Popov
- Institute for Spectroscopy of Russian Academy of Sciences, Fizicheskaya Street 5, Troitsk, Moscow 108840, Russia
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4
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Sinitsa AS, Lebedeva IV, Polynskaya YG, de Oteyza DG, Ratkevich SV, Knizhnik AA, Popov AM, Poklonski NA, Lozovik YE. Transformation of a graphene nanoribbon into a hybrid 1D nanoobject with alternating double chains and polycyclic regions. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:425-441. [PMID: 33319886 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp04090h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations show that a graphene nanoribbon with alternating regions which are one and three hexagons wide can transform into a hybrid 1D nanoobject with alternating double chains and polycyclic regions under electron irradiation in HRTEM. A scheme of synthesis of such a nanoribbon using Ullmann coupling and dehydrogenation reactions is proposed. The reactive REBO-1990EVC potential is adapted for simulations of carbon-hydrogen systems and is used in combination with the CompuTEM algorithm for modeling of electron irradiation effects. The atomistic mechanism of formation of the new hybrid 1D nanoobject is found to be the following. Firstly hydrogen is removed by electron impacts. Then spontaneous breaking of bonds between carbon atoms leads to the decomposition of narrow regions of the graphene nanoribbon into double chains. Simultaneously, thermally activated growth of polycyclic regions occurs. Density functional theory calculations give barriers along the growth path of polycyclic regions consistent with this mechanism. The electronic properties of the new 1D nanoobject are shown to be strongly affected by the edge magnetism and make this nanostructure promising for nanoelectronic and spintronic applications. The synthesis of the 1D nanoobject proposed here can be considered as an example of the general three-stage strategy of production of nanoobjects and macromolecules: (1) precursors are synthesized using a traditional chemical method, (2) precursors are placed in HRTEM with the electron energy that is sufficient only to remove hydrogen atoms, and (3) as a result of hydrogen removal, the precursors become unstable or metastable and transform into new nanoobjects or macromolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander S Sinitsa
- National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
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5
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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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6
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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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7
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Chamberlain T, Biskupek J, Skowron ST, Markevich AV, Kurasch S, Reimer O, Walker KE, Rance GA, Feng X, Müllen K, Turchanin A, Lebedeva MA, Majouga AG, Nenajdenko VG, Kaiser U, Besley E, Khlobystov AN. Stop-Frame Filming and Discovery of Reactions at the Single-Molecule Level by Transmission Electron Microscopy. ACS NANO 2017; 11:2509-2520. [PMID: 28191929 PMCID: PMC5371926 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.6b08228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We report an approach, named chemTEM, to follow chemical transformations at the single-molecule level with the electron beam of a transmission electron microscope (TEM) applied as both a tunable source of energy and a sub-angstrom imaging probe. Deposited on graphene, disk-shaped perchlorocoronene molecules are precluded from intermolecular interactions. This allows monomolecular transformations to be studied at the single-molecule level in real time and reveals chlorine elimination and reactive aryne formation as a key initial stage of multistep reactions initiated by the 80 keV e-beam. Under the same conditions, perchlorocoronene confined within a nanotube cavity, where the molecules are situated in very close proximity to each other, enables imaging of intermolecular reactions, starting with the Diels-Alder cycloaddition of a generated aryne, followed by rearrangement of the angular adduct to a planar polyaromatic structure and the formation of a perchlorinated zigzag nanoribbon of graphene as the final product. ChemTEM enables the entire process of polycondensation, including the formation of metastable intermediates, to be captured in a one-shot "movie". A molecule with a similar size and shape but with a different chemical composition, octathio[8]circulene, under the same conditions undergoes another type of polycondensation via thiyl biradical generation and subsequent reaction leading to polythiophene nanoribbons with irregular edges incorporating bridging sulfur atoms. Graphene or carbon nanotubes supporting the individual molecules during chemTEM studies ensure that the elastic interactions of the molecules with the e-beam are the dominant forces that initiate and drive the reactions we image. Our ab initio DFT calculations explicitly incorporating the e-beam in the theoretical model correlate with the chemTEM observations and give a mechanism for direct control not only of the type of the reaction but also of the reaction rate. Selection of the appropriate e-beam energy and control of the dose rate in chemTEM enabled imaging of reactions on a time frame commensurate with TEM image capture rates, revealing atomistic mechanisms of previously unknown processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas
W. Chamberlain
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, 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
| | - Stephen T. Skowron
