1
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Guo L, Wu S, Zhou Z, Ma Y. Structural analysis of nanocrystals by pair distribution function combining electron diffraction with crystal tilting. IUCRJ 2024; 11:202-209. [PMID: 38362918 PMCID: PMC10916296 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252524001064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
As an important characterization method, pair distribution function (PDF) has been extensively used in structural analysis of nanomaterials, providing key insights into the degree of crystallinity, atomic structure, local disorder etc. The collection of scattering signals with good statistics is necessary for a reliable structural analysis. However, current conventional electron diffraction experiments using PDF (ePDF) are limited in their ability to acquire continuous diffraction rings for large nanoparticles. Herein, a new method - tilt-ePDF - is proposed to improve the data quality and compatibility of ePDF by a combination of electron diffraction and specimen tilting. In the present work, a tilt-series of electron diffraction patterns was collected from gold nanoparticles with three different sizes and a standard sample polycrystalline aluminium film for ePDF analysis. The results show that tilt-ePDF can not only enhance the continuity of diffraction rings, but can also improve the signal-to-noise ratio in the high scattering angle range. As a result, compared with conventional ePDF data, tilt-ePDF data provide structure parameters with a better accuracy and lower residual factors in the refinement against the crystal structure. This method provides a new way of utilizing ePDF to obtain accurate local structure information from nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linshuo Guo
- School of Physical Science and Technology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of High-resolution Electron Microscopy, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shitao Wu
- School of Physical Science and Technology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of High-resolution Electron Microscopy, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhengyang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanhang Ma
- School of Physical Science and Technology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of High-resolution Electron Microscopy, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, People’s Republic of China
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2
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Kimoto K, Kikkawa J, Harano K, Cretu O, Shibazaki Y, Uesugi F. Unsupervised machine learning combined with 4D scanning transmission electron microscopy for bimodal nanostructural analysis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2901. [PMID: 38316959 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53289-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Unsupervised machine learning techniques have been combined with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) to enable comprehensive crystal structure analysis with nanometer spatial resolution. In this study, we investigated large-scale data obtained by four-dimensional (4D) STEM using dimensionality reduction techniques such as non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) and hierarchical clustering with various optimization methods. We developed software scripts incorporating knowledge of electron diffraction and STEM imaging for data preprocessing, NMF, and hierarchical clustering. Hierarchical clustering was performed using cross-correlation instead of conventional Euclidean distances, resulting in rotation-corrected diffractions and shift-corrected maps of major components. An experimental analysis was conducted on a high-pressure-annealed metallic glass, Zr-Cu-Al, revealing an amorphous matrix and crystalline precipitates with an average diameter of approximately 7 nm, which were challenging to detect using conventional STEM techniques. Combining 4D-STEM and optimized unsupervised machine learning enables comprehensive bimodal (i.e., spatial and reciprocal) analyses of material nanostructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koji Kimoto
- Center for Basic Research On Materials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan.
| | - Jun Kikkawa
- Center for Basic Research On Materials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan
| | - Koji Harano
- Center for Basic Research On Materials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan
| | - Ovidiu Cretu
- Center for Basic Research On Materials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan
| | - Yuki Shibazaki
- Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Fumihiko Uesugi
- Research Network and Facility Service Division, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
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3
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Kang S, Wang D, Kübel C, Mu X. Importance of TEM sample thickness for measuring strain fields. Ultramicroscopy 2024; 255:113844. [PMID: 37708815 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2023.113844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has emerged as a valuable tool for assessing and mapping strain fields within materials. By directly analyzing local atomic spacing variations, TEM enables the precise measurement of local strain with high spatial resolution. However, it is standard practice to use thin specimens in TEM analysis to ensure electron transparency and minimize issues such as projection artifacts and contributions from multiple scattering. This raises an important question regarding the extent of structural modification, such as strain relaxation, induced in thin samples due to the increased surface-to-volume ratio and the thinning process. In this study, we conducted a systematic investigation to quantify the influence of TEM sample thickness on the residual strain field using deformed Fe-based and Zr-based metallic glasses as model systems. The samples were gradually thinned from 300 nm to 70 nm, and the same area was examined using 4D-STEM with identical imaging settings. Our results demonstrate that thinning the sample affects the atomic configuration at both the short-range (SR) and medium-range (MR) scales. Consequently, when the sample is thinned too much, it no longer preserves the native deformation structure. These findings highlight the critical importance of maintaining sufficient TEM sample thickness for obtaining meaningful and accurate strain measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangjun Kang
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany; Joint Research Laboratory Nanomaterials, Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDa), Darmstadt 64287, Germany.
| | - Di Wang
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany; Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMFi), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany
| | - Christian Kübel
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany; Joint Research Laboratory Nanomaterials, Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDa), Darmstadt 64287, Germany; Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMFi), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany.
| | - Xiaoke Mu
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany.
