Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 1, 2026
10:29
Studying Dynamic Processes of Nano-sized Objects in Liquid using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy
Published on: February 5, 2017
13.1K
Dynamics of gold nanoparticle clusters observed with liquid-phase electron microscopy
Elisa Cepeda-Pérez1, Niels de Jonge2
1INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 -2, D-66123, Saarbrücken, Germany.
Micron (Oxford, England : 1993)
|December 4, 2018
Summary
We observed how gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in liquid move and assemble under electron beam irradiation. Different electron fluxes caused cluster formation, joining, fragmentation, and nanoparticle exchange, revealing new dynamics at solid-liquid interfaces.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Nanoparticle dynamics at solid-liquid interfaces are poorly understood.
- Existing models for bulk conditions do not fully explain interfacial behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the dynamics of colloidal chitosan coated gold nanoparticle (TCHIT-AuNP) clusters at solid-liquid interfaces.
- To understand nanoparticle assembly, movement, and interaction under electron beam irradiation.
Main Methods:
- Liquid phase scanning transmission electron microscopy (LP-STEM) was employed.
- Studies were conducted on TCHIT-AuNP clusters within a liquid layer between SiN membranes.
- Experiments included varying electron flux (0.9, 6.2, and 25 e-/sŲ).
- Comparative studies used branched polyethylenimine (BPEI) coated AuNPs.
Main Results:
- At 0.9 e-/sŲ, AuNPs assembled into dynamic clusters that shifted and rotated, with new clusters forming larger ones via oriented attachment.
- At 6.2 e-/sŲ, cluster fragmentation and TCHIT-AuNP exchange between clusters were observed.
- At 25 e-/sŲ, AuNPs exhibited slow movement, deviating from typical Brownian motion, even without direct attachment.
Conclusions:
- Electron beam irradiation significantly influences nanoparticle dynamics at solid-liquid interfaces.
- Observed phenomena like oriented attachment, fragmentation, and exchange challenge current understanding of nanoparticle behavior.
- LP-STEM provides valuable insights into interfacial nanoparticle processes.
Keywords:
Gold nanoparticlesLiquid-phase electron microscopyNanoparticle clusteringNanoparticle dynamicsScanning transmission electron microscopySolid-liquid interfaceMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:31Phase Transitions
23.2K
Whether solid, liquid, or gas, a substance's state depends on the order and arrangement of its particles (atoms, molecules, or ions). Particles in the solid pack closely together, generally in a pattern. The particles vibrate about their fixed positions but do not move or squeeze past their neighbors. In liquids, although the particles are closely spaced, they are randomly arranged. The position of the particles are not fixed—that is, they are free to move past their neighbors to...
23.2K
01:25Overview of Electron Microscopy
14.6K
The wavelengths of visible light ultimately limit the maximum theoretical resolution of images created by light microscopes. Most light microscopes can only magnify 1000X, and a few can magnify up to 1500X. Electrons, like electromagnetic radiation, can behave like waves, but with wavelengths of 0.005 nm, they produce significantly greater resolution up to 0.05 nm as compared to 500 nm for visible light. An electron microscope (EM) can create a sharp image that is magnified up to 2,000,000X.
14.6K
01:07Scanning Electron Microscopy
5.5K
A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to study the surface features of a sample by using an electron beam that scans the sample surface in a two-dimensional manner. Typically, areas between ~1 centimeter to 5 micrometers in width can be imaged. SEM can be used to image bacteria, viruses, tissues as well as larger samples like insects. Conventional SEM gives a magnification ranging from 20X to 30,000X and spatial resolution of 50 to 100 nanometers.
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
5.5K
01:15Transmission Electron Microscopy
7.2K
In 1931, physicist Ernst Ruska—building on the idea that magnetic fields can direct an electron beam just as lenses can direct a beam of light in an optical microscope—developed the first prototype of the electron microscope. This development led to the development of the field of electron microscopy. In the transmission electron microscope (TEM), electrons are produced by a hot tungsten element and accelerated by a potential difference in an electron gun, which gives them up to 400...
7.2K
01:20Immunogold Electron Microscopy
5.5K
Immunoelectron microscopy utilizes immunogold labeling of endogenous proteins with specific antibodies to detect and localize these proteins in cells and tissues. The procedure provides insights into the distribution and quantification of protein under different stimulation conditions offering clues about their functions. Conjugating highly electron-dense gold particles with primary or secondary antibodies allow antigen detection on and within cells, with high resolution and specificity.
5.5K
01:28Cryo-electron Microscopy
4.3K
Conventional electron microscopy (EM) involves dehydration, fixation, and staining of biological samples, which distorts the native state of biological molecules and results in several artifacts. Also, the high-energy electron beam damages the sample and makes it difficult to obtain high-resolution images. These issues can be addressed using cryo-EM, which uses frozen samples and gentler electron beams. The technique was developed by Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, and Richard Henderson, for...
4.3K