1
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Bai L, Franco F, Timoshenko J, Rettenmaier C, Scholten F, Jeon HS, Yoon A, Rüscher M, Herzog A, Haase FT, Kühl S, Chee SW, Bergmann A, Beatriz RC. Electrocatalytic Nitrate and Nitrite Reduction toward Ammonia Using Cu 2O Nanocubes: Active Species and Reaction Mechanisms. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:9665-9678. [PMID: 38557016 PMCID: PMC11009949 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c13288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The electrochemical reduction of nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-) enables sustainable, carbon-neutral, and decentralized routes to produce ammonia (NH3). Copper-based materials are promising electrocatalysts for NOx- conversion to NH3. However, the underlying reaction mechanisms and the role of different Cu species during the catalytic process are still poorly understood. Herein, by combining quasi in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), we unveiled that Cu is mostly in metallic form during the highly selective reduction of NO3-/NO2- to NH3. On the contrary, Cu(I) species are predominant in a potential region where the two-electron reduction of NO3- to NO2- is the major reaction. Electrokinetic analysis and in situ Raman spectroscopy was also used to propose possible steps and intermediates leading to NO2- and NH3, respectively. This work establishes a correlation between the catalytic performance and the dynamic changes of the chemical state of Cu, and provides crucial mechanistic insights into the pathways for NO3-/NO2- electrocatalytic reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Janis Timoshenko
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of Max-Planck-Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Clara Rettenmaier
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of Max-Planck-Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Fabian Scholten
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of Max-Planck-Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Aram Yoon
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of Max-Planck-Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martina Rüscher
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of Max-Planck-Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Antonia Herzog
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of Max-Planck-Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix T. Haase
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of Max-Planck-Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefanie Kühl
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of Max-Planck-Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of Max-Planck-Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Arno Bergmann
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of Max-Planck-Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Roldan Cuenya Beatriz
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of Max-Planck-Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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2
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Kordus D, Widrinna S, Timoshenko J, Lopez Luna M, Rettenmaier C, Chee SW, Ortega E, Karslioglu O, Kühl S, Roldan Cuenya B. Enhanced Methanol Synthesis from CO 2 Hydrogenation Achieved by Tuning the Cu-ZnO Interaction in ZnO/Cu 2O Nanocube Catalysts Supported on ZrO 2 and SiO 2. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:8677-8687. [PMID: 38472104 PMCID: PMC10979448 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c01077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The nature of the Cu-Zn interaction and especially the role of Zn in Cu/ZnO catalysts used for methanol synthesis from CO2 hydrogenation are still debated. Migration of Zn onto the Cu surface during reaction results in a Cu-ZnO interface, which is crucial for the catalytic activity. However, whether a Cu-Zn alloy or a Cu-ZnO structure is formed and the transformation of this interface under working conditions demand further investigation. Here, ZnO/Cu2O core-shell cubic nanoparticles with various ZnO shell thicknesses, supported on SiO2 or ZrO2 were prepared to create an intimate contact between Cu and ZnO. The evolution of the catalyst's structure and composition during and after the CO2 hydrogenation reaction were investigated by means of operando spectroscopy, diffraction, and ex situ microscopy methods. The Zn loading has a direct effect on the oxidation state of Zn, which, in turn, affects the catalytic performance. High Zn loadings, resulting in a stable ZnO catalyst shell, lead to increased methanol production when compared to Zn-free particles. Low Zn loadings, in contrast, leading to the presence of metallic Zn species during reaction, showed no significant improvement over the bare Cu particles. Therefore, our work highlights that there is a minimum content of Zn (or optimum ZnO shell thickness) needed to activate the Cu catalyst. Furthermore, in order to minimize catalyst deactivation, the Zn species must be present as ZnOx and not metallic Zn or Cu-Zn alloy, which is undesirably formed during the reaction when the precatalyst ZnO overlayer is too thin.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kordus
- Department
of Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Simon Widrinna
- Department
of Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Janis Timoshenko
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mauricio Lopez Luna
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Clara Rettenmaier
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Eduardo Ortega
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Osman Karslioglu
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefanie Kühl
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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3
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Ávila-Bolívar B, Lopez Luna M, Yang F, Yoon A, Montiel V, Solla-Gullón J, Chee SW, Roldan Cuenya B. Revealing the Intrinsic Restructuring of Bi 2O 3 Nanoparticles into Bi Nanosheets during Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2024; 16:11552-11560. [PMID: 38408369 PMCID: PMC10921375 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Bismuth is a catalyst material that selectively produces formate during the electrochemical reduction of CO2. While different synthesis strategies have been employed to create electrocatalysts with better performance, the restructuring of bismuth precatalysts during the reaction has also been previously reported. The mechanism behind the change has, however, remained unclear. Here, we show that Bi2O3 nanoparticles supported on Vulcan carbon intrinsically transform into stellated nanosheet aggregates upon exposure to an electrolyte. Liquid cell transmission electron microscopy observations first revealed the gradual restructuring of the nanoparticles into nanosheets in the presence of 0.1 M KHCO3 without an applied potential. Our experiments also associated the restructuring with solubility of bismuth in the electrolyte. While the consequent agglomerates were stable under moderate negative potentials (-0.3 VRHE), they dissolved over time at larger negative potentials (-0.4 and -0.5 VRHE). Operando Raman spectra collected during the reaction showed that under an applied potential, the oxide particles reduced to metallic bismuth, thereby confirming the metal as the working phase for producing formate. These results inform us about the working morphology of these electrocatalysts and their formation and degradation mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mauricio Lopez Luna
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Fengli Yang
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Aram Yoon
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Vicente Montiel
- Institute
of Electrochemistry, University of Alicante, Alicante 03690, Spain
| | - José Solla-Gullón
- Institute
of Electrochemistry, University of Alicante, Alicante 03690, Spain
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, Berlin 14195, Germany
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4