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4
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Lábár JL, Hajagos-Nagy K, Das PP, Gomez-Perez A, Radnóczi G. Simple ePDF: A Pair Distribution Function Method Based on Electron Diffraction Patterns to Reveal the Local Structure of Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Materials. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:3136. [PMID: 38133033 PMCID: PMC10745427 DOI: 10.3390/nano13243136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Amorphous, glassy or disordered materials play important roles in developing structural materials from metals or ceramics, devices from semiconductors or medicines from organic compounds. Their local structure is frequently similar to crystalline ones. A computer program is presented here that runs under the Windows operating system on a PC to extract pair distribution function (PDF) from electron diffraction in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). A polynomial correction reduces small systematic deviations from the expected average Q-dependence of scattering. Neighbor distance and coordination number measurements are supplemented by either measurement or enforcement of number density. Quantification of similarity is supported by calculation of Pearson's correlation coefficient and fingerprinting. A rough estimate of fractions in a mixture is computed by multiple least-square fitting using the PDFs from components of the mixture. PDF is also simulated from crystalline structural models (in addition to measured ones) to be used in libraries for fingerprinting or fraction estimation. Crystalline structure models for simulations are obtained from CIF files or str files of ProcessDiffraction. Data from inorganic samples exemplify usage. In contrast to previous free ePDF programs, our stand-alone program does not need a special software environment, which is a novelty. The program is available from the author upon request.
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Affiliation(s)
- János L. Lábár
- Thin Film Physics Laboratory, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, HUN-REN Centre of Energy Research, Konkoly Thege M. út 29-33, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary; (K.H.-N.); (G.R.)
| | - Klára Hajagos-Nagy
- Thin Film Physics Laboratory, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, HUN-REN Centre of Energy Research, Konkoly Thege M. út 29-33, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary; (K.H.-N.); (G.R.)
| | - Partha P. Das
- NanoMEGAS SPRL, Rue Èmile Claus 49 bte 9, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; (P.P.D.); (A.G.-P.)
| | - Alejandro Gomez-Perez
- NanoMEGAS SPRL, Rue Èmile Claus 49 bte 9, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; (P.P.D.); (A.G.-P.)
| | - György Radnóczi
- Thin Film Physics Laboratory, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, HUN-REN Centre of Energy Research, Konkoly Thege M. út 29-33, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary; (K.H.-N.); (G.R.)
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5
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Kang Z, Zhang J, Guo X, Mao Y, Yang Z, Kankala RK, Zhao P, Chen AZ. Observing the Evolution of Metal Oxides in Liquids. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2304781. [PMID: 37635095 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202304781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Metal oxides with diverse compositions and structures have garnered considerable interest from researchers in various reactions, which benefits from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in determining their morphologies, phase, structural and chemical information. Recent breakthroughs have made liquid-phase TEM a promising imaging platform for tracking the dynamic structure, morphology, and composition evolution of metal oxides in solution under work conditions. Herein, this review introduces the recent advances in liquid cells, especially closed liquid cell chips. Subsequently, the recent progress including particle growth, phase transformation, self-assembly, core-shell nanostructure growth, and chemical etching are introduced. With the late technical advances in TEM and liquid cells, liquid-phase TEM is used to characterize many fundamental processes of metal oxides for CO2 reduction and water-splitting reactions. Finally, the outlook and challenges in this research field are discussed. It is believed this compilation inspires and stimulates more efforts in developing and utilizing in situ liquid-phase TEM for metal oxides at the atomic scale for different applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zewen Kang
- Institute of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Biochemical Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, P. R. China
| | - Junyu Zhang
- Instrumental Analysis Center, Laboratory and Equipment Management Department, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, P. R. China
| | - Xiaohua Guo
- Instrumental Analysis Center, Laboratory and Equipment Management Department, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, P. R. China
| | - Yangfan Mao
- Instrumental Analysis Center, Laboratory and Equipment Management Department, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, P. R. China
| | - Zhimin Yang
- Instrumental Analysis Center, Laboratory and Equipment Management Department, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, P. R. China
| | - Ranjith Kumar Kankala
- Institute of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Biochemical Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, P. R. China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Instrumental Analysis Center, Laboratory and Equipment Management Department, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, P. R. China
| | - Ai-Zheng Chen
- Institute of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Biochemical Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, P. R. China
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6
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Rohner C, Pratsch C, Schlögl R, Lunkenbein T. Structural Identification and Observation of Dose Rate-Dependent Beam-Induced Structural Changes of Micro- and Nanoplastic Particles by Pair Distribution Function Analysis in the Transmission Electron Microscope (ePDF). MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1566-1578. [PMID: 37639397 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are considered a possible threat to microorganisms in the aquatic environment. Here, we show that total scattering intensity analysis of electron diffraction (ED) data measured by transmission electron microscopy, which yields the electron pair distribution function (ePDF), is a feasible method for the characterization and identification of MNPs down to 100 nm. To demonstrate the applicability, cryo ball-milled powders of the most common polymers [i.e., polyethylene , polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyamide] and nano-sized polystyrene and silica spheres were used as model systems. The comparison of the experimentally determined reduced pair density functions (RDFs) with model RDFs derived from crystallographic data of the respective polymers allows the distinction of the different types of polymers. Furthermore, carbon-based polymers are highly beam-sensitive materials. The degradation of the samples under the electron beam was analyzed by conducting time-resolved ED measurements. Changes in the material can be visualized by the RDF analysis of the time-series of ED patterns, and information about the materials in question can be gained by this beam damage analysis. Prospectively, ePDF analytics will help to understand and study more precisely the input of MNPs into the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Rohner
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Pratsch
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmBH, Department X-Ray Microscopy, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Schlögl
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Heterogeneous Reactions, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Stiftstraße 34-36, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Thomas Lunkenbein
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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7
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Alanazi F, Eggeman AS, Stavrou K, Danos A, Monkman AP, Mendis BG. Quantifying Molecular Disorder in Tri-Isopropyl Silane (TIPS) Pentacene Using Variable Coherence Transmission Electron Microscopy. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:8183-8190. [PMID: 37671926 PMCID: PMC10510430 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c01344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Structural disorder in molecular crystals is a fundamental limitation for achieving high charge carrier mobilities. Quantifying and uncovering the mechanistic origins of disorder are, however, extremely challenging. Here we use variable coherence transmission electron microscopy to analyze disorder in tri-isopropyl silane pentacene films, utilizing diffuse scattering that is present both as linear streaks and as a slowly varying, isotropic background. The former is due to thermal vibration of the pentacene molecules along their long axis, while the latter is due to static defects kinetically frozen during film deposition. The thermal vibrational amplitude is ∼0.4 Å, while the static displacement parameter in our simplified analysis is much larger (1.0 Å), because it represents the cumulative scattering of all defect configurations that are frozen in the film. Thin film fabrication therefore has an important effect on crystallinity; our technique can be readily used to compare samples prepared under different conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Alanazi
- Department
of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
| | - A. S. Eggeman
- Department
of Materials, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K.
