Although carbon-based materials, such as graphene, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), polymers and biomolecules, have aroused increasing scientific interest in the fields of physics, chemistry, materials science and molecular biology, their atomic-scale observation is still a challenge due to their structural instability under the electron beam. Ambiguous atomic arrangements have critically limited the fundamental understanding on these materials and their potential applications in electronics, mechanics, thermodynamics, catalysis, bioscience and medicine. Very recently, revolutionary sub-Ångström resolution achievements of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using a low voltage, a low electron dose, or a cryogenic environment have greatly facilitated the atomic-scale structural and chemical examination of electron beam sensitive materials. In particular, the ability to image light elements atom by atom gives unprecedented insight into the structures and properties of novel carbon-based materials. In this review, the recent developments in advanced TEM combined with various imaging and spectroscopy techniques, and their use in examining graphene-based materials, MOFs, polymers, and biomacromolecules are summarized and discussed. The current challenges in materials research and trends for the future design of TEM equipment are outlined, which is expected to provide a deeper understanding of structure-performance relationships and the discovery of new carbon materials.

尽管石墨烯、金属有机框架（MOFs）、聚合物和生物分子等碳基材料在物理、化学、材料科学和分子生物学领域引起了越来越多的科学兴趣，但它们的原子尺度观察仍然是一个挑战由于它们在电子束下的结构不稳定性。模糊的原子排列严重限制了对这些材料的基本理解及其在电子学、力学、热力学、催化、生物科学和医学中的潜在应用。最近，使用低电压、低电子剂量或低温环境的透射电子显微镜 (TEM) 的革命性亚埃分辨率成就极大地促进了电子束敏感材料的原子级结构和化学检查。特别是，逐个原子地对轻元素进行成像的能力使人们对新型碳基材料的结构和性质有了前所未有的了解。在这篇综述中，总结和讨论了结合各种成像和光谱技术的先进 TEM 的最新发展，以及它们在检查石墨烯基材料、MOF、聚合物和生物大分子中的应用。概述了当前材料研究的挑战和未来 TEM 设备设计的趋势，有望提供对结构-性能关系的更深入理解和新碳材料的发现。总结和讨论了先进 TEM 与各种成像和光谱技术相结合的最新发展，以及它们在检查石墨烯基材料、MOF、聚合物和生物大分子中的应用。概述了当前材料研究的挑战和未来 TEM 设备设计的趋势，有望提供对结构-性能关系的更深入理解和新碳材料的发现。总结和讨论了先进 TEM 与各种成像和光谱技术相结合的最新发展，以及它们在检查石墨烯基材料、MOF、聚合物和生物大分子中的应用。概述了当前材料研究的挑战和未来 TEM 设备设计的趋势，有望提供对结构-性能关系的更深入理解和新碳材料的发现。