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Rettenmaier C, Herzog A, Casari D, Rüscher M, Jeon HS, Kordus D, Luna ML, Kühl S, Hejral U, Davis EM, Chee SW, Timoshenko J, Alexander DTL, Bergmann A, Cuenya BR. Operando insights into correlating CO coverage and Cu-Au alloying with the selectivity of Au NP-decorated Cu 2O nanocubes during the electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction. EES Catal 2024; 2:311-323. [PMID: 38222061 PMCID: PMC10782806 DOI: 10.1039/d3ey00162h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Electrochemical reduction of CO2 (CO2RR) is an attractive technology to reintegrate the anthropogenic CO2 back into the carbon cycle driven by a suitable catalyst. This study employs highly efficient multi-carbon (C2+) producing Cu2O nanocubes (NCs) decorated with CO-selective Au nanoparticles (NPs) to investigate the correlation between a high CO surface concentration microenvironment and the catalytic performance. Structure, morphology and near-surface composition are studied via operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, operando high-energy X-ray diffraction as well as quasi in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. These operando studies show the continuous evolution of the local structure and chemical environment of our catalysts during reaction conditions. Along with its alloy formation, a CO-rich microenvironment as well as weakened average CO binding on the catalyst surface during CO2RR is detected. Linking these findings to the catalytic function, a complex compositional interplay between Au and Cu is revealed in which higher Au loadings primarily facilitate CO formation. Nonetheless, the strongest improvement in C2+ formation appears for the lowest Au loadings, suggesting a beneficial role of the Au-Cu atomic interaction for the catalytic function in CO2RR. This study highlights the importance of site engineering and operando investigations to unveil the electrocatalyst's adaptations to the reaction conditions, which is a prerequisite to understand its catalytic behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Rettenmaier
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Antonia Herzog
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Daniele Casari
- Electron Spectrometry and Microscopy Laboratory (LSME), Institute of Physics (IPHYS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Lausanne CH-1015 Switzerland
| | - Martina Rüscher
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Hyo Sang Jeon
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - David Kordus
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Mauricio Lopez Luna
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Stefanie Kühl
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Uta Hejral
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Earl M Davis
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Janis Timoshenko
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Duncan T L Alexander
- Electron Spectrometry and Microscopy Laboratory (LSME), Institute of Physics (IPHYS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Lausanne CH-1015 Switzerland
| | - Arno Bergmann
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society Faradayweg 4-6 14195 Berlin Germany
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5
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Hursán D, Timoshenko J, Ortega E, Jeon HS, Rüscher M, Herzog A, Rettenmaier C, Chee SW, Martini A, Koshy D, Roldán Cuenya B. Reversible Structural Evolution of Metal-Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Catalysts During CO 2 Electroreduction: An Operando X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Study. Adv Mater 2024; 36:e2307809. [PMID: 37994692 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202307809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical CO2 reduction (CO2 RR) is a rising technology, aiming to reduce the energy sector dependence on fossil fuels and to produce carbon-neutral raw materials. Metal-nitrogen-doped carbons (M-N-C) are emerging, cost-effective catalysts for this reaction; however, their long-term stability is a major issue. To overcome this, understanding their structural evolution is crucial, requiring systematic in-depth operando studies. Here a series of M-N-C catalysts (M = Fe, Sn, Cu, Co, Ni, Zn) is investigated using operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy. It is found that the Fe-N-C and Sn-N-C are prone to oxide clusters formation even before CO2 RR. In contrast, the respective metal cations are singly dispersed in the as-prepared Cu-N-C, Co-N-C, Ni-N-C, and (Zn)-N-C. During CO2 RR, metallic clusters/nanoparticles reversibly formed in all catalysts, except for the Ni-N-C. This phenomenon, previously observed only in Cu-N-C, thus is ubiquitous in M-N-C catalysts. The competition between M-O and M-N interactions is an important factor determining the mobility of metal species in M-N-C. Specifically, the strong interaction between the Ni centers and the N-functional groups of the carbon support results in higher stability of the Ni single-sites, leading to the excellent performance of Ni-N-C in the CO2 to CO conversion, in comparison to other transition metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorottya Hursán
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Janis Timoshenko
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eduardo Ortega
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hyo Sang Jeon
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martina Rüscher
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Antonia Herzog
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Clara Rettenmaier
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Martini
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - David Koshy
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldán Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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6
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Chee SW, Lunkenbein T, Schlögl R, Roldán Cuenya B. Operando Electron Microscopy of Catalysts: The Missing Cornerstone in Heterogeneous Catalysis Research? Chem Rev 2023; 123:13374-13418. [PMID: 37967448 PMCID: PMC10722467 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Heterogeneous catalysis in thermal gas-phase and electrochemical liquid-phase chemical conversion plays an important role in our modern energy landscape. However, many of the structural features that drive efficient chemical energy conversion are still unknown. These features are, in general, highly distinct on the local scale and lack translational symmetry, and thus, they are difficult to capture without the required spatial and temporal resolution. Correlating these structures to their function will, conversely, allow us to disentangle irrelevant and relevant features, explore the entanglement of different local structures, and provide us with the necessary understanding to tailor novel catalyst systems with improved productivity. This critical review provides a summary of the still immature field of operando electron microscopy for thermal gas-phase and electrochemical liquid-phase reactions. It focuses on the complexity of investigating catalytic reactions and catalysts, progress in the field, and analysis. The forthcoming advances are discussed in view of correlative techniques, artificial intelligence in analysis, and novel reactor designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- See Wee Chee
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Lunkenbein
- Department
of Inorganic Chemistry, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Schlögl
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldán Cuenya
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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7
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Yang F, Lopez Luna M, Haase FT, Escalera-López D, Yoon A, Rüscher M, Rettenmaier C, Jeon HS, Ortega E, Timoshenko J, Bergmann A, Chee SW, Roldan Cuenya B. Spatially and Chemically Resolved Visualization of Fe Incorporation into NiO Octahedra during the Oxygen Evolution Reaction. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:21465-21474. [PMID: 37726200 PMCID: PMC10557136 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c07158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
