Quantitative 3D structural analysis of small colloidal assemblies under native conditions by liquid-cell fast electron tomography.

ABSTRACT: Electron tomography has become a commonly used tool to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) structure of nanomaterials, including colloidal nanoparticle assemblies. However, electron microscopy is typically done under high-vacuum conditions, requiring sample preparation for assemblies obtained by wet colloid chemistry methods. This involves solvent evaporation and deposition on a solid support, which consistently alters the nanoparticle organization. Here, we suggest using electron tomography to study nanoparticle assemblies in their original colloidal liquid environment. To address the challenges related to electron tomography in liquid, we devise a method that combines fast data acquisition in a commercial liquid-cell with a dedicated alignment and reconstruction workflow. We present t

SUBMITTER: Arenas Esteban D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11289127 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature