Zeolites are no longer a challenge: Atomic resolution data by Aberration-corrected STEM

Transmission electron microscopy is undoubtedly an indispensable tool for materials characterization, which can currently reach sub-angstrom resolution down to the elemental building blocks of matter, isolated single atoms of most elements. In addition to the phenomenal image resolution, if the material is strong enough, it can be accompanied with chemical information, converting electron microscopy into a unique method for the analysis of a great variety of materials. Unfortunately, extracting all this valuable information is not simple as most materials in one way or another are affected by the strong and localized electron beam. Radiolysis is one kind of reaction between electrons and matter than can cause irreversible structural transformations in our materials. This effect is the predominant factor in zeolites, zeotypes and the majority of molecular sieves. In the present work some results, taken at high voltage (300 kV) and minimizing the exposure to the beam, are presented proving the feasibility of the technique to obtain unprecedented atomic resolution information of different zeolites and microporous solids. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.