The activity of Ni (hydr)oxides for the electrochemical evolution of oxygen (OER), a key component of the overall water splitting reaction, is known to be greatly enhanced by the incorporation of Fe. However, a complete understanding of the role of cationic Fe species and the nature of the catalyst surface under reaction conditions remains unclear. Here, using a combination of electrochemical cell and conventional transmission electron microscopy, we show how the surface of NiO electrocatalysts, with initially well-defined surface facets, restructures under applied potential and forms an active NiFe layered double (oxy)hydroxide (NiFe-LDH) when Fe3+ ions are present in the electrolyte. Continued OER under these conditions, however, leads to the creation of additional FeOx aggregates. Electrochemically, the NiFe-LDH formation correlates with a lower onset potential toward the OER, whereas the formation of the FeOx aggregates is accompanied by a gradual decrease in the OER activity. Complementary insight into the catalyst near-surface composition, structure, and chemical state is further extracted using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, operando Raman spectroscopy, and operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy together with measurements of Fe uptake by the electrocatalysts using time-resolved inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Notably, we identified that the catalytic deactivation under stationary conditions is linked to the degradation of in situ-created NiFe-LDH. These insights exemplify the complexity of the active state formation and show how its structural and morphological evolution under different applied potentials can be directly linked to the catalyst activation and degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengli Yang
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mauricio Lopez Luna
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix T. Haase
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Escalera-López
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Aram Yoon
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martina Rüscher
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Clara Rettenmaier
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Hyo Sang Jeon
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Eduardo Ortega
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Janis Timoshenko
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Arno Bergmann
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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8
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Yang F, Luna ML, Haase FT, Escalera-Lόpez D, Yoon A, Kosari A, Porcu M, Bergmann A, Cuenya BR, Chee SW. Tracking the Incorporation of Fe into NiO Electrocatalysts during Reaction with Liquid Phase Electron Microscopy and Time-Resolved Elemental Mapping. Microsc Microanal 2023; 29:1302-1303. [PMID: 37613648 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad067.666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Fengli Yang
- Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max Planck Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mauricio Lopez Luna
- Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max Planck Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix T Haase
- Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max Planck Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Escalera-Lόpez
- Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max Planck Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany
| | - Aram Yoon
- Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max Planck Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ali Kosari
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Mauro Porcu
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Arno Bergmann
- Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max Planck Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max Planck Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max Planck Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany
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9
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Kordus D, Jelic J, Lopez Luna M, Divins NJ, Timoshenko J, Chee SW, Rettenmaier C, Kröhnert J, Kühl S, Trunschke A, Schlögl R, Studt F, Roldan Cuenya B. Shape-Dependent CO 2 Hydrogenation to Methanol over Cu 2O Nanocubes Supported on ZnO. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:3016-3030. [PMID: 36716273 PMCID: PMC9912329 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c11540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol over Cu/ZnO-based catalysts is highly sensitive to the surface composition and catalyst structure. Thus, its optimization requires a deep understanding of the influence of the pre-catalyst structure on its evolution under realistic reaction conditions, including the formation and stabilization of the most active sites. Here, the role of the pre-catalyst shape (cubic vs spherical) in the activity and selectivity of ZnO-supported Cu nanoparticles was investigated during methanol synthesis. A combination of ex situ, in situ, and operando microscopy, spectroscopy, and diffraction methods revealed drastic changes in the morphology and composition of the shaped pre-catalysts under reaction conditions. In particular, the rounding of the cubes and partial loss of the (100) facets were observed, although such motifs remained in smaller domains. Nonetheless, the initial pre-catalyst structure was found to strongly affect its subsequent transformation in the course of the CO2 hydrogenation reaction and activity/selectivity trends. In particular, the cubic Cu particles displayed an increased activity for methanol production, although at the cost of a slightly reduced selectivity when compared to similarly sized spherical particles. These findings were rationalized with the help of density functional theory calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kordus
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195Berlin, Germany,Department
of Physics, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780Bochum, Germany
| | - Jelena Jelic
- Institute
of Catalysis Research and Technology, Karlsruher
Institute of Technology, 76344Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Mauricio Lopez Luna
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195Berlin, Germany
| | - Núria J. Divins
- Department
of Physics, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780Bochum, Germany
| | - Janis Timoshenko
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195Berlin, Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195Berlin, Germany
| | - Clara Rettenmaier
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195Berlin, Germany
| | - Jutta Kröhnert
- Department
of Inorganic Chemistry, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefanie Kühl
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195Berlin, Germany
| | - Annette Trunschke
- Department
of Inorganic Chemistry, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Schlögl
- Department
of Inorganic Chemistry, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Studt
- Institute
of Catalysis Research and Technology, Karlsruher
Institute of Technology, 76344Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany,Institute
for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131Karlsruhe, Germany,
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department
of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, 14195Berlin, Germany,
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10
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Yoon A, Poon J, Grosse P, Chee SW, Cuenya BR. Iodide-mediated Cu catalyst restructuring during CO 2 electroreduction. J Mater Chem A Mater 2022; 10:14041-14050. [PMID: 35872703 PMCID: PMC9255670 DOI: 10.1039/d1ta11089f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Catalyst restructuring during electrochemical reactions is a critical but poorly understood process that determines the underlying structure-property relationships during catalysis. In the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 (CO2RR), it is known that Cu, the most favorable catalyst for hydrocarbon generation, is highly susceptible to restructuring in the presence of halides. Iodide ions, in particular, greatly improved the catalyst performance of Cu foils, although a detailed understanding of the morphological evolution induced by iodide remains lacking. It is also unclear if a similar enhancement transfers to catalyst particles. Here, we first demonstrate that iodide pre-treatment improves the selectivity of hexagonally ordered Cu-island arrays towards ethylene and oxygenate products. Then, the morphological changes in these arrays caused by iodide treatment and during CO2RR are visualized using electrochemical transmission electron microscopy. Our observations reveal that the Cu islands evolve into tetrahedral CuI, which then become 3-dimensional chains of copper nanoparticles under CO2RR conditions. Furthermore, CuI and Cu2O particles re-precipitated when the samples are returned to open circuit potential, implying that iodide and Cu+ species are present within these chains. This work provides detailed insight into the role of iodide, and its impact on the prevailing morphologies that exist during CO2RR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aram Yoon
