The Influence of Beam Broadening on the Spatial Resolution of Annular Dark Field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy.

The spatial resolution of aberration-corrected annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy was studied as function of the vertical position z within a sample. The samples consisted of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) positioned in different horizontal layers within aluminum matrices of 0.6 and 1.0 µm thickness. The highest resolution was achieved in the top layer, whereas the resolution was reduced by beam broadening for AuNPs deeper in the sample. To examine the influence of the beam broadening, the intensity profiles of line scans over nanoparticles at a certain vertical location were analyzed. The experimental data were compared with Monte Carlo simulations that accurately matched the data. The spatial resolution was also calculated using three different theoretical models of the beam blurring as function of the vertical position within the sample. One model considered beam blurring to occur as a single scattering event but was found to be inaccurate for larger depths of the AuNPs in the sample. Two models were adapted and evaluated that include estimates for multiple scattering, and these described the data with sufficient accuracy to be able to predict the resolution. The beam broadening depended on z 1.5 in all three models.

Exceptionally Slow Movement of Gold Nanoparticles at a Solid/Liquid Interface Investigated by Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Gold nanoparticles were observed to move at a liquid/solid interface 3 orders of magnitude slower than expected for the movement in a bulk liquid by Brownian motion. The nanoscale movement was studied with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) using a liquid enclosure consisting of microchips with silicon nitride windows. The experiments involved a variation of the electron dose, the coating of the nanoparticles, the surface charge of the enclosing membrane, the viscosity, and the liquid thickness. The observed slow movement was not a result of hydrodynamic hindrance near a wall but instead explained by the presence of a layer of ordered liquid exhibiting a viscosity 5 orders of magnitude larger than a bulk liquid. The increased viscosity presumably led to a dramatic slowdown of the movement. The layer was formed as a result of the surface charge of the silicon nitride windows. The exceptionally slow motion is a crucial aspect of electron microscopy of specimens in liquid, enabling a direct observation of the movement and agglomeration of nanoscale objects in liquid.

The intrinsically disordered C-RING biomineralization protein, AP7, creates protein phases that introduce nanopatterning and nanoporosities into mineral crystals.

We report an interesting process whereby the formation of nanoparticle assemblies on and nanoporosities within calcite crystals is directed by an intrinsically disordered C-RING mollusk shell nacre protein, AP7. Under mineralization conditions, AP7 forms protein phases that direct the nucleation of ordered calcite nanoparticles via a repetitive protein phase deposition process onto calcite crystals. These organized nanoparticles are separated by gaps or spaces that become incorporated into the forming bulk crystal as nanoporosities. This is an unusual example of organized nanoparticle biosynthesis and mineral modification directed by a C-RING protein phase.

An oligomeric C-RING nacre protein influences prenucleation events and organizes mineral nanoparticles.

The mollusk shell nacre layer integrates mineral phases with macromolecular components such as intracrystalline proteins. However, the roles performed by intracrystalline proteins in calcium carbonate nucleation and subsequent postnucleation events (e.g., organization of mineral deposits) in the nacre layer are not known. We find that AP7, a nacre intracrystalline C-RING protein, self-assembles to form amorphous protein oligomers and films on mica that further assemble into larger aggregates or phases in the presence of Ca2+. Using solution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we determine that the protein assemblies are stabilized by interdomain interactions involving the aggregation-prone T31-N66 C-terminal C-RING domain but are destabilized by the labile nature of the intrinsically disordered D1-T19 AA N-terminal sequence. Thus, the dynamic, amorphous nature of the AP7 assemblies can be traced to the molecular behavior of the N-terminal sequence. Using potentiometric methods, we observe that AP7 protein phases prolong the time interval for prenucleation cluster formation but neither stabilize nor destabilize ACC clusters. Time-resolved flow cell scanning transmission electron microscopy mineralization studies confirm that AP7 protein phases delay the onset of nucleation and assemble and organize mineral nanoparticles into ring-shaped branching clusters in solution. These phenomena are not observed in protein-deficient assays. We conclude that C-RING AP7 protein phases modulate the time period for early events in nucleation and form strategic associations with forming mineral nanoparticles that lead to mineral organization.

Correlation between anisotropy and lattice distortions in single crystal calcite nanowires grown in confinement.

