Project description
Overcoming Electron microscopy limitations
Electron microscopy (EM) has provided crucial benefits across several sectors, playing a key role in revolutionary discoveries of novel materials and advancing our understanding of the role defect structures and interfaces play in material properties and behaviour. However, EM research is currently limited in studying water-solid interfaces due to the sensitivity of aqueous samples to the electron beam. The ERC-funded DREAM-SWIM project aims to develop new instrumentation and methodologies for studying aqueous samples, enabling in-depth assessments of the interactions between the electron beam with processes, materials, and aqueous solutions. This will facilitate the development of groundbreaking EM experiments that overcome previous limitations.
Objective
Electron microscopy (EM) has played a key role in the discovery of many new materials, as well as the elucidation of the role of defect structures and interfaces on material properties and behaviour. Current electron microscopes are capable of maintaining the relevant hydrated state of samples by means of cryofixation techniques or by using dedicated liquid cells. This opens up the possibility of investigating crucial interfaces, such as those in complex aqueous systems that, despite their significance, remain poorly understood. The study of water-solid interfaces in the EM is currently limited by the sensitivity of aqueous samples and interfaces to the action of the electron beam. Knowledge of the fundamental chemical processes induced by interaction with the electron beam is needed for the interpretation of results, prediction and design of experiments and to potentially mitigate electron-beam effects. Here, I propose to develop novel instrumentation and approaches to allow for the direct determination of the yields of radicals and molecules produced as well as reaction kinetics in the EM and at the interface between materials and aqueous solutions. This new concept will permit us to precisely assess the effect of important factors in the radiolysis of aqueous solutions inside the EM such as the very high electron dose rates, the supports, liquid volume, temperature or the effect of nanomaterials’ interfaces. This newly accessible knowledge will lead to the interpretation of numerous EM experiments and will be used to develop novel data-informed adaptive scanning approaches specifically designed for in situ dynamic acquisition with minimal chemical effects in the samples. An important goal of this project is to conceive new predictive models for the radiolytic chemistry produced during EM experiments, which will open the door to the future design of mitigation procedures for radiolysis damage in EM.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
- natural sciences chemical sciences nuclear chemistry radiation chemistry
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75794 Paris
France
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