High-Resolution Imaging and Spectroscopy at High Pressure: A Novel Liquid Cell for the Transmission Electron Microscope

Abstract

We demonstrate quantitative core-loss electron energy-loss spectroscopy of iron oxide nanoparticles and imaging resolution of Ag nanoparticles in liquid down to 0.24 nm, in both transmission and scanning-transmission modes, in a novel, monolithic liquid cell developed for the transmission electron microscope (TEM). At typical SiN membrane thicknesses of 50 nm the liquid layer thickness has a maximum change of only 30 nm for the entire TEM viewing area of 200 μm × 200 μm.

Mean Inner Potential of Liquid Water

“…Here λ IMFP is based on the part of the channel with known liquid layer thickness using Eq. (3) as detailed in the Supplemental Material S8 [30], giving a holographic λ IMFP ¼ 164 AE 40 nm, as expected smaller than published EELS based water λ IMFP [53]. The linear fit as in Fig.…”

Shape-controlled synthesis and in situ characterisation of anisotropic Au nanomaterials using liquid cell transmission electron microscopy

“…12,38 In addition, results obtained from LCTEM suggest that nanocrystal shape evolutions and their final morphologies strongly depend on the nascent cluster structures, growth rate of different crystallographic facets, and mobility and concentrations of surface ligands. 40,41 However, NP growth in LCTEM, particularly in open-flow systems still requires further exploration due to the multivariate nature of the experiments, where factors such as electron fluence, 32,42 flow dynamics, [43][44][45][46] solution chemistry, 25,32 liquid cell designs, 47,48 radiolysis/thermal effects can, 20,49,50 to differing extents, influence imaging resolution, NP growth kinetics and final NP morphologies.…”

Application of In Situ Liquid Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy in Corrosion Studies: A Critical Review of Challenges and Achievements

“…This development allows for studying morphological and even compositional evolutions of alloy specimens real time and in-situ as a consequence of interaction with corrosive environments at a desired temperature (operando) 29 . This ambition strongly demands optimized experimental conditions for insitu LC-TEM, that can simultaneously provide a high spatial and temporal resolution [30][31][32][33][34] , as initiation processes take place dynamically and relatively fast at the metal/electrolyte interface 35 . In fact, corrosion initiation often occurs at surface heterogeneities where microstructure and composition variations result in electrochemical interaction and reactivity 21,[35][36][37][38][39] .…”