Flash-Freezing Nanoreactions to Reveal Atomic Secrets

Understanding what happens at the interface between a liquid and a solid is a fundamental challenge in materials science, especially for developing better batteries. Until now, scientists faced a trade-off: they could watch processes happen live with liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (LCTEM), but with limited chemical detail, or get a stunningly precise atomic map with cryogenic atom probe tomography (cryo-APT), but only of a static, frozen sample.

A new correlative workflow successfully bridges this gap. Researchers first use LCTEM to observe dynamic behaviour in a liquid, such as within a lithium electrolyte on a microchip. At a critical moment, they cryogenically freeze the entire chip, perfectly preserving the interface. This frozen sample is then carefully prepared and transferred to an atom probe, which provides a 3D, near-atomic map of the chemical elements. This powerful combination of dynamic imaging and high-resolution compositional analysis offers an unprecedented view of reactive nanoscale systems.