Control of Electron Beam-Induced Au Nanocrystal Growth Kinetics through Solution Chemistry

Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles, IBM, and the University of Pennsylvania have used Hummingbird Scientific’s in-situ liquid-electrochemical cell TEM specimen holder to measure the growth of Au nanocrystals formed during the electron beam irradiation of a gold chloride solution. Their findings are published in Nano Letters.

The processes involved in radiolysis-induced growth of Au nanoprisms (right) and TEM images of crystal growth over time (left; scale bar applies to all images)

The researchers recorded crystal growth rates as a function of size, location, and irradiation conditions. Their findings offer methods for more precisely predicting and controlling the development of the crystalline morphology in nanocrystals. Applications include catalysis, electronics, encryption strategies, molecular diagnostics, and gene therapy.

J.H. Park, N.M. Schneider, J.M. Grogan, M.C. Reuter, H.H. Bau, S. Kodambaka & F.M. Ross, “Control of Electron Beam-Induced Au Nanocrystal Growth Kinetics through Solution Chemistry.” Nano Letters, doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b01677, Published 29 July 2015.

Nano Letters paper

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