| | - K. Stavrou
- Department
of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
| | - A. Danos
- Department
of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
| | - A. P. Monkman
- Department
of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
| | - B. G. Mendis
- Department
of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
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8
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Balken E, Ben-Nun I, Fellig A, Khaykelson D, Raviv U. Upgrade of D+ software for hierarchical modeling of X-ray scattering data from complex structures in solution, fibers and single orientations. J Appl Crystallogr 2023; 56:1295-1303. [PMID: 37555208 PMCID: PMC10405579 DOI: 10.1107/s1600576723005319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
This article presents an upgrade of the D+ software [Ginsburg et al. (2019 ▸). J. Appl. Cryst. 52, 219-242], expanding its hierarchical solution X-ray scattering modeling capabilities for fiber diffraction and single crystallographic orientations. This upgrade was carried out using the reciprocal grid algorithm [Ginsburg et al. (2016 ▸). J. Chem. Inf. Model. 56, 1518-1527], providing D+ its computational strength. Furthermore, the extensive modifications made to the Python API of D+ are described, broadening the X-ray analysis performed with D+ to account for the effects of the instrument-resolution function and polydispersity. In addition, structure-factor and radial-distribution-function modules were added, taking into account the effects of thermal fluctuations and intermolecular interactions. Finally, numerical examples demonstrate the usage and potential of the added features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eytan Balken
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Itai Ben-Nun
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amos Fellig
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Daniel Khaykelson
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Uri Raviv
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
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9
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Kovyakh A, Banerjee S, Liu CH, Wright CJ, Li YC, Mallouk TE, Feidenhans’l R, Billinge SJL. Towards scanning nanostructure X-ray microscopy. J Appl Crystallogr 2023; 56:1221-1228. [PMID: 37555210 PMCID: PMC10405596 DOI: 10.1107/s1600576723005927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
This article demonstrates spatial mapping of the local and nanoscale structure of thin film objects using spatially resolved pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of synchrotron X-ray diffraction data. This is exemplified in a lab-on-chip combinatorial array of sample spots containing catalytically interesting nanoparticles deposited from liquid precursors using an ink-jet liquid-handling system. A software implementation is presented of the whole protocol, including an approach for automated data acquisition and analysis using the atomic PDF method. The protocol software can handle semi-automated data reduction, normalization and modeling, with user-defined recipes generating a comprehensive collection of metadata and analysis results. By slicing the collection using included functions, it is possible to build images of different contrast features chosen by the user, giving insights into different aspects of the local structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Kovyakh
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Soham Banerjee
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Chia-Hao Liu
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Christopher J. Wright
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Yuguang C. Li
- Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, NY 14260, USA
| | - Thomas E. Mallouk
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robert Feidenhans’l
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
- European XFEL, D-22869 Schenefeld, Germany
| | - Simon J. L. Billinge
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
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10
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Kang S, Wang D, Caron A, Minnert C, Durst K, Kübel C, Mu X. Direct Observation of Quadrupolar Strain Fields forming a Shear Band in Metallic Glasses. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023:e2212086. [PMID: 37029715 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202212086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
For decades, scanning/transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM) techniques have been employed to analyze shear bands in metallic glasses and understand their formation in order to improve the mechanical properties of metallic glasses. However, due to a lack of direct information in reciprocal space, conventional S/TEM cannot characterize the local strain and atomic structure of amorphous materials, which are key to describe the deformation of glasses. For this work, 4-dimensional-STEM (4D-STEM) is applied to map and directly correlate the local strain and the atomic structure at the nanometer scale in deformed metallic glasses. Residual strain fields are observed with quadrupolar symmetry concentrated at dilated Eshelby inclusions. The strain fields percolate in a vortex-like manner building up the shear band. This provides a new understanding of the formation of shear bands in metallic glass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangjun Kang
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Joint Research Laboratory Nanomaterials, Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDa), 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
- Advanced Analysis Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Di Wang
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMFi), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Arnaud Caron
- Korea University of Technology and Education (Koreatech), Cheonan, 330708, Republic of Korea
| | - Christian Minnert
- Physical Metallurgy, Department of Materials Science, Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDa), 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Karsten Durst
- Physical Metallurgy, Department of Materials Science, Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDa), 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christian Kübel
