Surface faceting and elemental diffusion behaviour at atomic scale for alloy nanoparticles during in situ annealing

Miaofang Chi (), Chao Wang, Yinkai Lei, Guofeng Wang, Dongguo Li, Karren L. More, Andrew Lupini, Lawrence F. Allard, Nenad M. Markovic and Vojislav R. Stamenkovic
Additional contact information
Miaofang Chi: Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, Building 4515
Chao Wang: Johns Hopkins University
Yinkai Lei: University of Pittsburgh
Guofeng Wang: University of Pittsburgh
Dongguo Li: Argonne National Laboratory
Karren L. More: Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, Building 4515
Andrew Lupini: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Lawrence F. Allard: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Nenad M. Markovic: Argonne National Laboratory
Vojislav R. Stamenkovic: Argonne National Laboratory

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The catalytic performance of nanoparticles is primarily determined by the precise nature of the surface and near-surface atomic configurations, which can be tailored by post-synthesis annealing effectively and straightforwardly. Understanding the complete dynamic response of surface structure and chemistry to thermal treatments at the atomic scale is imperative for the rational design of catalyst nanoparticles. Here, by tracking the same individual Pt3Co nanoparticles during in situ annealing in a scanning transmission electron microscope, we directly discern five distinct stages of surface elemental rearrangements in Pt3Co nanoparticles at the atomic scale: initial random (alloy) elemental distribution; surface platinum-skin-layer formation; nucleation of structurally ordered domains; ordered framework development and, finally, initiation of amorphization. Furthermore, a comprehensive interplay among phase evolution, surface faceting and elemental inter-diffusion is revealed, and supported by atomistic simulations. This work may pave the way towards designing catalysts through post-synthesis annealing for optimized catalytic performance.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9925

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