Filming Nanoworld Movies: Real-time electron microscopy of nanomaterials

Описание: Filming nanoworld movies:
Real-time electron microscopy
of nanomaterials
April 5, 2023

Introduction

Nanotechnology is revolutionizing our lives by contributing to significant scientific development. The breakthrough in nanotechnology proceeds with the advance in technology to observe nanoscale materials, where electron microscopy plays a critical role. Electron microscopy is now going through next-level evolution by combining imaging capabilities with the application of external stimuli to transform the microscope into a nanoscale experiment laboratory. Moreover, recent electron microscopy techniques enabled recording videos of the dynamics on a nanoscale, called ‘in situ electron microscopy. In this talk, we will first explore the concept of in situ(real-time) transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Next, we will look at the recent discoveries using in situ TEM for fundamentals of materials science, including the growth of nanostructures for semiconductors and electrode materials under the control of temperature or electric potential. Finally, we will discuss the ongoing projects of in situ TEM for application in sustainable energy technologies. We will use our knowledge of in situ TEM to learn new things about everyday energy storage containers, such as batteries and catalysts for fuel cells, and especially about how the energy materials change and affect the performance of the devices while they operate.


Speaker
Serin Lee is from South Korea and completed her Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). She is a fourth year Ph.D. student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT working with Professor Frances Ross. She uses in situ (real time) transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for studying nanoscale kinetics and chemistry in liquid phase. She is an MIT Mathworks and MIT Energy Initiative fellow and one of the co-presidents of Womxn in Materials Science and Engineering (WXOMS) at MIT.

Glossary of Important Terms
Nanometer (nm): a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), equal to one billionth (short scale) of a meter (0.000000001 m), to 0.001 micrometers (µm), and to 1000 picometers (pm). One nanometer can be expressed in scientific notation as 1×10−9 m.
Semiconductor: a material which has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass.
Microscope: an instrument used to see objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye.
Microscopy: technical field of using microscopes to view objects and areas of objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye (objects that are not within the resolution range of the normal eye).
Electron: a subatomic particle with a negative one elementary electric charge.
Electron microscopy: a microscope that uses a beam of electrons as a source of illumination.
Electric current: a stream of charged particles, such as electrons or ions, moving through an electrical conductor or space.
Voltage: the difference in electric potential between two points. In a static electric field, it corresponds to the work needed per unit of charge to move a test charge between the two points.
In situ electron microscopy: an investigatory technique where an electron microscope is used to watch a sample's response to a stimulus in real time.
Operando electron microscopy: recording materials using electron microscopy in experiment environment close to that of operating conditions.



Resources to learn more
Short video explaining operating principle of a transmission electron microscope:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tr...

Short video explaining how lithium-ion batteries work:
   • How do Lithium-ion Batteries Work?  

Short video explaining in situ TEM and spectroscopy studies of rechargeable batteries:
   • In situ TEM and spectroscopy studies of re...