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society Berlin 14195 Germany
| | - Jeffrey Poon
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society Berlin 14195 Germany
| | - Philipp Grosse
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society Berlin 14195 Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society Berlin 14195 Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society Berlin 14195 Germany
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11
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Wan W, Geiger J, Berdunov N, Lopez Luna M, Chee SW, Daelman N, López N, Shaikhutdinov S, Roldan Cuenya B. Highly Stable and Reactive Platinum Single Atoms on Oxygen Plasma-Functionalized CeO 2 Surfaces: Nanostructuring and Peroxo Effects. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202112640. [PMID: 35243735 PMCID: PMC9315031 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202112640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Atomically dispersed precious metals on oxide supports have recently become increasingly interesting catalytic materials. Nonetheless, their non‐trivial preparation and limited thermal and environmental stability constitutes an issue for their potential applications. Here we demonstrate that an oxygen plasma pre‐treatment of the ceria (CeO2) surface serves to anchor Pt single atoms, making them active and resistant towards sintering in the CO oxidation reaction. Through a combination of experimental results obtained on well‐defined CeO2 films and theory, we show that the O2 plasma causes surface nanostructuring and the formation of surface peroxo (O22−) species, favoring the uniform and dense distribution of isolated strongly bonded Pt2+ atoms. The promotional effect of the plasma treatment was further demonstrated on powder Pt/CeO2 catalysts. We believe that plasma functionalization can be applied to other metal/oxide systems to achieve tunable and stable catalysts with a high density of active sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiming Wan
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julian Geiger
- Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology Institution, 43007, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Nikolay Berdunov
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mauricio Lopez Luna
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nathan Daelman
- Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology Institution, 43007, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Núria López
- Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology Institution, 43007, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Shamil Shaikhutdinov
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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12
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Shaikhutdinov S, Wan W, Geiger J, Berdunov N, Lopez Luna M, Chee SW, Daelman N, López N, Cuenya BR. Highly Stable and Reactive Platinum Single Atoms on Oxygen Plasma‐Functionalized CeO2 Surfaces: Nanostructuring and Peroxo Effects. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202112640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Weiming Wan
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Interface Science GERMANY
| | - Julian Geiger
- Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia: Institut Catala d'Investigacio Quimica Not available SPAIN
| | - Nikolay Berdunov
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Interface Science GERMANY
| | - Mauricio Lopez Luna
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der MPG Berlin: Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Interface Science 14195 Berlin GERMANY
| | - See Wee Chee
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Interface Science GERMANY
| | - Nathan Daelman
- Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia: Institut Catala d'Investigacio Quimica Not available SPAIN
| | - Núria López
- Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia: Institut Catala d'Investigacio Quimica Not available SPAIN
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13
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Grosse P, Yoon A, Rettenmaier C, Herzog A, Chee SW, Roldan Cuenya B. Dynamic transformation of cubic copper catalysts during CO 2 electroreduction and its impact on catalytic selectivity. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6736. [PMID: 34795221 PMCID: PMC8602378 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26743-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
To rationally design effective and stable catalysts for energy conversion applications, we need to understand how they transform under reaction conditions and reveal their underlying structure-property relationships. This is especially important for catalysts used in the electroreduction of carbon dioxide where product selectivity is sensitive to catalyst structure. Here, we present real-time electrochemical liquid cell transmission electron microscopy studies showing the restructuring of copper(I) oxide cubes during reaction. Fragmentation of the solid cubes, re-deposition of new nanoparticles, catalyst detachment and catalyst aggregation are observed as a function of the applied potential and time. Using cubes with different initial sizes and loading, we further correlate this dynamic morphology with the catalytic selectivity through time-resolved scanning electron microscopy measurements and product analysis. These comparative studies reveal the impact of nanoparticle re-deposition and detachment on the catalyst reactivity, and how the increased surface metal loading created by re-deposited nanoparticles can lead to enhanced C2+ selectivity and stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Grosse
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Aram Yoon
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Clara Rettenmaier
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Antonia Herzog
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
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14
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Wang W, Chee SW, Yan H, Erofeev I, Mirsaidov U. Growth Dynamics of Vertical and Lateral Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheets during Electrodeposition. Nano Lett 2021; 21:5977-5983. [PMID: 34255526 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c00898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are a class of lamellar materials with a wide range of potential catalytic applications. LDHs form from positively charged 2D atomic layers separated by charge-balancing anions and solvent molecules. Typically, nanoscale LDH sheets can grow vertical or parallel to a substrate, exposing their different active facets. These two growth modes of LDH nanosheets have a significant impact on their electrocatalytic properties, yet the details of their growth remain unknown, hindering our ability to design and synthesize high-performance LDH-based electrocatalysts. Here, we investigate the growth pathways of LDH nanosheets using in situ electrochemical liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and show that the growth modes of LDH nanosheets can be controlled by tuning the precursor concentrations. Moreover, our observations reveal that LDH nanosheets grow via two pathways: (1) monomer addition, where the adatoms are heterogeneously deposited onto the LDH nanosheets, and (2) coalescence, where adjacent nanosheets merge together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Wang
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546, Singapore
| | - Hongwei Yan
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
| | - Ivan Erofeev
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
| | - Utkur Mirsaidov
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546, Singapore
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117575, Singapore
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15
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Lopez Luna M, Timoshenko J, Kordus D, Rettenmaier C, Chee SW, Hoffman AS, Bare SR, Shaikhutdinov S, Roldan Cuenya B. Role of the Oxide Support on the Structural and Chemical Evolution of Fe Catalysts during the Hydrogenation of CO 2. ACS Catal 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.1c01549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Lopez Luna
