Abstract
Elucidating the structural information of nanoscale materials in their solvent-exposed state is crucial, as a result, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) has become an increasingly popular technique in the materials science, chemistry, and biology communities. Cryo-TEM provides a method to directly visualize the specimen structure in a solution-state through a thin film of vitrified solvent. This technique complements X-ray, neutron, and light scattering methods that probe the statistical average of all species present; furthermore, cryo-TEM can be used to observe changes in structure over time. In the area of self-assembly, this tool has been particularly powerful for the characterization of natural and synthetic small molecule assemblies, as well as hybrid organic-inorganic composites. In this review, we discuss recent advances in cryogenic TEM in the context of self-assembling systems with emphasis on characterization of transitions observed in response to external stimuli.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 350-359 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Current Opinion in Colloid and Interface Science |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Dec 2012 |
Keywords
- Amyloid fibril assembly
- Block copolymer assembly
- Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy
- Hybrid materials
- Peptide amphiphile
- Self-assembly
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Surfaces and Interfaces
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
- Polymers and Plastics
- Colloid and Surface Chemistry