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Joint Research Laboratory Nanomaterials, Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDa), 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
- Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMFi), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Xiaoke Mu
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
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11
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Kammerer JA, Feist F, Ryklin D, Sarkar A, Barner-Kowollik C, Schröder RR. Direct Visualization of Homogeneous Chemical Distribution in Functional Polyradical Microspheres. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2211074. [PMID: 36639825 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202211074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
It is demonstrated that the postfunctionalization of solid polymeric microspheres can generate fully and throughout functionalized materials, contrary to the expectation that core-shell structures are generated. The full functionalization is illustrated on the example of photochemically generated microspheres, which are subsequently transformed into polyradical systems. Given the all-organic nature of the functionalized microspheres, characterization methods with high analytical sensitivity and spatial resolution are pioneered by directly visualizing the inner chemical distribution of the postfunctionalized microspheres based on characteristic electron energy loss signals in transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Specifically, ultrasonic ultramicrotomy is combined successfully with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI) during TEM. These findings open a key avenue for analyzing all-organic low-contrast soft-matter material structures, while the specifically investigated system concomitantly holds promise as an all-radical solid-state functional material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen A Kammerer
- 3DMM2O, Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1-390761711) and Cryo Electron Microscopy, BioQuant, Heidelberg University and University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Florian Feist
- 3DMM2O, Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1-390761711) and Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Daniel Ryklin
- 3DMM2O, Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1-390761711) and Cryo Electron Microscopy, BioQuant, Heidelberg University and University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Abhishek Sarkar
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- KIT-TUD Joint Research Laboratory Nanomaterials-Technische Universität Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christopher Barner-Kowollik
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
- 3DMM2O, Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1-390761711) and Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Rasmus R Schröder
- 3DMM2O, Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1-390761711) and Cryo Electron Microscopy, BioQuant, Heidelberg University and University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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12
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Laulainen JEM, Johnstone DN, Bogachev I, Longley L, Calahoo C, Wondraczek L, Keen DA, Bennett TD, Collins SM, Midgley PA. Mapping short-range order at the nanoscale in metal-organic framework and inorganic glass composites. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:16524-16535. [PMID: 36285652 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr03791b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Characterization of nanoscale changes in the atomic structure of amorphous materials is a profound challenge. Established X-ray and neutron total scattering methods typically provide sufficient signal quality only over macroscopic volumes. Pair distribution function analysis using electron scattering (ePDF) in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) has emerged as a method of probing nanovolumes of these materials, but inorganic glasses as well as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and many other materials containing organic components are characteristically prone to irreversible changes after limited electron beam exposures. This beam sensitivity requires 'low-dose' data acquisition to probe inorganic glasses, amorphous and glassy MOFs, and MOF composites. Here, we use STEM-ePDF applied at low electron fluences (10 e- Å-2) combined with unsupervised machine learning methods to map changes in the short-range order with ca. 5 nm spatial resolution in a composite material consisting of a zeolitic imidazolate framework glass agZIF-62 and a 0.67([Na2O]0.9[P2O5])-0.33([AlO3/2][AlF3]1.5) inorganic glass. STEM-ePDF enables separation of MOF and inorganic glass domains from atomic structure differences alone, showing abrupt changes in atomic structure at interfaces with interatomic correlation distances seen in X-ray PDF preserved at the nanoscale. These findings underline that the average bulk amorphous structure is retained at the nanoscale in the growing family of MOF glasses and composites, a previously untested assumption in PDF analyses crucial for future non-crystalline nanostructure engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joonatan E M Laulainen
- Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, UK.
| | - Duncan N Johnstone
- Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, UK.
| | - Ivan Bogachev
- Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, UK.
| | - Louis Longley
- Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, UK.
| | - Courtney Calahoo
- Otto Schott Institute of Materials Research, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Fraunhoferstrasse 6, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Lothar Wondraczek
- Otto Schott Institute of Materials Research, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Fraunhoferstrasse 6, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - David A Keen
- ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Thomas D Bennett
- Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, UK.
| | - Sean M Collins
- Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, UK.
- Bragg Centre for Materials Research, School of Chemical and Process Engineering and School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
| | - Paul A Midgley
- Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, UK.
