Revealing the structural complexity of ETS-10 using 4D-STEM & electron ptychography
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Atomic-level structural elucidation of zeolites remains challenging, particularly due to their sensitivity to the electron beam, as in the case of ETS-10, which features a unique 12-membered ring titanosilicate framework with linear Ti–O–Ti chains. In this study, we demonstrate the use of four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D-STEM) combined with electron ptychography to image Eu-exchanged ETS-10 (Eu-ETS-10) at sub-angstrom resolution. A homemade ptychographic reconstruction algorithm based on the extended ptychographical iterative engine (ePIE) was developed, enabling recovery of high-fidelity phase contrast images. The reconstructed images reveal not only all T-sites, including Si and Ti atoms, but also light elements such as oxygen and extraframework Eu³⁺ cations. Surface terminations and stacking faults were clearly resolved, allowing identification of the ABA and ABC polymorphs and their local transformations along the three dimensions through multislice reconstruction. These results validate ptychography as a powerful technique for atomic-scale analysis of fragile zeolitic materials offering unique insights into the structural complexity of ETS-10.
Authors: Daiyuan Li, Sara Kayani, Zhuoya Dong, Qing Zhang, Santiago Cobreces, Daniel Pizarro, Alvaro Mayoral
Language: English
Subfield: Structural Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,970
Funders: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, European Commission, Fundación General CSIC, Gobierno de Aragón, ShanghaiTech University, China Shipbuilding Industry, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Science and Technology Innovation Plan Of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission
Awards: G1093409001, Nanofabricación y microscopías avanzadas (NANOMIDAS), G1433226742, G1610934229, G1817175472, G213215486, G2186611069, G2197825842, G2262748287, G3020948319, G3082032993, G3262002017, G3415010147, G3480869486, G3681454997, G3845300180, G3945525359, G4042783231, G425668148, G593054264, G6146018866, G6731524417, G6936972530, G7084143925, G7515162745, G7863371703, G8312497529, G8497050386, G8574095611, G8791057853, G983705713
OpenAlex ID: W4415679275