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Janis Timoshenko
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - David Kordus
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Clara Rettenmaier
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Adam S. Hoffman
- SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Simon R. Bare
- SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Shamil Shaikhutdinov
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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16
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Jeon HS, Timoshenko J, Rettenmaier C, Herzog A, Yoon A, Chee SW, Oener S, Hejral U, Haase FT, Roldan Cuenya B. Selectivity Control of Cu Nanocrystals in a Gas-Fed Flow Cell through CO 2 Pulsed Electroreduction. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:7578-7587. [PMID: 33956433 PMCID: PMC8154520 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c03443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
![]()
In this study, we
have taken advantage of a pulsed CO2 electroreduction reaction
(CO2RR) approach to tune the
product distribution at industrially relevant current densities in
a gas-fed flow cell. We compared the CO2RR selectivity
of Cu catalysts subjected to either potentiostatic conditions (fixed
applied potential of −0.7 VRHE) or pulsed electrolysis
conditions (1 s pulses at oxidative potentials ranging from Ean = 0.6 to 1.5 VRHE, followed by
1 s pulses at −0.7 VRHE) and identified the main
parameters responsible for the enhanced product selectivity observed
in the latter case. Herein, two distinct regimes were observed: (i)
for Ean = 0.9 VRHE we obtained
10% enhanced C2 product selectivity (FEC2H4 = 43.6% and FEC2H5OH = 19.8%) in comparison to the potentiostatic CO2RR at −0.7 VRHE (FEC2H4 = 40.9% and FEC2H5OH = 11%),
(ii) while for Ean = 1.2 VRHE, high CH4 selectivity (FECH4 =
48.3% vs 0.1% at constant −0.7 VRHE) was observed. Operando spectroscopy (XAS, SERS) and ex situ microscopy (SEM and TEM) measurements revealed that these differences
in catalyst selectivity can be ascribed to structural modifications
and local pH effects. The morphological reconstruction of the catalyst
observed after pulsed electrolysis with Ean = 0.9 VRHE, including the presence of highly defective
interfaces and grain boundaries, was found to play a key role in the
enhancement of the C2 product formation. In turn, pulsed
electrolysis with Ean = 1.2 VRHE caused the consumption
of OH– species near the catalyst surface, leading
to an OH-poor environment favorable for CH4 production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo Sang Jeon
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Janis Timoshenko
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Clara Rettenmaier
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Antonia Herzog
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Aram Yoon
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sebastian Oener
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Uta Hejral
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix T Haase
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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17
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Chee SW, Lunkenbein T, Schlögl R, Cuenya BR. In situand operandoelectron microscopy in heterogeneous catalysis-insights into multi-scale chemical dynamics. J Phys Condens Matter 2021; 33:153001. [PMID: 33825698 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/abddfd] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This review features state-of-the-artin situandoperandoelectron microscopy (EM) studies of heterogeneous catalysts in gas and liquid environments during reaction. Heterogeneous catalysts are important materials for the efficient production of chemicals/fuels on an industrial scale and for energy conversion applications. They also play a central role in various emerging technologies that are needed to ensure a sustainable future for our society. Currently, the rational design of catalysts has largely been hampered by our lack of insight into the working structures that exist during reaction and their associated properties. However, elucidating the working state of catalysts is not trivial, because catalysts are metastable functional materials that adapt dynamically to a specific reaction condition. The structural or morphological alterations induced by chemical reactions can also vary locally. A complete description of their morphologies requires that the microscopic studies undertaken span several length scales. EMs, especially transmission electron microscopes, are powerful tools for studying the structure of catalysts at the nanoscale because of their high spatial resolution, relatively high temporal resolution, and complementary capabilities for chemical analysis. Furthermore, recent advances have enabled the direct observation of catalysts under realistic environmental conditions using specialized reaction cells. Here, we will critically discuss the importance of spatially-resolvedoperandomeasurements and the available experimental setups that enable (1) correlated studies where EM observations are complemented by separate measurements of reaction kinetics or spectroscopic analysis of chemical species during reaction or (2) real-time studies where the dynamics of catalysts are followed with EM and the catalytic performance is extracted directly from the reaction cell that is within the EM column or chamber. Examples of current research in this field will be presented. Challenges in the experimental application of these techniques and our perspectives on the field's future directions will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Lunkenbein
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Schlögl
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Heterogeneous Reactions, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, 45413 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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18
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Andreeva DV, Trushin M, Nikitina A, Costa MCF, Cherepanov PV, Holwill M, Chen S, Yang K, Chee SW, Mirsaidov U, Castro Neto AH, Novoselov KS. Two-dimensional adaptive membranes with programmable water and ionic channels. Nat Nanotechnol 2021; 16:174-180. [PMID: 33169010 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-020-00795-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Membranes are ubiquitous in nature with primary functions that include adaptive filtering and selective transport of chemical/molecular species. Being critical to cellular functions, they are also fundamental in many areas of science and technology. Of particular importance are the adaptive and programmable membranes that can change their permeability or selectivity depending on the environment. Here, we explore implementation of such biological functions in artificial membranes and demonstrate two-dimensional self-assembled heterostructures of graphene oxide and polyamine macromolecules, forming a network of ionic channels that exhibit regulated permeability of water and monovalent ions. This permeability can be tuned by a change of pH or the presence of certain ions. Unlike traditional membranes, the regulation mechanism reported here relies on specific interactions between the membranes' internal components and ions. This allows fabrication of membranes with programmable, predetermined permeability and selectivity, governed by the choice of components, their conformation and their charging state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria V Andreeva
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Maxim Trushin
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anna Nikitina
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Mariana C F Costa
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pavel V Cherepanov
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Chemistry, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew Holwill
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Siyu Chen
- Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kou Yang
- Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Utkur Mirsaidov
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Antonio H Castro Neto
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kostya S Novoselov
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- Chongqing 2D Materials Institute, Chongqing, China.
