Nanoparticle shape and configuration analysis by transmission electron tomography.
Tomographic reconstruction by transmission electron microscopy is used to reveal three-dimensional nanoparticle shapes and the stacking configurations of nanoparticle ensembles. Reconstructions are generated from bright-field image tilt series, with a sample tilt range up to +/- 70 degrees, using single or dual tilt axes. We demonstrate the feasibility of this technique for the analysis of nanomaterials, using appropriate acquisition conditions. Tomography reveals both cubic and hexagonal close-packing configurations in multi-layered arrays of size-selected In nanospheres. By tomography and phase-contrast lattice imaging, we relate the three-dimensional shape of PbSe octahedral nanoparticles to the underlying crystal structure. We also confirm simple-cubic packing in multi-layers of PbSe nanocubes and see evidence that the particle shapes have cubic symmetry. The shapes of TiO(2) nanorod bundles are shown by tomographic reconstruction to resemble flattened ellipsoids.
Ahrenkiel
S P
SP
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, CO 80401, USA. phil.Ahrenkiel@sdsmt.edu
Yu
P R
PR
Murphy
J E
JE
Nedeljković
J M
JM
Donohoe
B S
BS
D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D010087:Oxides; D014025:Titanium