Freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy studies on the self-assemblies of amphiphilic solutions

Self-assemblies of amphiphiles in solutions were investigated by using freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM). Especially, vesicles were characterized by FF-TEM and the transition of self-assemblies was determined. The stacked lamellar La-phase was prepared without shear forces by a chemical reaction. The stacked lamellar La-phase can be transformed into multilamellar vesicles by the shearing forces that occur when the stacked lamellar La-phase sample is turned upside down a few times. The multilamellar vesicles can also be transformed into unilamellar vesicles by high shearing forces. These transitions were demonstrated by FF-TEM measurements. 2n2+-induced vesicle formation in the single-chain surfactant solutions was first achieved.     

Understanding the structural dynamics of electrocatalysts via liquid cell transmission electron microscopy

High-performance catalysts are essential for many electrochemical technologies, such as water splitting, fuel cells and electrosynthesis. Understanding the structure–performance correlation of the catalysts demands a real-time characterization of their structural evolutions under work conditions. Herein, we review recent advances in structural dynamics of electrocatalysts during reactions by highlighting the utilization of advanced liquid cell transmission electron microscopy techniques. The processes of corrosion, Ostwald ripening, and particle agglomeration are discussed. By incorporating the synchronous electrochemical measurements in the liquid cell, unique information may be retrieved toward improving the electrocatalytic performance.     

Structure of salted-out, solubilized micelles and microemulsions on the perfluorinated anionic surfactant tetraethylammonium perfluorooctyl sulfonate studied by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy

 Tetraethylammonium perfluorooctyl sulfonate (TEAFOS; critical micelle concentration, 1 mM), which forms a threadlike micelle in its pure solution, was adopted to study the structure of salted-out, solubilized micelles and microemulsions by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. The concentration of the surfactant was kept constant at 60 mM. The micelle solution salted out with LiNO₃ provided a surfactant phase in the presence of a clear interface. The surfactant phase was studded, being formed of homogeneously dispersed spherical micelles, and had no obvious threadlike forms. The micelles, which solubilized the maximum amount of perfluorinated oil, were spherical and had the same size as isolated spherical micelles in pure TEAFOS solution. The microemulsions were formed in the presence of perfluorinated alcohol as cosurfactant and the particles were rotund even when the concentration of the perfluorinated oil was equivalent to that for solubilization and the sizes increased with increasing oil content. The difference in size between the solubilized micelles and microemulsions with the same amount of oil suggested that the oil molecules had been solubilized between palisades of perfluorinated alkyl chains in the micelles and had dissolved in the cores of the microemulsions. Received: 10 September 1999/Accepted: 2 December 1999     

Application of analytical transmission electron microscopy to the characterization of interlayers in fibre-reinforced composites with ceramic and glass matrices

The microchemistry of interfaces and corresponding interlayers in different fibre-reinforced ceramic and glass composite systems has been investigated by using a dedicated scanning transmission electron microscope demonstrating the potential applicabilities of such an instrument to this large field of materials science. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy were used to determine the materials composition on a nanometre scale. Besides analyses performed in the spot mode of the electron probe the distributions of the elements present in the interface region were measured as line profiles across the relevant interface structure by X-ray spectroscopy with a lateral resolution of about 5 nm, even for the detection of a light element as carbon. Moreover, in the composite systems under investigation the two-dimensional element distribution was also attained by energy-filtered imaging. In addition, first results of energy loss near edge structure analyses are presented indicating variations of the chemical bonding of silicon at the interface in a Nicalon fibre/Duran glass composite.     

Energy filtered transmission electron microscopy for the physico-chemical characterization of aquatic submicron colloids

A combination of energy filtered transmission electron microscopic (EF-TEM) procedures is proposed for the non-perturbing physico-chemical characterization of submicron mineral and organic colloids in aquatic systems. Synthetic hematite microparticles and xanthan polysaccharides were used as well-characterized model colloids in order to determine the optimum EF-TEM analysis conditions. In this paper, it is demonstrated that (i) our model colloids are morphologically representative of naturally occurring mineral/organic associations, (ii) EF-TEM allows the detection of fine xanthan ultrastructures without artefacts of conventional staining methods and (iii) submicron hematite particles can be specifically visualized and spectrometrically measured by EF-TEM within a hematite/xanthan mixture. This EF-TEM procedure appears to be appropriate for the characterization of real aquatic samples.     

Rheological and electron microscopic characterization of aqueous carboxymethyl cellulose gels Part II: Visualization of the gel structure by freeze-fracturing

The spatial structure of gels of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC-gel) and carboxymethyl cellulose in the free acid form can be imaged in the transmission electron microscope (TEM). The freeze-fracturing technique is suitable for this. Experiments with test preparations (10 % aqueous glycerol solution) show that cooling rates during freeze-fixing are decisive for visualization, and that cooling rates can be improved substantially by using a cryojet. The increase of the cooling rate to more than 15 000 K/s makes it possible to obtain extremely fine network structures with a mesh width of 5–25 nm and with a filament thickness of 2–3 nm. The results obtained after jet-freezing show differences in the structure of the two gels: quasi-crystalline microaggregates in the HCMC-gel can be seen, and they cause an increased elasticity and opalescence of the aged HCMC-gels.     

