In-situ observation of nucleation from a solution using an ionic liquid in a TEM

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25610068
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Condensed matter physics I
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University (2014); Tohoku University (2013)
• Principal Investigator: KIMURA Yuki 北海道大学, 低温科学研究所, 准教授 (50449542)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 核生成 / 結晶成長 / ナノ粒子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Nucleation via metastable phases has been studied very attractively in recent years. In this study, we succeeded to visualize nucleation process by a novel method, which uses an ionic liquid solution instead of water solution, using in-situ transmission electron microscopy. We observe simultaneous formation of stable and metastable crystals. In addition, metastable crystals are immediately incorporated into a stable crystal, when they contact each other. Although the growth rate of metastable crystal is similar with stable crystal, the dissolution rate of metastable crystal is faster than that of stable crystal suggesting that final crystal is a result of this competition of formation and dissolution.

Free Research Field

ナノ領域科学