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Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) represents the mostly widespread method available in analytical laboratories dedicated to the characterization of physical properties such as morphology of various solid materials from ‘micro-’ down to the nanometre scale. The use of secondary electrons excited by a sharply, nm-focussed primary electron beam enables at any modern SEM to image objects with high in-depth and lateral sensitivity, i.e. with high spatial resolution. Hence, e. g. nanoparticles (NPs) are able to be easily characterized with respect to their individual size and shape, but also to the morphology of their surface.
By preparing the nano-objects on thin membranes as electron transparent samples it is possible to perform electron microscopy in the transmission mode (TEM and TSEM). The corresponding transmission (i.e. mass-thickness) contrast reveals in-depth information, but is also well suited for dimensional measurements in the 2D projection image. Both the surface sensitive mode and the transmission one are meanwhile available at any modern SEM. If an X-ray spectrometer is attached to an electron microscope, it is possible to analyse the characteristic X-rays induced by electron bombardment. Most electron microscopes have attached an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) so that EDX elemental maps can be carried out. Recent technological developments of high throughput EDS detectors and their advantages regarding high-resolution X-ray analysis down to the nm range are reviewed.
High-resolution micrographs (SEM, TSEM, TEM) and corresponding X-ray elemental maps on various representative nanoparticles, but also layered samples prepared in cross-section, will be presented and discussed. The importance of selecting the best suited analysis conditions will be highlighted. Also other, often challenging, topics such as sample preparation and image data processing will be critically addressed by practical examples. Further analytical techniques able to be employed at an electron microscope, like cathodoluminescence (CL) or micro-X-ray fluorescence (µXRF) will be briefly surveyed.
The TiO2 material selected for the present inter-laboratory comparison (ILC) was the bipyramidal anatase UT001 batch synthesized hydrothermally by University of Turin in the frame of the EU/FP7 Project SETNanoMetro and carefully prepared on TEM grids by BAM to be distributed to the ILC participants. A clear measurement protocol including data analysis and reporting (including an xls reporting template) has been also prepared by BAM. 14 of 18 participants have measured and reported results which have been already checked by BAM as being conform to the agreed protocol. After receiving the last results (of 4 participants) the ILC data evaluation will be carried out by BAM in line with agreed ISO/TC229 procedures as for the other case sudies.
A proposal of an inter-laboratory study (ILC) on determination of size and shape distribution of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) by transmission electron microscopy is presented. The anatase NPs synthesized in a controllable fashion within the EU/FP7 project SETNanoMetro can be considered as shape-defined (bipyramidal) and are offered to complete the list of case studies already in progress within ISO/TC229/JWG2. The main points of the measurement procedure are presented as well as a proposed procedure to evaluate the size and shape according to the standard operation procedure already developed within SETNanoMetro is discussed. Potential ILC participants and a plan with next step to be carried out are proposed.
The presentation goes into the characterization of TiO2 engineered nanoparticles within EU/FP7 SETNanoMetro Project and the nanomaterial classification according to the EC definition tested within EU/FP7 NanoDefine Project. Further, ISO/TC 229/JWG 2 activities related on ISO standards in development and inter-laboratory comparisons on measurement of nanoparticle size and shape distribution by SEM and TEM are discussed.
The capability of currently available particle sizing techniques for reliable classification of materials that potentially fall under the EU Definition of a nanomaterial is discussed. A systematic quantitative evaluation of the sizing techniques is presented together with representative case studies of analysis of industrially relevant materials.
Recommendations on the most appropriate and efficient use of techniques for different types of material are given.
The large European nanometrology Project NanoDefine is presented briefly with respect to the challenges of measurement of particle size distribution for complex nanoparticulate materials.
The methods chosen for a tiered approach for the classification of a nanomaterial are discussed with regard to their peformance. Representative resuls on real life, complex shaped nanoparticulate materials are shown.
The recently initiated VAMAS inter-laboratory comparisons to determine the reproducibility necessary for international standardisation have been also presented.
The press conference on the results of the European Project FP7 constitutes a dissemination event dedicated to the production and characterization of "Shape-engineered TiO2 nanoparticles for metrology of functional properties: setting design rules from material synthesis to nanostructured devices" with the main large-scale applications in the three reference sectors: energy, health and environment.
At the Final Outreach Event of the European FP7 NanoDefine project the results achieved during 4 years of intensive research and development work (2013-2017) with relevant stakeholders and wider community, and their practical implications and impact are presented and discussed. The newly developed particle-size related measurement tools and their practical suitability and applicability to classify materials, formulations and products according to the EC recommendation on the definition of a nanomaterial (2011/696/EU) are demonstrated.
Of many experimental techniques for measuring particle sizes and size distributions, electron microscopy (EM) is still considered as the gold standard, especially in the nano range (1–100 nm). Furthermore, high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) in conjunction with EM can be applied to individul NPs.
Preparation of an EM sample for generic particulate materials is a difficult task. Usually, the particles in a suspension are deposited on a support. However, this procedure includes the drying of larger solvent amounts on the substrate itself, and this can affect the spatial distribution of the deposited particles. One possibility to overcome this is the use of an electrospray system, where the suspension of particles is sprayed onto the substrate in charged droplets that are so small that they either dry off on the substrate immediately without affecting the position of particles, or even already during their flight time to the substrate. Additionally, the charging of particles minimizes agglomeration and aggregation, maximizing the collection of the EM grids.
The prototype of an electrospray deposition System was tested. Electrospray is theoretically described since a long time, but no dedicated commercial instruments are available for the preparation of TEM grids yet, apart from electrostatic deposition of aerosols.
Several materials have been sprayed onto TEM grids and the resulting particle distributions were evaluated. Operation parameters such as the sample flow-rate, capillary – substrate distance, electric field strength and sampling period length have been optimized. It was found that the particles deposited by electrospray generally show a much more homogeneous spatial distribution on the substrate and a substantial increase of the number of single particles (suited to automatic analysis).
Loss in efficiency of perovskite solar cells may be caused by structural and/or chemical alterations of the complex layered system. As these changes might take place either in the bulk and/or on the surface of the stratified material, analytical tools addressing both key issues are selected and combined. SEM/EDX combined with XPS were chosen as appropriate methodical approach to characterise perovskite laboratory cells in depth and complementary on top, before and after light exposure. The layered perovskite system investigated here is based on glass covered with fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO), followed by three porous thin films of TiO2, ZrO2 and a thick monolithic carbon. The TiO2 film is subdivided into a dense layer covered by a porous one constituted of nanoparticles with a truncated bipyramidal shape. This layered system serves as the matrix for the perovskite. After infiltration of perovskite solution and annealing, EDX
spectral maps on cross-sections of the specimen have been measured. The distribution of relevant
elements – Si, Sn, Ti, Zr and C – correlates conclusively with layers visible in the acquired SEM images. Lead and iodine are distributed throughout the porous layers C, ZrO2 and TiO2. In a SEM micrograph taken of the cross-section of a sample after illumination, the glass substrate and all layers FTO, TiO2, ZrO2 as well as C are clearly identified. By EDX it was found that several weeks of ambient daylight did not change significantly the qualitative elemental composition of lead and iodine throughout the solar cell system. It was confirmed with EDX that nanoparticles identified in high-resolution SEM micrographs contain mainly Pb and I, indicating these to be the perovskite
crystals. However, a time-dependent compositional and chemical altering was observed with XPS for the near-surface region of the outermost ~10 nm after two months of illumination.