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | | | - Simon Kurasch
- Central
Facility of Electron Microscopy, Electron Microscopy Group of Materials
Science, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Oliver Reimer
- Faculty
of Physics, University of Bielefeld, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Kate E. Walker
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Graham A. Rance
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Xinliang Feng
- Center
for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfaed) and Department of Chemistry
and Food Chemistry, Technische Universitaet
Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Klaus Müllen
- Max Planck
Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Andrey Turchanin
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller
University Jena, Lessingstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Maria A. Lebedeva
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander G. Majouga
- Department
of Chemistry, Moscow M.V. Lomonosov State
University, Leninskiye Gory, Moscow 119992, Russia
| | - Valentin G. Nenajdenko
- Department
of Chemistry, Moscow M.V. Lomonosov State
University, Leninskiye Gory, Moscow 119992, Russia
| | - 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, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Andrei N. Khlobystov
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
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8
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Sinitsa AS, Chamberlain TW, Zoberbier T, Lebedeva IV, Popov AM, Knizhnik AA, McSweeney RL, Biskupek J, Kaiser U, Khlobystov AN. Formation of Nickel Clusters Wrapped in Carbon Cages: Toward New Endohedral Metallofullerene Synthesis. NANO LETTERS 2017; 17:1082-1089. [PMID: 28075593 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b04607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite the high potential of endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs) for application in biology, medicine and molecular electronics, and recent efforts in EMF synthesis, the variety of EMFs accessible by conventional synthetic methods remains limited and does not include, for example, EMFs of late transition metals. We propose a method in which EMF formation is initiated by electron irradiation in aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron spectroscopy (AC-HRTEM) of a metal cluster surrounded by amorphous carbon inside a carbon nanotube serving as a nanoreactor and apply this method for synthesis of nickel EMFs. The use of AC-HRTEM makes it possible not only to synthesize new, previously unattainable nanoobjects but also to study in situ the mechanism of structural transformations. Molecular dynamics simulations using the state-of-the-art approach for modeling the effect of electron irradiation are performed to rationalize the experimental observations and to link the observed processes with conditions of bulk EMF synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander S Sinitsa
- National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute" , Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Thomas W Chamberlain
- Institute of Process Research and Development, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds , Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Thilo Zoberbier
- Group of Electron Microscopy of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron Microscopy, Ulm University , Albert Einstein Allee 11, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Irina V Lebedeva
- Nano-Bio Spectroscopy Group and ETSF, Universidad del País Vasco, CFM CSIC-UPV/EHU , San Sebastian 20018, Spain
| | - Andrey M Popov
- Institute for Spectroscopy of Russian Academy of Sciences , Fizicheskaya Street 5, Troitsk, Moscow 108840, Russia
| | - Andrey A Knizhnik
- National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute" , Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia
- Kintech Lab Ltd. , 3rd Khoroshevskaya Street 12, Moscow 123298, Russia
| | - Robert L McSweeney
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham , University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Biskupek
- Group of Electron Microscopy of Materials Science, Central Facility for Electron Microscopy, Ulm University , Albert Einstein Allee 11, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Group of 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
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9
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Chen Y, Dong J, Qiu L, Li X, Li Q, Wang H, Liang S, Yao H, Huang H, Gao H, Kim JK, Ding F, Zhou L. A Catalytic Etching-Wetting-Dewetting Mechanism in the Formation of Hollow Graphitic Carbon Fiber. Chem 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2017.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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10
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Botos A, Biskupek J, Chamberlain TW, Rance GA, Stoppiello CT, Sloan J, Liu Z, Suenaga K, Kaiser U, Khlobystov AN. Carbon Nanotubes as Electrically Active Nanoreactors for Multi-Step Inorganic Synthesis: Sequential Transformations of Molecules to Nanoclusters and Nanoclusters to Nanoribbons. J Am Chem Soc 2016; 138:8175-83. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b03633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Akos Botos
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Biskupek
- Central
Facility of Electron Microscopy, Electron Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas W. Chamberlain
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
- Institute
of Process Research Development, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Graham A. Rance
- 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
