The nucleation and growth of crystals from solutions are fundamental to materials synthesis and its applications. The mass transfer at micro/nano region in solution will greatly influence the crystal growth process, however, to our knowledge, there is rarely research at this scale due to the technique limit. By using in situ liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we observed the crystal growth at flow condition with high resolution in real time. Interestingly, we found a flow induced formation of the solute rich dense liquid phase near surface at ultra-low precursor concentration, which then transformed to nanocrystals. The dendritic crystal growth was accelerated by the dense phase droplet merging and the anisotropic crystal growth was controlled by dense phase shape evolution. Our study deepens the understanding of crystal growth mechanisms, which is crucial to determine reaction dynamics and design hierarchical nanomaterials.
Silver nanowires (Ag NWs) possess remarkable attributes, such as high surface area, excellent conductivity, optical properties, and strong anisotropy, rendering them highly promising for diverse applications in flexible electronics, transparent electrodes, and other fields. However, a comprehensive understanding of their thermodynamic behavior remains elusive. Given the temperature sensitivity of Ag NWs, it becomes imperative to unravel their degradation mechanisms, ensuring their reliability in practical usage. In this study, we conducted an extensive analysis of well-defined polycrystalline Ag NWs, employing in situ TEM to investigate their thermal transitions. Our research revealed that the different forms of energy transfer and interfacial stability resulted in different degrees of transformation of Ag NWs under different thermal conditions. We recorded these transformations in complete and detailed videos. These outcomes provide a solid foundation for attaining a comprehensive understanding of the thermal properties of Ag NWs, propelling their utilization in scientific research and industrial applications.
RbBr nanocubes were transformed from solid to hollow nanostructure under e-beam irradiation while maintaining the size, exterior shape, and crystalline structure. The process of the morphological evolution was studied by in situ TEM characterization at atomic resolution. The transformation was attributed to combination of the radiolysis and surface ligand bonding (stabilization). The radiolysis occurred at the surface resulted in evaporation or sputtering of the constituent atoms at the unpassivated sites, leaving vacancies at the surface which facilitate the outward diffusion of atoms from inside. The atoms near the surface were stabilized by the bonding of the ligands and remained in the crystalline configuration, leading to the formation of hollow nanocubes.
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