Tracking single adatoms in liquid in a transmission electron microscope

Single atoms or ions on surfaces affect processes from nucleation(1) to electrochemical reactions(2) and heterogeneous catalysis(3). Transmission electron microscopy is a leading approach for visualizing single atoms on a variety of substrates(4,5). It conventionally requires high vacuum conditions, but has been developed for in situ imaging in liquid and gaseous environments(6,7) with a combined spatial and temporal resolution that is unmatched by any other method-notwithstanding concerns about electron-beam effects on samples. When imaging in liquid using commercial technologies, electron scattering in the windows enclosing the sample and in the liquid generally limitsthe achievable resolution to a few nanometres(6,8,9). Graphene liquid cells, on the other hand, have enabled atomic-resolution imaging of metal nanoparticles in liquids(10). Here we show that a double graphene liquid cell, consisting of a central molybdenum disulfide monolayer separated by hexagonal boron nitride spacers from the two enclosinggraphene windows, makes it possible to monitor, with atomic resolution, the dynamics of platinum adatoms on the monolayer in an aqueous salt solution. By imaging more than 70,000 single adatom adsorption sites, we compare the site preference and dynamic motion ofthe adatoms in both a fully hydrated and a vacuum state. We find a modified adsorption site distribution and higher diffusivities for the adatoms in the liquid phase compared with those in vacuum. This approach pavesthe way for in situ liquid-phase imaging of chemical processes with single-atom precision.

Automated summary

Single atoms or ions on surfaces have an impact on various processes. Transmission electron microscopy is a leading method for observing single atoms. Graphene liquid cells enable atomic-resolution imaging in liquids.