Liquid‐Phase Electron Microscopy for Soft Matter Science and Biology

• Published in: Advanced materials (Weinheim) Vol. 32; no. 25; pp. e2001582 - n/a
• Main Authors: Wu, Hanglong, Friedrich, Heiner, Patterson, Joseph P., Sommerdijk, Nico A. J. M., Jonge, Niels
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2020
• Subjects: beam–sample interactions; Biology; Chemical reactions; Design of experiments; dynamic processes; Electron beams; Electron microscopy; Graphite - chemistry; in situ electron microscopy; Materials science; Micelles; Microscopy; Microscopy, Electron - methods; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Signal-To-Noise Ratio; Spatial resolution; synthetic materials; Temporal resolution; Water - chemistry; in situ electron microscopy; synthetic materials; beam-sample interactions; dynamic processes
• ISSN: 0935-9648; 1521-4095
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.202001582

Innovations in liquid‐phase electron microscopy (LP‐EM) have made it possible to perform experiments at the optimized conditions needed to examine soft matter. The main obstacle is conducting experiments in such a way that electron beam radiation can be used to obtain answers for scientific questions without changing the structure and (bio)chemical processes in the sample due to the influence of the radiation. By overcoming these experimental difficulties at least partially, LP‐EM has evolved into a new microscopy method with nanometer spatial resolution and sub‐second temporal resolution for analysis of soft matter in materials science and biology. Both experimental design and applications of LP‐EM for soft matter materials science and biological research are reviewed, and a perspective of possible future directions is given. Liquid‐phase electron microscopy (LP‐EM) provides nanometer spatial resolution and sub‐second temporal resolution for analysis of soft matter. The experimental design has to optimize resolution versus radiation damage. Both techniques and applications of LP‐EM for soft matter materials science and biological research are reviewed, and a perspective of possible future directions is given.