Nucleation and Growth of Molecular Crystals Through Molecular Assembly Unveiled by In Situ Liquid Phase Electron Microscopy

Liquid phase electron microscopy has attracted great attention in recent years. It has been used to study the nucleation, growth, and self-assembly of colloidal nanocrystals and other materials systems. With the capability of high-resolution imaging through liquids at the atomic level, it allows to track the atomic pathways of crystal formation, including the morphological and structural transformations. Fascinating dynamic phenomena of materials and unique growth mechanisms have been revealed. Many previous studies have been focusing on inorganic nanomaterials. Real-time imaging of the formation of supramolecular structures and metal-coordination complexes in a liquid cell at the molecular level has rarely been achieved, due to low imaging contrast, electron beam damage, and other technical challenges. In this talk, I will present our recent studies the growth of metal-organic complex molecular crystals using liquid phase electron microscopy. The molecular interactions, metal-organic nanocluster formation, and structural transformation with intensive structural flexibility are captured. Through further computation and simulation, the underline mechanisms have been revealed.