Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 March 2011
The use of bright-field transmission electron microscopy 3-D tomographic reconstruction allowed us to localize the synthesized nanostructures within the pores of mesoporous nanotemplates. Using this technique, we found that noble metal impregnation resulted in the inclusion of metal nanostructures within the SBA-15 mesoporous silica hexagonal pores (from nanoclusters to nanowires). The method allowed corroborating if the nanostructures were synthesized inside the pores or if they were alternatively on the nanotemplate aggregates exterior surface.