Investigating Processes of Nanocrystal Formation and Transformation via Liquid Cell TEM. (14th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nielsen, Michael H.; Li, Dongsheng; Zhang, Hengzhong; Aloni, Shaul; Han, T. Yong-Jin; Frandsen, Cathrine; Seto, Jong; Banfield, Jillian F.; Cölfen, Helmut; De Yoreo, James J.
• Is Part Of: Microscopy and microanalysis. Volume 20:Number 2(2014:Apr.)
• Page Start: 425
• Page End: 436
• Publication Date: 2014-03-14
• Subjects: Microscopy -- Periodicals; Microchemistry -- Periodicals; 502.82
• DOI: 10.1017/S1431927614000294
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1431-9276

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Recent <italic>ex situ</italic> observations of crystallization in both natural and synthetic systems indicate that the classical models of nucleation and growth are inaccurate. However, <italic>in situ</italic> observations that can provide direct evidence for alternative models have been lacking due to the limited temporal and spatial resolution of experimental techniques that can observe dynamic processes in a bulk solution. Here we report results from liquid cell transmission electron microscopy studies of nucleation and growth of Au, CaCO₃, and iron oxide nanoparticles. We show how these <italic>in situ</italic> data can be used to obtain direct evidence for the mechanisms underlying nanoparticle crystallization as well as dynamic information that provide constraints on important energetic parameters not available through <italic>ex situ</italic> methods.</p> </abstract>