Growing nanostructures in confinement allows for the control of their shape, size and structure, as required in many technological applications. We investigated the crystal structure and morphology of calcite nanowires, precipitated in the pores of track-etch membranes, by employing transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The data showed that the nanowires show no preferred growth orientation and that the crystallographic orientation rotated along the length of the nanowire, with lattice rotation angles of several degrees per micrometer. Finite element calculations indicated that the rotation is caused by the anisotropic crystallographic nature of the calcite mineral, the nanoscale diameter of the wires and the confined space provided by the membrane pore. This phenomenon should also be observed in other single crystal nanowires made from anisotropic materials, which could offer the potential of generating nanostructures with tailored optical, electronic and mechanical properties.

In situ electron microscopy studies of calcium carbonate precipitation from aqueous solution with and without organic additives.

For the understanding of mineral formation processes from solution it is important to obtain a deeper insight into the dynamics of crystal growth. In this study we applied for this purpose a novel atmospheric scanning electron microscope that allows the investigation of CaCO3 particle formation in solution under atmospheric conditions with a resolution of approximately 10nm. Furthermore it permits the in situ observation of the dynamics of crystal evolution. With this tool the precipitation of CaCO3 was studied in the absence and presence of additives, namely poly(acrylic acid) and poly(styrene sulfonate-co-maleic acid) which are known to influence the crystal growth rate and morphology. We determined particle growth rates and investigated the formation and dissolution dynamics of an observed transient phase, believed to be amorphous calcium carbonate. This technique also enabled us to study the depletion zones, areas of lower intensity due to reduced ion concentrations. Ion flux rates were obtained from the depletion zone width, which amounted to several µm assuming the formation and dissolution dynamics of amorphous calcium carbonate being the rate determining process. This assumption was confirmed since the obtained fluxes were found to be in good agreement with fluxes derived from the experimentally observed crystal growth rates.

Microstructural evolution and nanoscale crystallography in scleractinian coral spherulites.

One of the most important aspects in the research on reef-building corals is the process by which corals accrete biogenic calcium carbonate. This process leads to the formation of a mineral/organic composite and it is believed that the development of the nano- and microstructure of the mineral phase is highly sensitive to the growth conditions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of large-scale (10×30µm) focused ion beam (FIB) prepared lamellae was performed on adult and juvenile scleractinian coral skeleton specimens. This allowed for the investigation of the nano and microstructure and the crystallographic orientation of the aragonite mineral. We found the following microstructural evolution in the adult Porites lobata specimens: randomly oriented nanocrystals with high porosity, partly aligned nanocrystals with high porosity and areas of dense acicular crystals of several micrometers extension, the latter two areas are aligned close to the [001] direction (Pmcn space group). To the best of our knowledge, for the first time the observed microstructure could be directly correlated with the dark/bright bands characteristic of the diurnal growth cycle. We hypothesize that this mineral structure sequence and alignment in the adult specimen is linked to the photosynthetic diurnal cycle of the zooxanthellea regulating the oxygen levels and organic molecule transport to the calcifying medium. These observations reveal a strong control of crystal morphology by the organism and the correlation of the accretion process. No indication for a self-assembly of nanocrystalline units, i.e., a mesocrystal structure, on the micrometer scale could be found.

How to control the scaling of CaCO3: a "fingerprinting technique" to classify additives.

A titration set-up coupling ion selective electrodes with pH adjustment was used to analyze the effects of additives present during precipitation of calcium carbonate. Besides industrially well-established antiscalants (sodium triphosphate, citrate, polyacrylate and poly(aspartic acid)), also functional polymers being active in morphosynthesis (polystyrene sulfonate and poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid)) were analyzed. Interestingly each additive acts in its specific way, suggesting the notation "fingerprinting" for a complex interplay of up to five "solution modes" of influencing CaCO(3) precipitation and crystallisation. The results provide new insights into the modes of additive controlled crystallisation, and in the long run, the insights may facilitate the design of precipitation systems that yield complex and tailor-made crystals.

Nanopillar Diffraction Gratings by Two-Photon Lithography.

Two-dimensional photonic structures such as nanostructured pillar gratings are useful for various applications including wave coupling, diffractive optics, and security features. Two-photon lithography facilitates the generation of such nanostructured surfaces with high precision and reproducibility. In this work, we report on nanopillar diffraction gratings fabricated by two-photon lithography with various laser powers close to the polymerization threshold of the photoresist. As a result, defect-free arrays of pillars with diameters down to 184 nm were fabricated. The structure sizes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and compared to theoretical predictions obtained from Monte Carlo simulations. The optical reflectivities of the nanopillar gratings were analyzed by optical microscopy and verified by rigorous coupled-wave simulations.

Aqueous ball milling of nacre constituents facilitates directional self-assembly of aragonite nanoparticles of the gastropod Haliotis glabra.

