Cryo-EM for nanomaterials: Progress and perspective

Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has extensively boosted structural biology research since the “resolution revolution” in year of 2013 which was soon awarded Nobel Prize Chemistry 2017. The advances camera techniques and software algorithms enabled cryo-EM to routinely characterize three-dimensional structures biomolecules at near-atomic resolution. Biomolecules are basically sensitive irradiation damage, can be minimized cryo-temperature. This principle inspired material scientists beam- or air-sensitive materials by cryo-EM, such as electrodes lithium-ion battery, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent-organic (COFs) zeolites. In addition, reaction systems fast-frozen vitreous ice correspondingly preserves close-to-native state. Herein, we summarized development applications both technique other emerging cryo-techniques science, energy storage conversion. Cryo-EM techniques, capable direct observation electrochemical processes, will greatly renew our understanding science related mechanisms.