| | - Jeremy Sloan
- Warwick
Centre for Analytical Science, Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Zheng Liu
- Nanomaterials
Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan
- Inorganic
Functional Materials Research Institute National, Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Nagoya 463-8560, Japan
| | - Kazutomo Suenaga
- Nanomaterials
Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Central
Facility of Electron Microscopy, Electron Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Andrei N. Khlobystov
- School
of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
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11
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La Torre A, Rance GA, Miners SA, Herreros Lucas C, Smith EF, Fay MW, Zoberbier T, Giménez-López MC, Kaiser U, Brown PD, Khlobystov AN. Ag-catalysed cutting of multi-walled carbon nanotubes. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2016; 27:175604. [PMID: 26987452 DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/27/17/175604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In this work, the cutting of carbon nanotubes is investigated using silver nanoparticles deposited on arc discharge multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The composite is subsequently heated in air to fabricate shortened multi-walled nanotubes. Complementary transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques shed light on the cutting mechanism. The nanotube cutting is catalysed by the fundamental mechanism based on the coordination of the silver atoms to the π-bonds of carbon nanotubes. As a result of the metal coordination, the strength of the carbon-carbon bond is reduced, promoting the oxidation of carbon at lower temperature when heated in air, or lowering the activation energy required for the removal of carbon atoms by electron beam irradiation, assuring in both cases the cutting of the nanotubes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A La Torre
- 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
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12
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Zoberbier T, Chamberlain TW, Biskupek J, Suyetin M, Majouga AG, Besley E, Kaiser U, Khlobystov AN. Investigation of the Interactions and Bonding between Carbon and Group VIII Metals at the Atomic Scale. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2016; 12:1649-57. [PMID: 26848826 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201502210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Revised: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The nature and dynamics of bonding between Fe, Ru, Os, and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) is studied by aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (AC-HRTEM). The metals catalyze a wide variety of different transformations ranging from ejection of carbon atoms from the nanotube sidewall to the formation of hollow carbon shells or metal carbide within the SWNT, depending on the nature of the metal. The electron beam of AC-HRTEM serves the dual purpose of providing energy to the specimen and simultaneously enabling imaging of chemical transformations. Careful control of the electron beam parameters, energy, flux, and dose allowed direct comparison between the metals, demonstrating that their chemical reactions with SWNTs are determined by a balance between the cohesive energy of the metal particles and the strength of the metal-carbon σ- or π-bonds. The pathways of transformations of a given metal can be drastically changed by applying different electron energies (80, 40, or 20 keV), thus demonstrating AC-HRTEM as a new tool to direct and study chemical reactions. The understanding of interactions and bonding between SWNT and metals revealed by AC-HRTEM at the atomic level has important implications for nanotube-based electronic devices and catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thilo Zoberbier
- Central Facility for Electron MicroscopyElectron Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm, D-89081, Germany
| | - Thomas W Chamberlain
- Institute of Process Research and Development, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Biskupek
- Central Facility for Electron MicroscopyElectron Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm, D-89081, Germany
| | - Mikhail Suyetin
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | | | - Elena Besley
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Ute Kaiser
- Central Facility for Electron MicroscopyElectron Microscopy Group of Materials Science, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm, D-89081, Germany
| | - Andrei N Khlobystov
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
- National University of Science & Technology MISiS, Moscow, 119049, Russia
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13
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Skowron ST, Lebedeva IV, Popov AM, Bichoutskaia E. Energetics of atomic scale structure changes in graphene. Chem Soc Rev 2015; 44:3143-76. [DOI: 10.1039/c4cs00499j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
An overview of theoretical and experimental studies concerned with energetics of atomic scale structure changes in graphene, including thermally activated and electron irradiation-induced processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irina V. Lebedeva
- Nano-Bio Spectroscopy Group and ETSF Scientific Development Centre
- Departamento de Física de Materiales
- Universidad del Pais Vasco UPV/EHU
- San Sebastian E-20018
- Spain
| | - Andrey M. Popov
- Institute for Spectroscopy of Russian Academy of Sciences
- Moscow 142190
- Russia
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