A ball-milling approach was developed to investigate the constituents of isolated nacre tablets of the gastropod Haliotis glabra in aqueous suspension without additional chemical additives. The obtained particle mixtures were characterized using X-ray crystallography as well as scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Aragonite nanoparticles retained their crystal structure even after 14 h of ball milling. The long-term stability of the particle mixtures varied as a function of the ball-milling duration. An increased milling time led to rod-like stable assemblies of aragonite nanoparticles. Selected area electron diffraction investigations revealed that the longitudinal axes in about one-third of these nanoparticle rods were oriented along the crystallographic c-axis of aragonite, indicating oriented attachment of the aragonite nanoparticles. These in vitro observations support the idea that a two-stage process, separated into crystallization of nanoparticles and oriented assembly of nanocrystals, could also occur in vivo.

Graphene Liquid Enclosure for Single-Molecule Analysis of Membrane Proteins in Whole Cells Using Electron Microscopy.

Membrane proteins govern many important functions in cells via dynamic oligomerization into active complexes. However, analytical methods to study their distribution and functional state in relation to the cellular structure are currently limited. Here, we introduce a technique for studying single-membrane proteins within their native context of the intact plasma membrane. SKBR3 breast cancer cells were grown on silicon microchips with thin silicon nitride windows. The cells were fixed, and the epidermal growth factor receptor ErbB2 was specifically labeled with quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles. For correlative fluorescence- and liquid-phase electron microscopy, we enclosed the liquid samples by chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene films. Depending on the local cell thickness, QD labels were imaged with a spatial resolution of 2 nm at a low electron dose. The distribution and stoichiometric assembly of ErbB2 receptors were determined at several different cellular locations, including tunneling nanotubes, where we found higher levels of homodimerization at the connecting sites. This experimental approach is applicable to a wide range of cell lines and membrane proteins and particularly suitable for studies involving both inter- and intracellular heterogeneity in protein distribution and expression.

Formation and Structure of Calcium Carbonate Thin Films and Nanofibers Precipitated in the Presence of Poly(Allylamine Hydrochloride) and Magnesium Ions.

That the cationic polyelectrolyte poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) exerts a significant influence on CaCO3 precipitation challenges the idea that only anionic additives have this effect. Here, we show that in common with anionic polyelectrolytes such as poly(aspartic acid), PAH supports the growth of calcite thin films and abundant nanofibers. While investigating the formation of these structures, we also perform the first detailed structural analysis of the nanofibers by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction. The nanofibers are shown to be principally single crystal, with isolated domains of polycrystallinity, and the single crystal structure is even preserved in regions where the nanofibers dramatically change direction. The formation mechanism of the fibers, which are often hundreds of micrometers long, has been the subject of intense speculation. Our results suggest that they form by aggregation of amorphous particles, which are incorporated into the fibers uniquely at their tips, before crystallizing. Extrusion of polymer during crystallization may inhibit particle addition at the fiber walls and result in local variations in the fiber nanostructure. Finally, we investigate the influence of Mg2+ on CaCO3 precipitation in the presence of PAH, which gives thinner and smoother films, together with fibers with more polycrystalline, granular structures.

Ion-association complexes unite classical and non-classical theories for the biomimetic nucleation of calcium phosphate.

Despite its importance in many industrial, geological and biological processes, the mechanism of crystallization from supersaturated solutions remains a matter of debate. Recent discoveries show that in many solution systems nanometre-sized structural units are already present before nucleation. Still little is known about the structure and role of these so-called pre-nucleation clusters. Here we present a combination of in situ investigations, which show that for the crystallization of calcium phosphate these nanometre-sized units are in fact calcium triphosphate complexes. Under conditions in which apatite forms from an amorphous calcium phosphate precursor, these complexes aggregate and take up an extra calcium ion to form amorphous calcium phosphate, which is a fractal of Ca(2)(HPO(4))(3)(2-) clusters. The calcium triphosphate complex also forms the basis of the crystal structure of octacalcium phosphate and apatite. Finally, we demonstrate how the existence of these complexes lowers the energy barrier to nucleation and unites classical and non-classical nucleation theories.

A modular approach towards functional decoration of peptide-polymer nanotapes.

Self-assembled peptide-polymer nanotapes of poly(ethylene oxide)-peptide conjugates are modified by a simple amine-azide transfer to create azide-containing nanofibres, which provide a platform for modular functionalization as demonstrated by the introduction of different carboxyl bearing entities to modulate the calcium binding properties of the nanotapes.