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Updated: May 28, 2026

Performing In Situ Closed-Cell Gas Reactions in the Transmission Electron Microscope
Published on: July 24, 2021
In situ transmission electron microscopy observation of silver oxidation in ionized/atomic gas
Li Sun1, Kyong Wook Noh, Jian-Guo Wen
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Abstract:
The interaction between silver and ionized and atomic gas was observed directly by in situ transmission electron microscopy with an environmental cell for the first time. The electron beam provides dual functions as the source of both gas ionization and imaging. The concentration of ionized gas was tuned via adjusting the current density of the electron beam. Oxidation of the silver is observed in situ, indicating the presence of ionized and/or atomic oxygen. The evolution of microstructure and phase constituents was characterized. Then the oxidation rate was measured, and the relationships among grain size, mass transport rate, and electron flux were characterized. The role of the electron beam is discussed, and the results are rationalized with respect to ex situ results from the literature.
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