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Imaging Cu2O nanocube hollowing in solution by quantitative in situ X-ray ptychography.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Grote, Lukas 
Döhrmann, Ralph 
Harouna-Mayer, Sani Y  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7813-8814
Mancini, Federica 

Abstract

Understanding morphological changes of nanoparticles in solution is essential to tailor the functionality of devices used in energy generation and storage. However, we lack experimental methods that can visualize these processes in solution, or in electrolyte, and provide three-dimensional information. Here, we show how X-ray ptychography enables in situ nano-imaging of the formation and hollowing of nanoparticles in solution at 155 °C. We simultaneously image the growth of about 100 nanocubes with a spatial resolution of 66 nm. The quantitative phase images give access to the third dimension, allowing to additionally study particle thickness. We reveal that the substrate hinders their out-of-plane growth, thus the nanocubes are in fact nanocuboids. Moreover, we observe that the reduction of Cu2O to Cu triggers the hollowing of the nanocuboids. We critically assess the interaction of X-rays with the liquid sample. Our method enables detailed in-solution imaging for a wide range of reaction conditions.

Description

Keywords

40 Engineering, 4018 Nanotechnology, Bioengineering, Nanotechnology, Biomedical Imaging, 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Journal Title

Nat Commun

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2041-1723
2041-1723

Volume Title

13

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) (EXC 788 2056 - project ID 390715994.)
European Research Council (818941)
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Federal Ministry of Education and Research) (Röntgen-Ångström-Cluster via the project 05K2020 - 2019-06104 XStereoVision)