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19
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Yoon A, Herzog A, Grosse P, Alsem DH, Chee SW, Roldán Cuenya B. Dynamic Imaging of Nanostructures in an Electrolyte with a Scanning Electron Microscope. Microsc Microanal 2021; 27:121-128. [PMID: 33403947 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927620024769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The development of microfabricated liquid cells has enabled dynamic studies of nanostructures within a liquid environment with electron microscopy. While such setups are most commonly found in transmission electron microscope (TEM) holders, their implementation in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) offers intriguing potential for multi-modal studies where the large chamber volume allows for the integration of multiple detectors. Here, we describe an electrochemical liquid cell SEM platform that employs the same cells enclosed by silicon nitride membrane windows found in liquid cell TEM holders and demonstrate the imaging of copper oxide nanoparticles in solution using both backscattered and transmitted electrons. In particular, the transmitted electron images collected at high scattering angles show contrast inversion at liquid layer thicknesses of several hundred nanometers, which can be used to determine the presence of liquid in the cell, while maintaining enough resolution to image nanoparticles that are tens of nanometers in size. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we show that both imaging modes have their advantages for liquid phase imaging and rationalize the contrast inversion observed in the transmitted electron image.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aram Yoon
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Berlin, Germany
| | - Antonia Herzog
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philipp Grosse
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Berlin, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldán Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Berlin, Germany
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20
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Rettenmaier C, Arán-Ais RM, Timoshenko J, Rizo R, Jeon HS, Kühl S, Chee SW, Bergmann A, Roldan Cuenya B. Enhanced Formic Acid Oxidation over SnO 2-decorated Pd Nanocubes. ACS Catal 2020; 10:14540-14551. [PMID: 33362944 PMCID: PMC7754515 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.0c03212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR) is one of the key reactions that can be used at the anode of low-temperature liquid fuel cells. To allow the knowledge-driven development of improved catalysts, it is necessary to deeply understand the fundamental aspects of the FAOR, which can be ideally achieved by investigating highly active model catalysts. Here, we studied SnO2-decorated Pd nanocubes (NCs) exhibiting excellent electrocatalytic performance for formic acid oxidation in acidic medium with a SnO2 promotion that boosts the catalytic activity by a factor of 5.8, compared to pure Pd NCs, exhibiting values of 2.46 A mg-1 Pd for SnO2@Pd NCs versus 0.42 A mg-1 Pd for the Pd NCs and a 100 mV lower peak potential. By using ex situ, quasi in situ, and operando spectroscopic and microscopic methods (namely, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy), we identified that the initially well-defined SnO2-decorated Pd nanocubes maintain their structure and composition throughout FAOR. In situ Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy revealed a weaker CO adsorption site in the case of the SnO2-decorated Pd NCs, compared to the monometallic Pd NCs, enabling a bifunctional reaction mechanism. Therein, SnO2 provides oxygen species to the Pd surface at low overpotentials, promoting the oxidation of the poisoning CO intermediate and, thus, improving the catalytic performance of Pd. Our SnO x -decorated Pd nanocubes allowed deeper insight into the mechanism of FAOR and hold promise for possible applications in direct formic acid fuel cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Rettenmaier
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rosa M. Arán-Ais
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Janis Timoshenko
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rubén Rizo
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Hyo Sang Jeon
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefanie Kühl
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Arno Bergmann
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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21
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Grosse P, Yoon A, Rettenmaier C, Chee SW, Cuenya BR. Growth Dynamics and Processes Governing the Stability of Electrodeposited Size-Controlled Cubic Cu Catalysts. J Phys Chem C Nanomater Interfaces 2020; 124:26908-26915. [PMID: 33335640 PMCID: PMC7735016 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c09105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The renewable energy-powered conversion of industrially generated CO2 into useful chemicals and fuels is considered a promising technology for the sustainable development of our modern society. The electrochemical reduction of CO2 (CO2RR) is one of the possible conversion processes that can be employed to close the artificial carbon cycle, mimicking nature's photosynthesis. Nevertheless, to enable green catalytic processes, selectivity for the desired products must be achieved. In the case of CO2RR, the selectivity is strongly dependent on the electrocatalyst structure. Here, we explore the phase space of synthesis parameters required for the electrodeposition of Cu cubes with {100} facets on glassy carbon substrates and elucidate their influence on the size, shape, coverage, and uniformity of the cubes. We found that the concentration of Cl- ions in solution controls the cube size, shape, and coverage, whereas the ratio of the reduction versus oxidation time and number of cycles in the alternating potential electrodeposition protocol can be used to further tune the cube size. Cyclic voltammetry experiments were complemented with in situ electrochemical scanning electron microscopy to follow the growth dynamics and ex situ transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. Our results indicate that the cube growth starts from nuclei formed during the first cycle, followed by a layered deposition and partial dissolution of new material in subsequent cycles.
