Formation of Hierarchical Hybrid Silica-Polymer Using Quantitative Cryo- Electron Tomography

Strategy for optimizing experimental settings for studying low atomic number colloidal assemblies using liquid phase scanning transmission electron microscopy

“…Here, we examine a strategy for optimizing and measuring the performance of LP-EM in studying dynamic processes involving low-Z soft matter. As a case example, we visualize the structure and formation of colloidal binary particles [23] relevant for self-assembled hierarchical materials used, for example, in photonic applications [24] or as mesoporous catalyst supports [25]. The model system studied consists of positively charged, amino-functionalized, 30 nm-diameter, amorphous SiONPs, and negatively charged, 100 nm-diameter PMs.…”

“…The model system studied consists of positively charged, amino-functionalized, 30 nm-diameter, amorphous SiONPs, and negatively charged, 100 nm-diameter PMs. In buffers of low pH, they have been shown to organize into hierarchical binary structures where the SiONPs formed a shell around the PM [23].…”