Understanding Electron Beam-Induced Chemical Polymerization Processes of Small Organic Molecules Using Operando Liquid-Phase Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Electron beams evolved as important tools for modern technologies that construct and analyze nanoscale architectures. While electron-matter interactions at atomic and macro scales are well-studied, a knowledge gap persists at the molecular to nano level─the scale most relevant to the latest technologies. Here, we employ liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy supported by density functional theory calculations and a mathematical random search algorithm to rationalize and quantify electron beam-induced processes at the molecular level.

Navigating Ball Mill Specifications for Theory-to-Practice Reproducibility in Mechanochemistry.

The rising prospects of mechanochemically assisted syntheses hold promise for both academia and industry, yet they face challenges in understanding and, therefore, anticipating respective reaction kinetics. Particularly, dependencies based on variations in milling equipment remain little understood and globally overlooked. This study aims to address this issue by identifying critical parameters through kinematic models, facilitating the reproducibility of mechanochemical reactions across the most prominent mills in laboratory settings, namely planetary and mixer mills.

Electron beam-induced demetallation of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pd, and Pt metalloporphyrins: insights in e-beam chemistry and metal cluster formations.

Electron beams are versatile tools for nanoscale fabrication processes, however, the underlying e-beam chemistry remains in its infancy. Through transmission electron microscopy investigations, we elucidate a redox-driven cargo release of individual metal atoms triggered by electron beams. The chosen organic delivery molecule, tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP), proves highly versatile, forming complexes with nearly all metals from the periodic table and being easily processed in solution.