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13
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Valencia L, de la Mata M, Herrera M, Delgado F, Hernández-Saz J, Molina S. Induced damage during STEM-EELS analyses on acrylic-based materials for Stereolithography. Polym Degrad Stab 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2022.110044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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14
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Basha A, Levi G, Amrani T, Li Y, Ankonina G, Shekhter P, Kornblum L, Goldfarb I, Kohn A. Elastic and inelastic mean free paths for scattering of fast electrons in thin-film oxides. Ultramicroscopy 2022; 240:113570. [PMID: 35700667 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2022.113570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Quantitative transmission electron microscopy (TEM) often requires accurate knowledge of sample thickness for determining defect density, structure factors, sample dimensions, electron beam and X-ray photons signal broadening. The most common thickness measurement is by Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy which can be applied effectively to crystalline and amorphous materials. The drawback is that sample thickness is measured in units of Inelastic Mean Free Path (MFP) which depends on the material, the electron energy and the collection angle of the spectrometer. Furthermore, the Elastic MFP is an essential parameter for selecting optimal sample thickness to reduce dynamical scatterings, such as for short-range-order characterization of amorphous materials. Finally, the Inelastic to Elastic MFP ratio can predict the dominant mechanism for radiation damage due to the electron beam. We implement a fast and precise method for the extraction of inelastic and elastic MFP values in technologically important oxide thin films. The method relies on the crystalline Si substrate for calibration. The Inelastic MFP of Si was measured as a function of collection semi-angle (β) by combining Energy-Filtered TEM thickness maps followed by perpendicular cross-sectioning of the sample by Focused-Ion-Beam. For example, we measured a total Inelastic MFP (β∼157 mrad) in Si of 145 ± 10 nm for 200 keV electrons. The MFP of the thin oxide films is determined by their ratio at their interface with Si or SiO2. The validity of this method was verified by direct TEM observation of cross-to-cross sectioning of TEM samples. The high precision of this method was enabled mainly by implementing a wedge preparation technique, which provides large sampling areas with uniform thickness. We measured the Elastic and Inelastic Mean Free Paths for 200 keV and 80 keV electrons as a function of collection angle for: SiO2 (Thermal, CVD), low-κ SiOCH, Al2O3, TiO2, ZnO, Ta2O5 and HfO2. The measured MFP values were compared to calculations based on models of Wenzel, Malis and Iakoubovskii. These models deviate from measurements by up to 30%, especially for 80 keV electrons. Hence, we propose functional relations for the Elastic MFP and Inelastic MFP in oxides with respect to the mass density and effective atomic number, which reduce deviations by a factor of 2-3. In addition, the effects of sample cooling on the measurements and sample stability are examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adham Basha
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - George Levi
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Tamir Amrani
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Yang Li
- Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Guy Ankonina
- Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Pini Shekhter
- Tel Aviv University Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Lior Kornblum
- Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Ilan Goldfarb
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Amit Kohn
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.
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15
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Donohue J, Zeltmann SE, Bustillo KC, Savitzky B, Jones MA, Meyers G, Ophus C, Minor AM. Cryogenic 4D-STEM analysis of an amorphous-crystalline polymer blend: combined nanocrystalline and amorphous phase mapping. iScience 2022; 25:103882. [PMID: 35281728 PMCID: PMC8914558 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding and visualizing the heterogeneous structure of immiscible semicrystalline polymer systems is critical for optimizing their morphology and microstructure. We demonstrate a cryogenic 4D-STEM technique using a combination of amorphous radial profile mapping and correlative crystalline growth processing methods to map both the crystalline and amorphous phase distribution in an isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/ethylene-octene copolymer (EO) multilayer film with 5-nm step size. The resulting map shows a very sharp interface between the amorphous iPP and EO with no preferential crystalline structure near or at the interface, reinforcing the expected incompatibility and immiscibility of iPP and EO, which is a short-chain branched polyethylene. This technique provides a method for direct observation of interfacial structure in an unstained semicrystalline complex multicomponent system with a single cryogenic 4D-STEM dataset. Cryogenic 4D-STEM can simultaneously map amorphous and crystalline structure Direct observation of beam-sensitive polymers reveals nanostructure near interfaces Cryogenic 4D-STEM enables mapping of chemically/structurally similar polymers in blend
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16
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Terban MW, Billinge SJL. Structural Analysis of Molecular Materials Using the Pair Distribution Function. Chem Rev 2022; 122:1208-1272. [PMID: 34788012 PMCID: PMC8759070 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
This is a review of atomic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis as applied to the study of molecular materials. The PDF method is a powerful approach to study short- and intermediate-range order in materials on the nanoscale. It may be obtained from total scattering measurements using X-rays, neutrons, or electrons, and it provides structural details when defects, disorder, or structural ambiguities obscure their elucidation directly in reciprocal space. While its uses in the study of inorganic crystals, glasses, and nanomaterials have been recently highlighted, significant progress has also been made in its application to molecular materials such as carbons, pharmaceuticals, polymers, liquids, coordination compounds, composites, and more. Here, an overview of applications toward a wide variety of molecular compounds (organic and inorganic) and systems with molecular components is presented. We then present pedagogical descriptions and tips for further implementation. Successful utilization of the method requires an interdisciplinary consolidation of material preparation, high quality scattering experimentation, data processing, model formulation, and attentive scrutiny of the results. It is hoped that this article will provide a useful reference to practitioners for PDF applications in a wide realm of molecular sciences, and help new practitioners to get started with this technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell W. Terban
- Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstraße 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Simon J. L. Billinge
- Department
of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
- Condensed
Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
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17
