Cryo-transmission electron microscopy of Ag nanoparticles grown on an ionic liquid substrate
Type
ArticleKAUST Department
Advanced Nanofabrication, Imaging and Characterization Core LabCore Labs
Electron Microscopy
Imaging and Characterization Core Lab
Date
2011-01-31Online Publication Date
2011-01-31Print Publication Date
2010-07Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/561547
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
We report a novel method of growing silver nanostructures by cathodic sputtering onto an ionic liquid (IL) and our visualization by transmission cryo-electron microscopy to avoid beam-induced motion of the nanoparticles. By freezing the IL suspension and controlling electron dose, we can assess properties of particle size, morphology, crystallinity, and aggregation in situ and at high detail. We observed round silver nanoparticles with a well-defined diameter of 7.0 ± 1.5 nm that are faceted with crystalline cubic structures and ∼80% of the particles have multiply twinned faults. We also applied cryo-electron tomography to investigate the structure of the nanoparticles and to directly visualize the IL wetting around them. In addition to particles, we observed nanorods that appear to have assembled from individual nanoparticles. Reexamination of the samples after 4-5 days from initial preparation showed significant changes in morphology, and potential mechanisms for this are discussed. © 2010 Materials Research Society.Citation
Anjum, D. H., Stiger, R. M., Finley, J. J., & Conway, J. F. (2010). Cryo-transmission electron microscopy of Ag nanoparticles grown on an ionic liquid substrate. Journal of Materials Research, 25(7), 1264–1271. doi:10.1557/jmr.2010.0166Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)Journal
Journal of Materials Researchae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1557/jmr.2010.0166