Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026
07:57
Application of Monolayer Graphene to Cryo-Electron Microscopy Grids for High-resolution Structure Determination
Published on: November 10, 2023
Direct imaging of soft-hard interfaces enabled by graphene
Zonghoon Lee1, Ki-Joon Jeon, Albert Dato
1National Center for Electron Microscopy, Environmental Energy Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. zhlee@lbl.gov
Nano Letters
|July 14, 2009
Summary
Graphene, an ultrathin carbon layer, enables direct imaging of molecular layers and interfaces on nanoparticles using transmission electron microscopy. This novel support film technique advances nanomaterial characterization for both hard and soft materials.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Microscopy
Background:
- Direct imaging of surface molecules and interfaces on functionalized nanoparticles is challenging with current microscopy.
- Understanding these interfaces is crucial for nanoparticle functionality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate graphene as an ultrathin support film for advanced nanoparticle imaging.
- To enable direct visualization of molecular layers and interfaces using transmission electron microscopy.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing graphene as a support film for nanoparticle samples.
- Employing conventional and atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
- Conducting atomic-resolution imaging of citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticle interfaces.
Main Results:
- Graphene facilitates direct imaging of molecular layers and interfaces on nanoparticles.
- Atomic-resolution TEM successfully visualized capping layers and interfaces.
- Graphene proved effective for both hard and soft nanomaterial imaging.
Conclusions:
- Graphene is a highly effective ultrathin support film for transmission electron microscopy.
- This method significantly enhances the imaging of nanoparticle surfaces and interfaces.
- Graphene opens new possibilities for nanomaterial characterization at the atomic level.
