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Electrons Make Shells, Photons Make Boxes: Unmasking Radiation Chemistry in Liquid-Phase Imaging
Babak Alavi1, Joanna Depciuch1, Mohammad Sadegh Shakeri1
1Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|August 13, 2026
Summary
Soft X-ray and electron beams significantly alter nanoscale redox reactions. Beam-induced chemistry in liquid-phase imaging actively reshapes observed reaction pathways, influencing material formation.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Chemistry
Background:
- Beam-induced chemistry is crucial for understanding nanoscale redox processes in liquid-phase imaging.
- The effects of beam irradiation depend on modality, solvent chemistry, and material systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the influence of soft X-ray and electron irradiation on galvanic replacement reactions.
- To investigate how beam-induced chemistry affects nanoscale reaction pathways.
Main Methods:
- Liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy (LP-TEM) was used for imaging.
- Galvanic replacement reactions between Cu2O nanocubes and gold precursors were studied under different irradiation conditions.
- Solution chemistry was adjusted during imaging to observe its effect on reaction pathways.
Main Results:
- Soft X-ray irradiation created an oxidizing environment, promoting Cu2O dissolution and hollow Au nanobox formation.
- Electron irradiation favored surface-confined Au deposition, leading to Au@Cu2O core-shell structures.
- Modifying solution chemistry during LP-TEM imaging could restore the hollowing pathway, highlighting the role of the local chemical environment.
Conclusions:
- The imaging beam actively reshapes nanoscale reaction pathways, rather than passively probing them.
- Beam-induced chemistry is a critical factor controlling the balance between deposition and dissolution in galvanic replacement reactions.
- Understanding and controlling beam-induced chemistry is essential for accurate interpretation of nanoscale processes in liquid-phase imaging.
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