KENBIKYO Vol.49▶No.2 2014
■Feature Articles: Improvement and Application of Environmental TEM

In-situ TEM Observation of Structural Changes of Metal Nanoparticles at High Temperature

Takashi Narushima and Tetsu Yonezawa

Abstract: In-situ transmission electron microscopic (TEM) observations are highly attracted because high resolution images of specimens can be obtained at high temperature with introduction of gases. Especially, for the research on metal nanoparticles, this technique is a promised one as an evaluation method of nanoparticles for some applications. Structural changes in nano-dimension including oxidation and phase transition can be observed in real-time with this technique. In this review, we introduce some special TEM equipments for high temperature in situ observation of metal nanoparticles at high temperature, and also introduce our resent works of high temperature in-situ TEM observation of anisotoropically shaped metal nanoparticles and Cu fine particles used for a conductive paste.

Key words: In-situ TEM observation,copper particles, sintering, oxidation, polymer