Hybrid tungsten-carbon 2D nanostructures viagasification of carbon substrates driven by ebeam irradiation of WOmicroparticles.

Since the transmission electron microscope (TEM) has the capacity to observe the atomic structure of materials,TEM synthesis methods are uniquely suited to advance our fundamental understanding of the bottom-up dynamics that drive the formation of nanostructures. E-beam induced fragmentation (potentially identified as a manifestation of Coulomb explosion) and electron stimulated desorption are phenomena that have received attention because they trigger chemical and physical reactions that can lead to the production of various nanostructures. Here we report a simple TEM protocol implemented on WOmicroparticles supported on thin amorphous carbon substrates. The method produces various nanostructures such as WC nanoparticles, WC supported films and others. Nevertheless, we focus on the gradual graphitization and gasification of the C substrate as it interacts with the material expelled from the WOmicroparticles. The progressive gasification transforms the substrate from amorphous C down to hybrid graphitic nanoribbons incorporating W nanoparticles. We think these observations open interesting possibilities for the synthesis of 2D nanomaterials in the TEM.