Seeing subtle nanoparticle differences A challenge in the fabrication of nanoparticles is that even for particles of uniform size, there will still be a distribution in the atomic arrangements and surface capping ligands from one particle to the next. Using liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy, Kim et al. reconstructed the structure of individual nanocrystals synthesized in one batch while they were still in solution. A comparison of multiple particles showed structural heterogeneity and differences between the interior and the outer shell of the individual nanoparticles, as well as nanoparticles containing extended defects and thus differences in internal strain, all of which can affect the physical and chemical properties of each particle. Science, this issue p. 60 Liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy reveals tiny differences in the atomic arrangements of platinum particles. Precise three-dimensional (3D) atomic structure determination of individual nanocrystals is a prerequisite for understanding and predicting their physical properties. Nanocrystals from the same synthesis batch display what are often presumed to be small but possibly important differences in size, lattice distortions, and defects, which can only be understood by structural characterization with high spatial 3D resolution. We solved the structures of individual colloidal platinum nanocrystals by developing atomic-resolution 3D liquid-cell electron microscopy to reveal critical intrinsic heterogeneity of ligand-protected platinum nanocrystals in solution, including structural degeneracies, lattice parameter deviations, internal defects, and strain. These differences in structure lead to substantial contributions to free energies, consequential enough that they must be considered in any discussion of fundamental nanocrystal properties or applications.

中文翻译：

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溶液中单个配体保护纳米晶体的 3D 原子结构的关键差异

看到细微的纳米颗粒差异 制造纳米颗粒的一个挑战是，即使对于均匀尺寸的颗粒，从一个颗粒到另一个颗粒的原子排列和表面封端配体仍然存在分布。使用液体细胞透射电子显微镜，Kim 等人。重建了一批合成的单个纳米晶体的结构，而它们仍处于溶液中。多个粒子的比较显示了单个纳米粒子的内部和外壳之间的结构异质性和差异，以及包含扩展缺陷的纳米粒子，因此内部应变的差异，所有这些都会影响每个粒子的物理和化学性质。科学，这个问题 p。60 液池透射电子显微镜揭示了铂颗粒原子排列的微小差异。单个纳米晶体的精确三维 (3D) 原子结构测定是理解和预测其物理特性的先决条件。来自同一合成批次的纳米晶体在尺寸、晶格畸变和缺陷方面通常被认为是很小但可能很重要的差异，这些差异只能通过具有高空间 3D 分辨率的结构表征来理解。我们通过开发原子分辨率 3D 液体电池电子显微镜来解决单个胶体铂纳米晶体的结构，以揭示溶液中配体保护的铂纳米晶体的关键内在异质性，包括结构简并、晶格参数偏差、内部缺陷和应变。这些结构差异导致对自由能的重大贡献，因此在任何基本纳米晶体特性或应用的讨论中都必须考虑到它们。