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OUP accepted manuscript. Microscopy (Oxf) 2022; 71:i148-i164. [DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfab057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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18
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Wardini JL, Vahidi H, Guo H, Bowman WJ. Probing Multiscale Disorder in Pyrochlore and Related Complex Oxides in the Transmission Electron Microscope: A Review. Front Chem 2021; 9:743025. [PMID: 34917587 PMCID: PMC8668443 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.743025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and its counterpart, scanning TEM (STEM), are powerful materials characterization tools capable of probing crystal structure, composition, charge distribution, electronic structure, and bonding down to the atomic scale. Recent (S)TEM instrumentation developments such as electron beam aberration-correction as well as faster and more efficient signal detection systems have given rise to new and more powerful experimental methods, some of which (e.g., 4D-STEM, spectrum-imaging, in situ/operando (S)TEM)) facilitate the capture of high-dimensional datasets that contain spatially-resolved structural, spectroscopic, time- and/or stimulus-dependent information across the sub-angstrom to several micrometer length scale. Thus, through the variety of analysis methods available in the modern (S)TEM and its continual development towards high-dimensional data capture, it is well-suited to the challenge of characterizing isometric mixed-metal oxides such as pyrochlores, fluorites, and other complex oxides that reside on a continuum of chemical and spatial ordering. In this review, we present a suite of imaging and diffraction (S)TEM techniques that are uniquely suited to probe the many types, length-scales, and degrees of disorder in complex oxides, with a focus on disorder common to pyrochlores, fluorites and the expansive library of intermediate structures they may adopt. The application of these techniques to various complex oxides will be reviewed to demonstrate their capabilities and limitations in resolving the continuum of structural and chemical ordering in these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna L. Wardini
- Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Hasti Vahidi
- Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Huiming Guo
- Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - William J. Bowman
- Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Irvine Materials Research Institute, Irvine, CA, United States
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19
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Li Y, Čalkovský M, Müller E, Sprau C, Colsmann A, Gerthsen D. Highly Selective Cu Staining of Sulfur-Containing Polymers Facilitates 3D Nanomorphology Reconstruction of Polymer:Fullerene Blends in Organic Solar Cells by FIB-SEM Tomography. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:53252-53261. [PMID: 34705411 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c16728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The distinction of different organic materials in phase mixtures is hampered in electron microscopy because electron scattering does not strongly differ in carbon-based materials that mainly consist of light elements. A successful strategy for contrast enhancement is selective staining where one phase of a material mixture is labeled by heavier elements, but suitable staining agents are not available for all organic materials. This is also the case for bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) absorber layers of organic solar cells, which consist of interpenetrating networks of donor and acceptor domains. The domain structure strongly influences the power conversion efficiency, and nanomorphology optimization often requires real-space information on the sizes and interconnectivity of domains with nanometer resolution. In this work, we have developed an efficient approach to selectively stain sulfur-containing polymers by homogeneous Cu infiltration, which generates strong material contrast in scanning (transmission) electron microscopy (S(T)EM) images of polymer:fullerene BHJ layers. Cross-section lamellae of BHJ layers are prepared for STEM by focused-ion-beam milling and are attached to a Cu lift-out grid as a copper source. After thermal treatment at 200 °C for 3 h in air, sulfur-containing polymers are homogeneously infiltrated by Cu, while the fullerenes are not affected. Selective Cu staining is applied to map the phase distribution in PTB7:PC71BM BHJ layers fabricated with different processing additives to tailor the nanomorphology. The strong contrast between polymer and fullerene domains is the prerequisite for the three-dimensional reconstruction of the domain structure by focused-ion-beam/scanning-electron-microscopy tomography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghe Li
- Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
- Material Research Center for Energy Systems (MZE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
| | - Martin Čalkovský
- Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
- 3DMM2O-Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1-390761711), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
- Material Research Center for Energy Systems (MZE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
| | - Erich Müller
- Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
- Material Research Center for Energy Systems (MZE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
| | - Christian Sprau
- Light Technology Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
- Material Research Center for Energy Systems (MZE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
| | - Alexander Colsmann
- Light Technology Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
- Material Research Center for Energy Systems (MZE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
| | - Dagmar Gerthsen
- Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
- 3DMM2O-Cluster of Excellence (EXC-2082/1-390761711), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
- Material Research Center for Energy Systems (MZE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
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20
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Wang K, Hua W, Li Z, Wang Q, Kübel C, Mu X. New Insight into Desodiation/Sodiation Mechanism of MoS 2: Sodium Insertion in Amorphous Mo-S Clusters. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:40481-40488. [PMID: 34470102 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c07743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a promising anode material for sodium batteries due to its high theoretical capacity. While significantly improved electrochemical performance has been achieved, the reaction mechanism is still equivocal. Herein, we applied electron pair distribution function and X-ray absorption spectroscopy to investigate the desodiation/sodiation mechanism of MoS2 electrodes. The results reveal that Mo-S bonds are well preserved and dominant in the sodiation product matrix but do not convert to metallic Mo and Na2S even at deep sodiation. The MoS2 multilayer sheets break into disordered MoSx clusters with modified octahedral symmetry during discharging. The long-range order was not rebuilt during subsequent charging but with partial recovery of the Mo-S coordination symmetry. The mechanism of the reaction is independent of the carbon matrix, although it prevents the MoSx clusters from leaching into the electrolyte and thus contributes to an extended cycle life. This work refreshes the fundamental understanding of the desodiation/sodiation mechanism of MoS2 materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wang
