Accessing the local three-dimensional structure of carbon materials sensitive to an electron beam

The local three-dimensional (3D) structure of a broad variety of carbon materials cannot be accessed by electron tomography in the sub-nanometre range because the materials are beam-sensitive. We have modified existing tomographic approaches in bright-field transmission electron microscopy with respect to minimization of electron beam damage and optimized alignment. In the case of Vulcan XC72 carbon soot containing catalytically active platinum nanoparticles we demonstrate the applicability of our approach to study the internal arrangement of graphitic layers in 3D characterized by interplanar spacing, length and tortuosity. This approach will allow access to the 3D structure of other graphite-like carbon nanomaterials with sub-nanometre resolution.