Electron microscopy of polyoxometalate ions on graphene by electrospray ion beam deposition. Issue 10 (27th February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vats, N.; Rauschenbach, S.; Sigle, W.; Sen, S.; Abb, S.; Portz, A.; Dürr, M.; Burghard, M.; van Aken, P. A.; Kern, K.
• Is Part Of: Nanoscale. Volume 10:Issue 10(2018)
• Page Start: 4952
• Page End: 4961
• Publication Date: 2018-02-27
• Subjects: Nanoscience -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; 620.505
• DOI: 10.1039/c8nr00402a
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2040-3364

Abstract

Abstract : We present HRTEM imaging of [PW12 O40 ] 3− on graphene after chemically selective deposition by electrospray ion-beam deposition (ES-IBD). Abstract : Aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (AC-HRTEM) has enabled atomically resolved imaging of molecules adsorbed on low-dimensional materials like carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide and few-layer-graphene. However, conventional methods for depositing molecules onto such supports lack selectivity and specificity. Here, we describe the chemically selective preparation and deposition of molecules-like polyoxometalate (POM) anions [PW12 O40 ] 3− using electrospray ion-beam deposition (ES-IBD) along with high-resolution TEM imaging. This approach provides access to sub-monolayer coatings of intact molecules on freestanding graphene, which enables their atomically resolved ex situ characterization by low-voltage AC-HRTEM. The capability to tune the deposition parameters in either soft or reactive landing mode, combined with the well-defined high-vacuum deposition conditions, renders the ES-IBD based method advantageous over alternative methods such as drop-casting. Furthermore, it might be expanded towards depositing and imaging large and nonvolatile molecules with complex structures.