Real-space imaging of molecular sieves composed of aluminum phosphates and their metal-substituted analogues

High-resolution electron microscopic images of representative title materials, notably JDF-2 and CoALPO-5, both of which are extremely beam sensitive, have been recorded and compared with computed images. It is shown that real-space images, coupled with information derived from electron diffraction, distance-least-squares, and energy minimization procedures, form the basis of a new method for determining the three-dimensional structure of aluminum phosphates (ALPOs) and their metal-substituted analogues (MeALPOs).