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高等学校化学研究 ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (2): 196-210.doi: 10.1007/s40242-024-4222-2

• Reviews • 上一篇    下一篇

Advanced Aberration-corrected STEM Techniques for Atomic Imaging of Zeolites-confined Single Molecules: From Ex situ toIn situ

WANG Guowei1, XIONG Hao2, WEI Fei1,2, CHEN Xiao1,2   

  1. 1. Ordos Laboratory, Ordos 017000, P. R. China;
    2. Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
  • 收稿日期:2024-11-07 接受日期:2024-12-04 出版日期:2025-04-01 发布日期:2025-03-31
  • 通讯作者: CHEN Xiao,chenx123@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn E-mail:chenx123@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
  • 基金资助:
    This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Nos. 2020YFB0606401 and 2018YFB0604801), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 22238004, 22275110, 22322203, 223B2205), the Tsinghua-Toyota Joint Research Fund, the National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talent and Shuimu Scholar from Tsinghua University, and the Key Research and Development Program of Inner Mongolia and Ordos, China.

Advanced Aberration-corrected STEM Techniques for Atomic Imaging of Zeolites-confined Single Molecules: From Ex situ toIn situ

WANG Guowei1, XIONG Hao2, WEI Fei1,2, CHEN Xiao1,2   

  1. 1. Ordos Laboratory, Ordos 017000, P. R. China;
    2. Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
  • Received:2024-11-07 Accepted:2024-12-04 Online:2025-04-01 Published:2025-03-31
  • Contact: CHEN Xiao,chenx123@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn E-mail:chenx123@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Nos. 2020YFB0606401 and 2018YFB0604801), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 22238004, 22275110, 22322203, 223B2205), the Tsinghua-Toyota Joint Research Fund, the National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talent and Shuimu Scholar from Tsinghua University, and the Key Research and Development Program of Inner Mongolia and Ordos, China.

摘要: Zeolites are a class of inorganic microporous crystalline materials with ordered pore channels, unique shape selectivity, adjustable acidity and alkalinity, and high stability and have been widely used in gas adsorption and heterogeneous catalysis. The size of the zeolite pore structure determines its molecular sieving properties. Therefore, flexibly adjusting the zeolite pore structure and the host-guest interactions with guest molecules to control diffusion or reaction pathways is crucial for designing novel zeolites. Observing the real movement behavior of small molecules and changes in the local structure of the zeolite framework at the micro-nano scale is of great significance. Recently, emerging scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging techniques, such as integrated differential phase contrast/optimum bright-field STEM (iDPC/OBF-STEM) and 4D-STEM ptychography have shown great potential for atomic resolution characterization of zeolites, since these are greatly advantageous for imaging electron beam-sensitive materials and light elements. This review first introduces the structural characteristics and applications of zeolites. Secondly, we discuss the application of three emerging imaging techniques in atomic imaging of zeolites. Thirdly, we focus on using iDPC-STEM imaging technology to observe the host-guest interactions between zeolites and single molecules (e.g., benzene, p-xylene, and pyridine). Furthermore, we explore the adsorption-desorption behavior of single molecules in zeolites using in situ iDPC-STEM imaging technology. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and future prospects of advanced TEM characterization techniques in the imaging of zeolite-confined single molecule.

关键词: Zeolite, Integrated differential phase contrast/optimum bright-field STEM, 4D-STEM ptychography, Single-molecule imaging, In situ TEM

Abstract: Zeolites are a class of inorganic microporous crystalline materials with ordered pore channels, unique shape selectivity, adjustable acidity and alkalinity, and high stability and have been widely used in gas adsorption and heterogeneous catalysis. The size of the zeolite pore structure determines its molecular sieving properties. Therefore, flexibly adjusting the zeolite pore structure and the host-guest interactions with guest molecules to control diffusion or reaction pathways is crucial for designing novel zeolites. Observing the real movement behavior of small molecules and changes in the local structure of the zeolite framework at the micro-nano scale is of great significance. Recently, emerging scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging techniques, such as integrated differential phase contrast/optimum bright-field STEM (iDPC/OBF-STEM) and 4D-STEM ptychography have shown great potential for atomic resolution characterization of zeolites, since these are greatly advantageous for imaging electron beam-sensitive materials and light elements. This review first introduces the structural characteristics and applications of zeolites. Secondly, we discuss the application of three emerging imaging techniques in atomic imaging of zeolites. Thirdly, we focus on using iDPC-STEM imaging technology to observe the host-guest interactions between zeolites and single molecules (e.g., benzene, p-xylene, and pyridine). Furthermore, we explore the adsorption-desorption behavior of single molecules in zeolites using in situ iDPC-STEM imaging technology. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and future prospects of advanced TEM characterization techniques in the imaging of zeolite-confined single molecule.

Key words: Zeolite, Integrated differential phase contrast/optimum bright-field STEM, 4D-STEM ptychography, Single-molecule imaging, In situ TEM