ABSTRACT
Tetrahedrally coordinated atoms in silicates are commonly referred to as T-atoms. Such atoms can be substituted by other atoms. For example, the most abundant minerals in the earth’s crust, the feldspars, are built of a three-dimensional network of TO4. In zeolites, one of the most important members in the large family of aluminosilicates, the TO4 tetrahedra are arranged into regular structures forming cavities and/or channels of molecular dimensions, often referred to as micropores or nanopores. This chapter addresses the preparation of thin aluminosilicate films as well as ultrathin silicate films modified by 3d-transition metals like Fe and Ti. Quantitative characterization of the nanosheets morphology was performed via 3D mapping of its reciprocal lattice measured with TEM, as the intensity modulation of a diffraction spot on tilting depends on the thickness, and changes in the spot shape are a measure of wrinkling.