Three‐dimensional structural analysis of a block copolymer by scanning electron microscopy combined with a focused ion beam

A three‐dimensional (3D) lamellar structure of a poly(styrene‐block‐isoprene) block copolymer was observed at submicrometer and micrometer levels by scanning electron microscopy combined with a focused ion beam (FIB–SEM). The 3D lamellar structure with an exceptionally large periodicity, about 0.1 μm, was successfully reconstructed, and the size of the reconstructed image by FIB–SEM was 6.0 × 6.0 × 4.0 μm³, which was greater than the transmission electron microtomography data, 3.8 × 3.9 × 0.24 μm³, by a factor of about 40. This result indicates that 3D reconstruction using FIB–SEM is quite useful for direct 3D observations, especially analyses of polymeric materials at the submicrometer and micrometer levels. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 677–683, 2007     

介观尺度多孔材料的电子显微学结构解析

孔径在介观尺度的多孔材料由于其规整的孔道结构、大比表面积、特殊的空间限域效应使其在吸附、分离、催化、传感、载药、能源等领域都具有广阔的应用前景. 深入解析材料的结构特征不仅是理解其物理化学性能和应用的关键, 也是研究材料的形成机理及新材料制备的重要反馈和支持. 电子显微学以电子为探针, 通过电子衍射和高分辨像对材料结构展开探索, 可以研究更小尺寸晶体的结构, 揭示局部结构信息如缺陷及共生等, 对介观尺度多孔材料的结构解析至关重要. 对近年来通过电子显微学方法解析的介观尺度多孔材料工作进行了综述, 主要针对有序介孔材料以及有序大孔材料展开, 归纳了不同结构类型的介观尺度多孔材料所适用的电子晶体学方法, 在此基础上提出电子显微学在介观尺度孔材料结构解析上的优势、不足和未来发展的方向, 以及将电子显微学用于其它材料结构解析的可行性.     

Recent progress in scanning electron microscopy for the characterization of fine structural details of nano materials

Research concerning nano-materials (metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), zeolites, mesoporous silicas, etc.) and the nano-scale, including potential barriers for the particulates to diffusion to/from is of increasing importance to the understanding of the catalytic utility of porous materials when combined with any potential super structures (such as hierarchically porous materials). However, it is difficult to characterize the structure of for example MOFs via X-ray powder diffraction because of the serious overlapping of reflections caused by their large unit cells, and it is also difficult to directly observe the opening of surface pores using ordinary methods. Electron-microscopic methods including high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) have therefore become imperative for the above challenges. Here, we present the theory and practical application of recent advances such as through-the-lens detection systems, which permit a reduced landing energy and the selection of high-resolution, topographically specific emitted electrons, even from electrically insulating nano-materials.     

Microstructural and physicochemical study of the buried Fe/AlGaAs(100) interface by transmission electron microscopy and x‐ray emission spectroscopy

Among the magnetic metal/semiconductor contacts, the Fe/GaAs system has been widely studied owing to its potential applications in electronic devices. In contrast, there are not many studies concerning the Fe/Al_xGa_1?xAs contact, and in particular there are no reports concerning the changes induced in the interfacial zone by the presence of Al. In this work, thin polycrystalline iron films were deposited by ion beam sputtering at room temperature on a 300 nm thick Al_0.25Ga_0.75As layer grown by molecular beam epitaxy onto GaAs(001). X‐ray diffraction analysis showed that the iron films are polycrystalline, and indications of a (002) texture of the film were observed. The fine scale analysis of the interface was achieved by high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observations, the results of which are compared with the physicochemical information obtained from electron‐induced x‐ray emission spectroscopy, by analysing the Al 3p valence states at the Fe/Al_xGa_1?xAs interface. The HRTEM experiments on cross‐section samples indicate that the interfacial zone between iron and AlGaAs is limited to <1.5 nm in thickness. X‐ray emission spectroscopy showed the presence of Al atoms in an FeAl‐like environment at the interface, and the existence of wrong bonds and point defects. The estimated width of the perturbed interface (2.0 ± 0.5 nm) is in agreement with the HRTEM results. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Verification of the microdomain model of crystallinity in polyvinyl chloride by electron microscopy

A study of the fine scale microstructure of PVC was carried out using a combination of high resolution transmission electron microscopy and digital image analysis techniques. The images obtained contained a degree of order of the approximate size and distribution as predicted by the microdomain model of crystallinity in PVC. The microdomain model for crystallinity in PVC has been built up from previous studies using various analytical techniques including wide- and small-angle x-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. Earlier studies using transmission electron microscopy did not find any direct evidence supporting this model. Significant advances in both electron microscope and image processing technology had taken place since the earlier microscopic studies. The TEM imaging and image analysis procedures that have been utilized in this research may be applicable to the imaging of very fine scale ordering in other polymers. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Periodic minimal surface organizations of the lipid bilayer at the lung surface and in cubic cytomembrane assemblies

The existence of infinite periodic lipid bilayer structures in biological systems was first demonstrated in cell membrane assemblies. Such periodicity is only possible in symmetric bilayers, and their occurrence is discussed here in relation to the asymmetry of cell membranes in vivo. A periodic membrane conformation in the prolamellar body of plants corresponds to a dormant state without photosynthesis. A similar reversible formation of a dormant state has also been observed in the mitochondria of the amoeba Chaos. In these cases the energy production has become insufficient to maintain the membrane asymmetry. Formation of membranes that are symmetric over the bilayer is proposed to be a principal mechanism behind formation of cubic membrane systems.