Transmission electron microscopy with a liquid flow cell

Abstract

SummaryThe imaging of microscopic structures at nanometre-scale spatial resolution in a liquid environment is of interest for a wide range of studies. Recently, a liquid flow transmission electron microscopy (TEM) holder equipped with a microfluidic cell has been developed and shown to exhibit flow of nanoparticles through an electron transparent viewing window. Here we demonstrate the application of the flow cell system for both scanning and conventional transmission electron microscopy imaging of immobilized nanoparticles with a resolution of a few nanometres in liquid water of micrometre thickness. The spatial resolution of conventional TEM bright field imaging is shown to be limited by chromatic aberration due to multiple inelastic scattering in the water, and we demonstrate that the liquid in the cell can be displaced by a gas phase that forms under intense electron irradiation. Our data suggest that under appropriate conditions, TEM imaging with a liquid flow cell is a promising method for understanding the in situ behaviour of nanoscale structures in a prescribed and dynamically changing chemical environment.

Advanced analytical electron microscopy for lithium-ion batteries

“…1,13 Improvements in ultrahigh spatial and energy resolutions have been accompanied by remarkable advances of in situ TEM techniques, which enable the real-time observation of the dynamic structural and chemical evolution in materials under a variety of external stimuli or battery operating conditions. The progress in this field is evident, as demonstrated by the success of in situ mechanical testing or heating while maintaining a high spatial resolution, 14,15 by the imaging of reaction processes in gases and liquids, [16][17][18][19] by the observations of reactions and phase transformations upon external biasing 20,21 and so on. In addition, the newly developed CMOS camera, which enables the direct electron detection and fast image acquisition at over 400 frames per second for 1 × 1 K images, has significantly advanced the capability to observe fast reactions in real time.…”

Bubble and Pattern Formation in Liquid Induced by an Electron Beam

“…11 Microstructural changes 25 as well as formation and dynamics of bubbles or voids due to the beam have been reported. 20,[26][27][28] Amongst a variety of potential beam effects, 29 radiation chemistry, or interaction of ionizing radiation with the fluid medium, is critically important. Although the existing knowledge of electron beam interactions with solid matter provides useful insights; 30 the effects in liquids are quite different because of the high mobility of species in the liquid.…”

Protein-Mediated Nucleation of Nanoparticles In-Situ

“…However, the nature of control the protein exerts over the nucleation and growth of a certain mineral phase, its size and shape, is not well understood, because the mechanism a biomimetic process is usually deduced from the post-synthesis analysis of a specimen. While this approach yields important information about the properties of a resulting material, it does not permit dynamic characterization of the biomimetic processes.Recent advances in in-situ Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy with a fluid cell allow characterization of the protein self-assembly and specific binding in a fully hydrated state [5][6][7]. We report here on the in-situ nucleation of nanoparticles mediated by two acidic bacterial recombinant proteins, Mms6 and MamC.…”

“…Recent advances in in-situ Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy with a fluid cell allow characterization of the protein self-assembly and specific binding in a fully hydrated state [5][6][7]. We report here on the in-situ nucleation of nanoparticles mediated by two acidic bacterial recombinant proteins, Mms6 and MamC.…”