I have nanoparticles of size 4-5nm synthesized in organic solvents capped with long chain organic ligands. Due to their small size and surface ligands, these particles drift when I image them in HRTEM mode (Mh340X). Any suggestions to reduce this?
I always check the alignment. Some suggested to plasma clean the sample or holder but if I plasma clean the sample, the surface ligands gets ripped off and particle changes the morphology.
Hi Anchal,
this is why I don´t like metallic samples with organic residuals and try to avoid them. According to my experiences, in some cases covering the samples by sputtering of carbon film can work perfectly, but for another ones not. Maybe it depends on the nature of particles and compostion of solvent. Few times I had such samples prepared as thin slices by ultramicrotome. The samples were stable, but I didn´t try HRTEM.
What can you do more is increase high tension of your TEM. The higher accelerating voltage, the less interactions with the sample you get.
Hi Anchal,
this is why I don´t like metallic samples with organic residuals and try to avoid them. According to my experiences, in some cases covering the samples by sputtering of carbon film can work perfectly, but for another ones not. Maybe it depends on the nature of particles and compostion of solvent. Few times I had such samples prepared as thin slices by ultramicrotome. The samples were stable, but I didn´t try HRTEM.
What can you do more is increase high tension of your TEM. The higher accelerating voltage, the less interactions with the sample you get.
I have actually tried coating my particles with the carbon film but didn't work the way I wanted.
I guess high tension could potentially help.
Thanks for the suggestion. I will give it a try.
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