In situ tracking the reversible spinel-rocksalt structural transformation between Mn3O4and MnO.
Electron beam irradiation is well known to induce damage in materials. The structural transformation involved in the damage is usually believed to be an irreversible solid state chemical reaction. Here we use in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined electron-energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) technique in an aberration-corrected TEM to track the structural transformation in spinel Mn3O4induced by electron beam irradiation. It is clarified that spinel Mn3O4is transformed to rocksalt structured MnO by irradiation and the reversed recovering transition from rocksalt MnO to spinel Mn3O4can occur by aging in the gentle electron beam circumstance. The mechanisms including the role of O desorption/adsorption and the displacement of Mn and O involved in the reversible transformation processes are discussed. The work presents an implication that electron beam can modify the structure at atomic dimension yielding diverse assemblies of surfaces, interfaces and colorful properties.
Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenhua Road 72, 110016 Shenyang, China.
Xingyuan
X
San
Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenhua Road 72, 110016 Shenyang, China. Electronic address: bozhang@imr.ac.cn.
Bo
B
Zhang
Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenhua Road 72, 110016 Shenyang, China.
Jing
J
Wang
Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenhua Road 72, 110016 Shenyang, China.
Bo
B
Wu
Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenhua Road 72, 110016 Shenyang, China.
Xiuliang
X
Ma
Beam irradiation; In-situ transmission electron microscopy; Mn(3)O(4); Reversible transformation