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Weibo Hua
- Institute for Applied Materials, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Zhenyou Li
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Helmholtz-Institute Ulm for Electrochemical Energy Storage (HIU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Helmholtzstraße 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Qingsong Wang
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Christian Kübel
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Helmholtz-Institute Ulm for Electrochemical Energy Storage (HIU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Helmholtzstraße 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Xiaoke Mu
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
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21
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Rizvi A, Mulvey JT, Carpenter BP, Talosig R, Patterson JP. A Close Look at Molecular Self-Assembly with the Transmission Electron Microscope. Chem Rev 2021; 121:14232-14280. [PMID: 34329552 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Molecular self-assembly is pervasive in the formation of living and synthetic materials. Knowledge gained from research into the principles of molecular self-assembly drives innovation in the biological, chemical, and materials sciences. Self-assembly processes span a wide range of temporal and spatial domains and are often unintuitive and complex. Studying such complex processes requires an arsenal of analytical and computational tools. Within this arsenal, the transmission electron microscope stands out for its unique ability to visualize and quantify self-assembly structures and processes. This review describes the contribution that the transmission electron microscope has made to the field of molecular self-assembly. An emphasis is placed on which TEM methods are applicable to different structures and processes and how TEM can be used in combination with other experimental or computational methods. Finally, we provide an outlook on the current challenges to, and opportunities for, increasing the impact that the transmission electron microscope can have on molecular self-assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoon Rizvi
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | - Justin T Mulvey
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | - Brooke P Carpenter
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | - Rain Talosig
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | - Joseph P Patterson
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
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22
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Kanomi S, Marubayashi H, Miyata T, Tsuda K, Jinnai H. Nanodiffraction Imaging of Polymer Crystals. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shusuke Kanomi
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Hironori Marubayashi
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Miyata
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
| | - Kenji Tsuda
- Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Jinnai
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
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23
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Bustillo KC, Zeltmann SE, Chen M, Donohue J, Ciston J, Ophus C, Minor AM. 4D-STEM of Beam-Sensitive Materials. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:2543-2551. [PMID: 33979131 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
ConspectusScanning electron nanobeam diffraction, or 4D-STEM (four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy), is a flexible and powerful approach to elucidate structure from "soft" materials that are challenging to image in the transmission electron microscope because their structure is easily damaged by the electron beam. In a 4D-STEM experiment, a converged electron beam is scanned across the sample, and a pixelated camera records a diffraction pattern at each scan position. This four-dimensional data set can be mined for various analyses, producing maps of local crystal orientation, structural distortions, crystallinity, or different structural classes. Holding the sample at cryogenic temperatures minimizes diffusion of radicals and the resulting damage and disorder caused by the electron beam. The total fluence of incident electrons can easily be controlled during 4D-STEM experiments by careful use of the beam blanker, steering of the localized electron dose, and by minimizing the fluence in the convergent beam thus minimizing beam damage. This technique can be applied to both organic and inorganic materials that are known to be beam-sensitive; they can be highly crystalline, semicrystalline, mixed phase, or amorphous.One common example is the case for many organic materials that have a π-π stacking of polymer chains or rings on the order of 3.4-4.2 Å separation. If these chains or rings are aligned in some regions, they will produce distinct diffraction spots (as would other crystalline spacings in this range), though they may be weak or diffuse for disordered or weakly scattering materials. We can reconstruct the orientation of the π-π stacking, the degree of π-π stacking in the sample, and the domain size of the aligned regions. This Account summarizes illumination conditions and experimental parameters for 4D-STEM experiments with the goal of producing images of structural features for materials that are beam-sensitive. We will discuss experimental parameters including sample cooling, probe size and shape, fluence, and cameras. 4D-STEM has been applied to a variety of materials, not only as an advanced technique for model systems, but as a technique for the beginning microscopist to answer materials science questions. It is noteworthy that the experimental data acquisition does not require an aberration-corrected TEM but can be produced on a variety of instruments with the right attention to experimental parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen C. Bustillo
- National Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Steven E. Zeltmann
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Min Chen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jennifer Donohue
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jim Ciston
- National Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Colin Ophus
- National Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Andrew M. Minor
- National Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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24
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Slouf M, Skoupy R, Pavlova E, Krzyzanek V. Powder Nano-Beam Diffraction in Scanning Electron Microscope: Fast and Simple Method for Analysis of Nanoparticle Crystal Structure. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:962. [PMID: 33918700 PMCID: PMC8070269 DOI: 10.3390/nano11040962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
