Issue 1, 2022

Cryogenic electron tomography to determine thermodynamic quantities for nanoparticle dispersions

Abstract

Here we present a method to extract thermodynamic quantities for nanoparticle dispersions in solvents. The method is based on the study of tomograms obtained from cryogenic electron tomography (cryoET). The approach is demonstrated for gold nanoparticles (diameter < 5 nm). Tomograms are reconstructed from tilt-series 2D images. Once the three-dimensional (3D) coordinates for the centres of mass of all of the particles in the sample are determined, we calculate the pair distribution function g(r) and the potential of mean force U(r) without any assumption. Importantly, we show that further quantitative information from 3D tomograms is readily available as the spatial fluctuation in the particles’ position can be efficiently determined. This in turn allows for the prompt derivation of the Kirkwood–Buff integrals with all their associated quantities such as the second virial coefficient. Finally, the structure factor and the agglomeration states of the particles are evaluated directly. These thermodynamic quantities provide key insights into the dispersion properties of the particles. The method works well both for dispersed systems containing isolated particles and for systems with varying degrees of agglomerations.

Graphical abstract: Cryogenic electron tomography to determine thermodynamic quantities for nanoparticle dispersions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
08 9 2021
Accepted
15 10 2021
First published
05 11 2021
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Mater. Horiz., 2022,9, 303-311

Cryogenic electron tomography to determine thermodynamic quantities for nanoparticle dispersions

Q. Ong, T. Mao, N. Iranpour Anaraki, Ł. Richter, C. Malinverni, X. Xu, F. Olgiati, P. H. J. Silva, A. Murello, A. Neels, D. Demurtas, S. Shimizu and F. Stellacci, Mater. Horiz., 2022, 9, 303 DOI: 10.1039/D1MH01461G

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