3D Nanoscale chemical analysis: a FIBSEM-SIMS facility optimised for soft and composite materials
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Chemical and Process Engineering
Abstract
The increasing complexity of materials that underpin advances in the digital technologies, additive manufacturing, healthcare, food, energy, environmental and fine chemical sectors requires a step-change in semi-quantitative, isotopic and trace chemical analysis from nanoscale volumes, contextualised in their native 3D structure. Furthermore, with urgent societal pressures for sustainable NetZero technologies, rapid analysis of both synthetic and natural materials over multiple length scales, can facilitate their improvement and optimal utilisation. An integrated UHV FIBSEM-ToFSIMS instrument provides an important tool for surface chemical analysis with isotopic and trace element sensitivity and also enables 3D nanoscale chemical characterisation of materials over volumes of 100,000 cubic micrometres via serial ion beam sectioning. This analysis fills a pivotal gap within correlative workflows for the combined structural and chemical imaging of materials at different length scales: between that probed by light and X-rays, and that obtained using analytical transmission electron microscopy, and ultimately atom probe tomography. The new equipment will possess flexibility to study both hard and also soft materials, via the cryo-workflow, thus increasing UK expertise in analysis of important, hybrid organic-inorganic materials. Such a capability opens up new horizons for the characterisation of complex soft solids (and potentially solid/liquid dispersions) used in a wide range of medical, chemical, structural and electronic applications.
Publications
Galloway J
(2023)
Electron transparent nanotubes reveal crystallization pathways in confinement
in Chemical Science
Ilett M
(2023)
In situ electron microscopy techniques for nanoparticle dispersion analysis of commercial sunscreen
in Journal of Nanoparticle Research
Gray-Wannell N
(2023)
Morphological features of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) as revealed by various microscopies
in Clay Minerals
Description | Bridging the gap between cell and structural biology at the University of Leeds |
Amount | £418,467 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 208395/Z/17/Z |
Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2018 |
End | 02/2023 |
Description | Core Equipment at the University of Leeds |
Amount | £549,999 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/T024488/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2020 |
End | 08/2021 |
Description | Quorum Cryo-liftout |
Organisation | Quorum Review- Independent Review Board |
Country | United States |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with company Quorum on in-situ liftout of frozen TEM samples |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration with company Quorum on in-situ liftout of frozen TEM samples |
Impact | none so far |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Tescan |
Organisation | TESCAN Brno s.r.o. |
Country | Czech Republic |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | As part of the equipment tender process initiated discussions about becoming a beta test site for the development of a new transmission electron microscope |
Collaborator Contribution | Potential provision of a new beta transmission electron microscope plus research collaboration. Full agreement yet to be reached. |
Impact | Still under discussion |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Thermo Fisher |
Organisation | Thermo Fisher Scientific |
Country | United States |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | As part of the equipment tender process initiated discussions about provision of a new workhorse transmission electron microscope (TEM) and also discussing the potential for becoming a project partner on a bid for a new advanced scanning TEM |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of a new workhorse TEM and potentially access to new R&D for a grant proposal for a new advanced TEM |
Impact | None as yet |
Start Year | 2021 |