We introduce a novel scanning electron microscopy (SEM) method which yields powder electron diffraction patterns. The only requirement is that the SEM microscope must be equipped with a pixelated detector of transmitted electrons. The pixelated detectors for SEM have been commercialized recently. They can be used routinely to collect a high number of electron diffraction patterns from individual nanocrystals and/or locations (this is called four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D-STEM), as we obtain two-dimensional (2D) information for each pixel of the 2D scanning array). Nevertheless, the individual 4D-STEM diffractograms are difficult to analyze due to the random orientation of nanocrystalline material. In our method, all individual diffractograms (showing randomly oriented diffraction spots from a few nanocrystals) are combined into one composite diffraction pattern (showing diffraction rings typical of polycrystalline/powder materials). The final powder diffraction pattern can be analyzed by means of standard programs for TEM/SAED (Selected-Area Electron Diffraction). We called our new method 4D-STEM/PNBD (Powder NanoBeam Diffraction) and applied it to three different systems: Au nano-islands (well diffracting nanocrystals with size ~20 nm), small TbF3 nanocrystals (size < 5 nm), and large NaYF4 nanocrystals (size > 100 nm). In all three cases, the STEM/PNBD results were comparable to those obtained from TEM/SAED. Therefore, the 4D-STEM/PNBD method enables fast and simple analysis of nanocrystalline materials, which opens quite new possibilities in the field of SEM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Slouf
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovsky Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic;
| | - Radim Skoupy
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Kralovopolska 147, 612 64 Brno, Czech Republic;
| | - Ewa Pavlova
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovsky Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic;
| | - Vladislav Krzyzanek
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Kralovopolska 147, 612 64 Brno, Czech Republic;
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Zhu H, Huang Y, Ren J, Zhang B, Ke Y, Jen AK, Zhang Q, Wang X, Liu Q. Bridging Structural Inhomogeneity to Functionality: Pair Distribution Function Methods for Functional Materials Development. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:2003534. [PMID: 33747741 PMCID: PMC7967088 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202003534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The correlation between structure and function lies at the heart of materials science and engineering. Especially, modern functional materials usually contain inhomogeneities at an atomic level, endowing them with interesting properties regarding electrons, phonons, and magnetic moments. Over the past few decades, many of the key developments in functional materials have been driven by the rapid advances in short-range crystallographic techniques. Among them, pair distribution function (PDF) technique, capable of utilizing the entire Bragg and diffuse scattering signals, stands out as a powerful tool for detecting local structure away from average. With the advent of synchrotron X-rays, spallation neutrons, and advanced computing power, the PDF can quantitatively encode a local structure and in turn guide atomic-scale engineering in the functional materials. Here, the PDF investigations in a range of functional materials are reviewed, including ferroelectrics/thermoelectrics, colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) magnets, high-temperature superconductors (HTSC), quantum dots (QDs), nano-catalysts, and energy storage materials, where the links between functions and structural inhomogeneities are prominent. For each application, a brief description of the structure-function coupling will be given, followed by selected cases of PDF investigations. Before that, an overview of the theory, methodology, and unique power of the PDF method will be also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Zhu
- Department of PhysicsCity University of Hong KongHong Kong999077P. R. China
| | - Yalan Huang
- Department of PhysicsCity University of Hong KongHong Kong999077P. R. China
| | - Jincan Ren
- Department of PhysicsCity University of Hong KongHong Kong999077P. R. China
| | - Binghao Zhang
- Department of PhysicsCity University of Hong KongHong Kong999077P. R. China
| | - Yubin Ke
- China Spallation Neutron SourceInstitute of High Energy PhysicsChinese Academy of ScienceDongguan523000P. R. China
| | - Alex K.‐Y. Jen
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringCity University of Hong KongHong Kong999077P. R. China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Reaction Engineering and TechnologyDepartment of Chemical EngineeringTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084P. R. China
| | - Xun‐Li Wang
- Department of PhysicsCity University of Hong KongHong Kong999077P. R. China
- Shenzhen Research InstituteCity University of Hong KongShenzhen518057P. R. China
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of PhysicsCity University of Hong KongHong Kong999077P. R. China
- Shenzhen Research InstituteCity University of Hong KongShenzhen518057P. R. China
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26
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Mu X, Chellali MR, Boltynjuk E, Gunderov D, Valiev RZ, Hahn H, Kübel C, Ivanisenko Y, Velasco L. Unveiling the Local Atomic Arrangements in the Shear Band Regions of Metallic Glass. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2007267. [PMID: 33604975 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202007267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The prospective applications of metallic glasses are limited by their lack of ductility, attributed to shear banding inducing catastrophic failure. A concise depiction of the local atomic arrangement (local atomic packing and chemical short-range order), induced by shear banding, is quintessential to understand the deformation mechanism, however still not clear. An explicit view of the complex interplay of local atomic structure and chemical environment is presented by mapping the atomic arrangements in shear bands (SBs) and in their vicinity in a deformed Vitreloy 105 metallic glass, using the scanning electron diffraction pair distribution function and atom probe tomography. The results experimentally prove that plastic deformation causes a reduction of geometrically favored polyhedral motifs. Localized motifs variations and antisymmetric (bond and chemical) segregation extend for several hundred nanometers from the SB, forming the shear band affected zones. Moreover, the variations within the SB are found both perpendicular and parallel to the SB plane, also observable in the oxidation activity. The knowledge of the structural-chemical changes provides a deeper understanding of the plastic deformation of metallic glasses especially for their functional applications and future improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoke Mu
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
| | - Mohammed Reda Chellali
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
| | - Evgeniy Boltynjuk
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
- Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Dmitry Gunderov
- Institute of Molecule and Crystal Physics, Ufa Federal Research Center RAS, Ufa, 450075, Russia
| | - Ruslan Z Valiev
- Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia
- Institute of Physics of Advanced Materials, Ufa State Aviation Technical University, Ufa, 450008, Russia
| | - Horst Hahn
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
- Joint Research Laboratory Nanomaterials, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, 64206, Germany
| | - Christian Kübel
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
- Joint Research Laboratory Nanomaterials, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, 64206, Germany
- Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
| | - Yulia Ivanisenko
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
| | - Leonardo Velasco
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
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