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22
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Kunze S, Grosse P, Bernal Lopez M, Sinev I, Zegkinoglou I, Mistry H, Timoshenko J, Hu MY, Zhao J, Alp EE, Chee SW, Roldan Cuenya B. Operando NRIXS and XAFS Investigation of Segregation Phenomena in Fe‐Cu and Fe‐Ag Nanoparticle Catalysts during CO
2
Electroreduction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202010535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Kunze
- Department of Physics Ruhr-University Bochum 44780 Bochum Germany
- Department of Interface Science Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Philipp Grosse
- Department of Physics Ruhr-University Bochum 44780 Bochum Germany
- Department of Interface Science Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society 14195 Berlin Germany
| | | | - Ilya Sinev
- Department of Physics Ruhr-University Bochum 44780 Bochum Germany
| | | | - Hemma Mistry
- Department of Physics Ruhr-University Bochum 44780 Bochum Germany
| | - Janis Timoshenko
- Department of Interface Science Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Michael Y. Hu
- Advanced Photon Source Argonne National Laboratory Chicago USA
| | - Jiyong Zhao
- Advanced Photon Source Argonne National Laboratory Chicago USA
| | - Ercan E. Alp
- Advanced Photon Source Argonne National Laboratory Chicago USA
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society 14195 Berlin Germany
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23
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Li X, Xu HS, Leng K, Chee SW, Zhao X, Jain N, Xu H, Qiao J, Gao Q, Park IH, Quek SY, Mirsaidov U, Loh KP. Partitioning the interlayer space of covalent organic frameworks by embedding pseudorotaxanes in their backbones. Nat Chem 2020; 12:1115-1122. [DOI: 10.1038/s41557-020-00562-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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24
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Kunze S, Grosse P, Bernal Lopez M, Sinev I, Zegkinoglou I, Mistry H, Timoshenko J, Hu MY, Zhao J, Alp EE, Chee SW, Roldan Cuenya B. Operando NRIXS and XAFS Investigation of Segregation Phenomena in Fe-Cu and Fe-Ag Nanoparticle Catalysts during CO 2 Electroreduction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:22667-22674. [PMID: 32833290 PMCID: PMC7756314 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202010535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Operando nuclear resonant inelastic X‐ray scattering (NRIXS) and X‐ray absorption fine‐structure spectroscopy (XAFS) measurements were used to gain insight into the structure and surface composition of FeCu and FeAg nanoparticles (NPs) during the electrochemical CO2 reduction (CO2RR) and to extract correlations with their catalytic activity and selectivity. The formation of a core–shell structure during CO2RR for FeAg NPs was inferred from the analysis of the operando NRIXS data (phonon density of states, PDOS) and XAFS measurements. Electrochemical analysis of the FeAg NPs revealed a faradaic selectivity of 36 % for CO in 0.1 M KHCO3 at −1.1 V vs. RHE, similar to that of pure Ag NPs. In contrast, a predominant selectivity towards H2 evolution is obtained in the case of the FeCu NPs, analogous to the results obtained for pure Fe NPs, although small Cu NPs have also been shown to favor H2 production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Kunze
- Department of Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany.,Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philipp Grosse
- Department of Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany.,Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Ilya Sinev
- Department of Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Hemma Mistry
- Department of Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Janis Timoshenko
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Y Hu
- Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago, USA
| | - Jiyong Zhao
- Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago, USA
| | - Ercan E Alp
- Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago, USA
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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25
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Vrancken N, Ghosh T, Anand U, Aabdin Z, Chee SW, Baraissov Z, Terryn H, Gendt SD, Tao Z, Xu X, Holsteyns F, Mirsaidov U. Nanoscale Elastocapillary Effect Induced by Thin-Liquid-Film Instability. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:2751-2758. [PMID: 32187494 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Dense arrays of high-aspect-ratio (HAR) vertical nanostructures are essential elements of microelectronic components, photovoltaics, nanoelectromechanical, and energy storage devices. One of the critical challenges in manufacturing the HAR nanostructures is to prevent their capillary-induced aggregation during solution-based nanofabrication processes. Despite the importance of controlling capillary effects, the detailed mechanisms of how a solution interacts with nanostructures are not well understood. Using in situ liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we track the dynamics of nanoscale drying process of HAR silicon (Si) nanopillars in real-time and identify a new mechanism responsible for pattern collapse and nanostructure aggregation. During drying, deflection and aggregation of nanopillars are driven by thin-liquid-film instability, which results in much stronger capillary interactions between the nanopillars than the commonly proposed lateral meniscus interaction forces. The importance of thin-film instability in dewetting has been overlooked in prevalent theories on elastocapillary aggregation. The new dynamic mechanism revealed by in situ visualization is essential for the development of robust nanofabrication processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandi Vrancken
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
- Department of Materials & Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Elsene, Belgium
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
| | - Tanmay Ghosh
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Singapore
| | - Utkarsh Anand
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546, Singapore
| | - Zainul Aabdin
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546, Singapore
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 138634, Singapore
| | - See Wee Chee
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546, Singapore
| | - Zhaslan Baraissov
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546, Singapore
| | - Herman Terryn
- Department of Materials & Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Elsene, Belgium
| | - Stefan De Gendt
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
- Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Zheng Tao
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
| | - XiuMei Xu
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
| | | | - Utkur Mirsaidov
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117551, Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546, Singapore
- Department of Materials Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117575, Singapore
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26
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Li X, Qiao J, Chee SW, Xu HS, Zhao X, Choi HS, Yu W, Quek SY, Mirsaidov U, Loh KP. Rapid, Scalable Construction of Highly Crystalline Acylhydrazone Two-Dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks via Dipole-Induced Antiparallel Stacking. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:4932-4943. [PMID: 32079395 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c00553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Covalent organic frameworks are an emerging class of porous crystalline organic materials that can be designed and synthesized from the bottom up. Despite progress made in synthesizing COFs of diverse topologies, the synthesis methods are often tedious and unscalable, hampering practical applications. Herein, we demonstrate a scalable, robust method of producing highly crystalline acylhydrazone two-dimensional (2D) COFs with diversified structures (six examples) under open and stirred conditions, with growth typically completed in only 30 min. Our strategy involves selecting molecular building blocks that have bond dipole moments with spatial orientations that favor antiparallel stacking and whose structure allows the restriction of intramolecular bond rotation (RIR) via intra- and interlayer hydrogen bonding. This method is widely applicable for hydrazide linkers containing various side-chain functionalities and topicities. By this strategy, the gram-scale synthesis of two highly crystalline COFs (up to 1.4 g yield) was obtained in a one-pot reaction within 30 min.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Li
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Jingsi Qiao
