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Transmission electron microscopy of specimens and processes in liquids

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Abstract

Transmission electron microscopy is a powerful technique for the analysis of solid samples, but it can also be used to image in liquid environments, gaining a unique view of processes and structures in liquids. Here, we describe recent developments in electron microscopy of liquids and discuss applications in several areas. We first describe closed-liquid-cell microscopy with its opportunities for visualizing electrochemical processes. We then discuss imaging of low-vapor-pressure liquids relevant to the operation of rechargeable batteries. Finally, we describe imaging of thick biological materials to obtain information on membrane proteins in intact mammalian cells that cannot be observed classically under dry or frozen conditions. Electron microscopy in liquid environments is developing rapidly and has the potential to solve key problems in materials science, physics, chemistry, and biology.

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Acknowledgements

F.M.R. acknowledges R.M. Tromp, A.W. Ellis, and M.C. Reuter for their collaborations during the development of the closed liquid cell. N.J. is grateful to D.B. Peckys for biological research and discussions, E. Arzt for his support through INM, and the Leibniz Association. C.M.W. acknowledges the support of the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of Vehicle Technologies of the US Department of Energy (DOE), Contract No. DE-AC02–05CH11231, Subcontract No. 6951379, under the Battery Materials Research Program. Part of the research described here was performed at EMSL, a national scientific user facility sponsored by the DOE’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research and located at PNNL.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, USA

    Frances M. Ross

  2. Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, USA

    Chongmin Wang

  3. INM-Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Germany

    Niels de Jonge

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  1. Frances M. Ross
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  2. Chongmin Wang
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  3. Niels de Jonge
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Correspondence to Frances M. Ross.

Additional information

The following article is based on the Innovation in Materials Characterization Award presentation given at the 2016 MRS Spring Meeting in Phoenix, Ariz. The authors received this award for their “seminal contributions to the imaging of specimens in liquids using transmission electron microscopy, revolutionizing the direct observation of materials processes, batteries during operation, and biological structures.”

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Ross, F.M., Wang, C. & de Jonge, N. Transmission electron microscopy of specimens and processes in liquids. MRS Bulletin 41, 791–803 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2016.212

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