November AMP_Digital

A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9 3 1 more users, while increasing research productivity. After EDS maps are created, they are stored together with other micros- copy information, making it easy to combine and correlate data captured from different microscopy techniques. This enables researchers to complete- ly characterize samples using a sin- gle tool. ADVANCING NANOPARTICLE RESEARCH Next-generation EDS detectors are advancing nanoparticle research at in- stitutions around the world. For exam- ple, researchers at University of Physics of Materials in Brno, Czech Republic used the detectors to investigate a sam- ple where a large-area, high-resolution EDS map of gold-nickel nanoparticles was acquired in less than one minute (Fig. 3). The nontoxic gold nanoparticle combined with the magnetic properties of nickel atoms are promising carriers of surface-anchored agents, which can at- tach to therapeutic drugs and precisely target them to specific cells in the hu- man body using a controlled release. Researchers at Xi’an Jiaotong Uni- versity, China, are using the detectors to map the effectiveness of nanoparticles such as platinumand cobalt as catalysts in the production of hydrogen fuel (Fig. 4). Hydrogen is the mostly widely pro- posed fuel for use in fuel cell-powered cars, promising a new generation of ve- hicles that combine the sustainabili- ty of electric cars with the large driving range of conventional fossil fuels. Cat- alyst nanoparticles are needed to op- timize the production of hydrogen fuel via photocatalysis. The catalyst uses the synergistic effects of platinum and co- balt nanoparticles to improve hydrogen productivity. These are just two examples where next-generation EDS detectors, with their rapid ability to character- ize beam-sensitive materials, are lead- ing to breakthroughs in nanoparticle research. In the future, we can expect to see high-resolution EDS imaging of a wider range of nanoparticles, which, in turn, will deepen our understanding of nanoparticles and their applications across a diverse range of industries. ~AM&P For more information: Yuri Rikers, Product Manager Talos at Thermo Fish- er Scientific, Zwaanstraat 31 G/H, 5651 CA Eindhoven, The Netherlands, +31 40.2356000, yuri.rikers@thermofisher. com, www.thermofisher.com .