NanoMesureFrance WEBINAR

Controlling size, shape, and composition of nanoparticles is required to improve their physical properties. Dopants and impurities distribution may affect lattice strains, electronic band structure and eventually catalytic selectivity and activity of nanoparticles; therefore, three-dimensional sub-nanometer resolution elemental mapping is key. Atom probe tomography (APT) is an enabling characterization tool for mapping the elemental distribution in nanostructured materials due to its unique combination of three-dimensional (3D) capability, sub-nanometre spatial resolution, and a detection sensitivity in the range of tens of parts-per-million, including for light species such as carbon or boron.

In this presentation, I will introduce the technique of APT, and discuss the progress in the development of specimens preparation techniques using chemical fixation to enable the analysis of freestanding nanoparticles, nanorods or nanosheet, as well as powder particles. I will showcase examples where insights from APT were used to rationalise the properties of nanoaerogels and improve their design to optimise their electrocatalysis properties.

Finally, frontiers in APT analysis of cryo-fixated samples will be discussed.