Development of in situ scanning electron microscope system for real time observation of metal deposition from ionic liquid

Based on our previous finding that room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) can be observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) without charging of the liquid, a specifically designed electrochemical cell has been developed to observe electrochemical metal deposition from RTIL in real time by SEM. The cell was fabricated employing a fluorine doped tin oxide transparent glass, whose surface was divided into three electrodes. Then, the effectiveness of the fabricated cell was confirmed by demonstrating silver deposition form RTIL of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (BMI-TFSI) containing Ag-TFSI, which gave growth of granular and dendritic forms of Ag deposit.