Surface science through advanced electron microscopy.

For materials with decreasing dimensions the surface to bulk ratio will become more and more important. Since the properties of a material are often determined by its surface (e.g. painting can prohibit rust), surface characterization will become extremely important when the dimensions are in the nanometer range. Such nanomaterials can be studied chemically as well as structurally through advanced electron microscopy. The challenge of this project is to study the surface of nanomaterials (hard matter, mostly metallic nanoparticles) in contact with soft matter (polymers, nanotubes, organic molecules, ¿). This is a very delicate experiment and therefore one has to find the most ideal set up for recording and analysis. However we have good hope that this can be realized in the first part of this project with the help of the experienced EMAT group.In the second part of the project we will apply the optimized technique to analyze the interaction between porous materials and metallic nanoparticles and to functionaled nanomaterials.

Keywords:NANOMATERIALS, ELECTRON MICROSCOPY, SURFACE SCIENCE

Disciplines:Atomic and molecular physics, Physical chemistry