Deliberate electron irradiation of cerium oxide nanoparticles in water is used to trigger chemical reactions in a liquid cell transmission electron microscope. Formation of nanorods and nanoneedles is observed starting from predominantly octahedral shape nanoparticles. Detailed morphologies found include free-standing needles, needles connected to specific octahedral ceria facets and star-shaped multi-needle patterns. It is found that rod-axis orientations and crystallographic directions are aligned. It is suggested that high ion and radical concentration of radiolysed water dissolves layers of the original CeO2 particles which re-arrange as needles in the direction of energetically preferred facets.
CITATION STYLE
Asghar, M. S. A., Inkson, B. J., & Möbus, G. (2020). In situ formation of 1D nanostructures from ceria nanoparticle dispersions by liquid cell TEM irradiation. Journal of Materials Science, 55(7), 2815–2825. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-019-04140-0
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