Hierarchical Structure Formation Revealed by Liquid Phase TEM

Nanoscale materials often undergo structural, morphological, or chemical changes, during solution processes, such as nucleation, growth, and self-assembly. Conventional <i>ex-situ</i> spectroscopic or microscopic characterizations provide ensemble averages and lack dynamic information. In-situ liquid phase transmission electron microscopy (TEM) enables tracking the dynamics of individual nanomaterials. Significant advances have been made in the development of liquid phase TEM, including the improved high-resolution imaging at the atomic level and enhanced capabilities in handling complex systems and reactions. We apply liquid phase TEM to investigate hierarchical structure formation including one-dimensional (1D) growth by nanoparticle interaction and attachment; two-dimensional (2D) growth with Moire patterns and interlayer coupling. In this talk, I will highlight the progress we made on the topics of study using liquid phase TEM including the impacts of defects on the transformations of these structures.