Speaker
Description
Grain boundaries (GBs) critically impact the mechanical, electrical, and catalytic properties of polycrystalline materials, making their investigation essential for material science progress. Atom probe tomography (APT) offers an advanced technique for atomic-scale analysis of GBs, generating three-dimensional compositional maps with sub-nanometer resolution. Using APT, we can directly observe elemental segregation at GBs and its influence on the behavior of ultrafine nanomaterials (approximately 2 nm in size), particularly in mitigating the degradation of functional properties. APT also provides precise measurements of solute distribution, revealing the mechanisms that govern GB interactions. Combined with complementary methods such as electron microscopy, APT enhances our understanding of GB chemistry and structure, driving innovations in material design. Our study highlights the critical role of APT in advancing GB research and its contribution to the development of high-performance functional materials.
