Comparison of atomic scale dynamics for the middle and late transition metal nanocatalysts

Catalysis of chemical reactions by nanosized clusters of transition metals holds the key to the provision of sustainable energy and materials. However, the atomistic behaviour of nanocatalysts still remains largely unknown due to uncertainties associated with the highly labile metal nanoclusters cha...

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Main Authors: Cao, Kecheng, Zoberbier, Thilo, Biskupek, Johannes, Botos, Akos, McSweeney, Robert, Kurtoglu, Abdullah, Stoppiello, Craig T., Markevich, Alexander V., Besley, Elena, Chamberlain, Thomas W., Kaiser, Ute, Khlobystov, Andrei N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2018
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53843/
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author Cao, Kecheng
Zoberbier, Thilo
Biskupek, Johannes
Botos, Akos
McSweeney, Robert
Kurtoglu, Abdullah
Stoppiello, Craig T.
Markevich, Alexander V.
Besley, Elena
Chamberlain, Thomas W.
Kaiser, Ute
Khlobystov, Andrei N.
author_facet Cao, Kecheng
Zoberbier, Thilo
Biskupek, Johannes
Botos, Akos
McSweeney, Robert
Kurtoglu, Abdullah
Stoppiello, Craig T.
Markevich, Alexander V.
Besley, Elena
Chamberlain, Thomas W.
Kaiser, Ute
Khlobystov, Andrei N.
author_sort Cao, Kecheng
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Catalysis of chemical reactions by nanosized clusters of transition metals holds the key to the provision of sustainable energy and materials. However, the atomistic behaviour of nanocatalysts still remains largely unknown due to uncertainties associated with the highly labile metal nanoclusters changing their structure during the reaction. In this study, we reveal and explore reactions of nm-sized clusters of technologically important metals in carbon nano test tubes using time-series imaging by atomically-resolved transmission electron microscopy (TEM), employing the electron beam simultaneously as an imaging tool and stimulus of the reactions. Defect formation in nanotubes and growth of new structures promoted by metal nanoclusters enable the ranking of the different metals both in order of their bonding with carbon and their catalytic activity, showing significant variation across the Periodic Table of Elements. Metal nanoclusters exhibit complex dynamics shedding light on atomistic workings of nanocatalysts, with key features mirroring heterogeneous catalysis.
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spelling nottingham-538432018-09-07T17:38:23Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53843/ Comparison of atomic scale dynamics for the middle and late transition metal nanocatalysts Cao, Kecheng Zoberbier, Thilo Biskupek, Johannes Botos, Akos McSweeney, Robert Kurtoglu, Abdullah Stoppiello, Craig T. Markevich, Alexander V. Besley, Elena Chamberlain, Thomas W. Kaiser, Ute Khlobystov, Andrei N. Catalysis of chemical reactions by nanosized clusters of transition metals holds the key to the provision of sustainable energy and materials. However, the atomistic behaviour of nanocatalysts still remains largely unknown due to uncertainties associated with the highly labile metal nanoclusters changing their structure during the reaction. In this study, we reveal and explore reactions of nm-sized clusters of technologically important metals in carbon nano test tubes using time-series imaging by atomically-resolved transmission electron microscopy (TEM), employing the electron beam simultaneously as an imaging tool and stimulus of the reactions. Defect formation in nanotubes and growth of new structures promoted by metal nanoclusters enable the ranking of the different metals both in order of their bonding with carbon and their catalytic activity, showing significant variation across the Periodic Table of Elements. Metal nanoclusters exhibit complex dynamics shedding light on atomistic workings of nanocatalysts, with key features mirroring heterogeneous catalysis. Nature Publishing Group 2018-08-23 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en cc_by https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53843/1/Comparison%20of%20atomic%20scale.pdf Cao, Kecheng, Zoberbier, Thilo, Biskupek, Johannes, Botos, Akos, McSweeney, Robert, Kurtoglu, Abdullah, Stoppiello, Craig T., Markevich, Alexander V., Besley, Elena, Chamberlain, Thomas W., Kaiser, Ute and Khlobystov, Andrei N. (2018) Comparison of atomic scale dynamics for the middle and late transition metal nanocatalysts. Nature Communications, 9 . 3382/1-3382/10. ISSN 2041-1723 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-05831-z doi:10.1038/s41467-018-05831-z doi:10.1038/s41467-018-05831-z
spellingShingle Cao, Kecheng
Zoberbier, Thilo
Biskupek, Johannes
Botos, Akos
McSweeney, Robert
Kurtoglu, Abdullah
Stoppiello, Craig T.
Markevich, Alexander V.
Besley, Elena
Chamberlain, Thomas W.
Kaiser, Ute
Khlobystov, Andrei N.
Comparison of atomic scale dynamics for the middle and late transition metal nanocatalysts
title Comparison of atomic scale dynamics for the middle and late transition metal nanocatalysts
title_full Comparison of atomic scale dynamics for the middle and late transition metal nanocatalysts
title_fullStr Comparison of atomic scale dynamics for the middle and late transition metal nanocatalysts
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of atomic scale dynamics for the middle and late transition metal nanocatalysts
title_short Comparison of atomic scale dynamics for the middle and late transition metal nanocatalysts
title_sort comparison of atomic scale dynamics for the middle and late transition metal nanocatalysts
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53843/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53843/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53843/