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, 6 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117546, Singapore
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117551, Singapore.,Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117557, Singapore
| | - Hai-Sen Xu
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Xiaoxu Zhao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117575, Singapore
| | - Hwa Seob Choi
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Wei Yu
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Su Ying Quek
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, 6 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117546, Singapore.,Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117551, Singapore
| | - Utkur Mirsaidov
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117551, Singapore.,Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117557, Singapore
| | - Kian Ping Loh
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore.,Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, 6 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117546, Singapore
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27
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Tan SF, Chee SW, Baraissov Z, Jin H, Tan TL, Mirsaidov U. Intermediate Structures of Pt-Ni Nanoparticles during Selective Chemical and Electrochemical Etching. J Phys Chem Lett 2019; 10:6090-6096. [PMID: 31532219 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b02388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Both chemical and electrochemical etching are effective methods for tailoring the surface composition of Pt-based catalytic bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs). However, the detailed nanoscale etching mechanisms, which are needed for achieving fine control over the etch processes, are still not understood. Here, we study selective chemical and electrochemical Ni etching of Pt-Ni rhombic dodecahedron NPs using in situ liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy. Our real-time observations show that the intermediate NP structures evolve differently in the two cases. Chemical etching of Ni starts from localized pits on the NP surface, in contrast to the uniform dissolution of Ni during the electrochemical etching. Our study reveals how oxidative etching participates in the removal of a non-noble metal and the subsequent formation of noble-metal-rich NPs. The mechanistic insights reported here highlight the role of a native surface oxide layer on the etching behavior, which is important for the design of NPs with specific surface composition for applications in electrocatalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Fen Tan
- Department of Physics , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117551 , Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117557 , Singapore
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Physics , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117551 , Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117557 , Singapore
| | - Zhaslan Baraissov
- Department of Physics , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117551 , Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117557 , Singapore
| | - Hongmei Jin
- Institute of High Performance Computing , Agency for Science, Technology and Research , Singapore 138632 , Singapore
| | - Teck Leong Tan
- Institute of High Performance Computing , Agency for Science, Technology and Research , Singapore 138632 , Singapore
| | - Utkur Mirsaidov
- Department of Physics , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117551 , Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117557 , Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117546 , Singapore
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117575 , Singapore
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28
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Chee SW, Anand U, Bisht G, Tan SF, Mirsaidov U. Direct Observations of the Rotation and Translation of Anisotropic Nanoparticles Adsorbed at a Liquid-Solid Interface. Nano Lett 2019; 19:2871-2878. [PMID: 30932500 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b04962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We can learn about the interactions between nanoparticles (NPs) in solution and solid surfaces by tracking how they move. Here, we use liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to follow directly the translation and rotation of Au nanobipyramids (NBPs) and nanorods (NRs) adsorbed onto a SiN x surface at a rate of 300 frames per second. This study is motivated by the enduring need for a detailed description of NP motion on this common surface in liquid cell TEM. We will show that NPs move intermittently on the time scales of milliseconds. First, they rotate in two ways: (1) rotation around the center of mass and (2) pivoted rotation at the tips. These rotations also lead to different modes of translation. A NP can move through small displacements in the direction roughly parallel to its body axis (shuffling) or with larger steps via multiple tip-pivoted rotations. Analysis of the trajectories indicates that both displacements and rotation angles follow heavy-tailed power law distributions, implying anomalous diffusion. The spatial and temporal resolution afforded by our approach also revealed differences between the different NPs. The 50 nm NRs and 100 nm NBPs moved with a combination of shuffles and rotation-mediated displacements after illumination by the electron beam. With increasing electron fluence, 50 nm NRs also started to move via desorption-mediated jumps. The 70 nm NRs did not exhibit translational motion and only made small rotations. These results describe how NP dynamics evolve under the electron beam and how intermittent pinning and release at specific adsorption sites on the solid surface control NP motion at the liquid-solid interface. We also discuss the effect of SiN x surface treatment on NP motion, demonstrating how our approach can provide broader insights into interfacial transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- See Wee Chee
- Department of Physics , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117551
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117557
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117546
| | - Utkarsh Anand
- Department of Physics , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117551
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117557
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117546
| | - Geeta Bisht
- Department of Physics , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117551
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117557
| | - Shu Fen Tan
- Department of Physics , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117551
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117557
| | - Utkur Mirsaidov
- Department of Physics , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117551
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117557
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117546
- NUSNNI-NanoCore, Faculty of Engineering , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117581
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , National University of Singapore , Singapore 117575
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29
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Yang M, Shen L, Lu Y, Chee SW, Lu X, Chi X, Chen Z, Xu Q, Mirsaidov U, Ho GW. Titelbild: Disorder Engineering in Monolayer Nanosheets Enabling Photothermic Catalysis for Full Solar Spectrum (250–2500 nm) Harvesting (Angew. Chem. 10/2019). Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201900971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Min‐Quan Yang
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117583 Singapore Singapore
| | - Lei Shen
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117575 Singapore Singapore
| | - Yuyao Lu
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117583 Singapore Singapore
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of PhysicsNational University of Singapore 117551 Singapore Singapore
| | - Xin Lu
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117583 Singapore Singapore
| | - Xiao Chi
- Singapore Synchrotron Light SourceNational University of Singapore 117603 Singapore Singapore
| | - Zhihui Chen
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore 117543 Singapore Singapore
| | - Qing‐Hua Xu
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore 117543 Singapore Singapore
| | - Utkur Mirsaidov
- Department of PhysicsNational University of Singapore 117551 Singapore Singapore
| | - Ghim Wei Ho
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117583 Singapore Singapore
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30
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Yang M, Shen L, Lu Y, Chee SW, Lu X, Chi X, Chen Z, Xu Q, Mirsaidov U, Ho GW. Disorder Engineering in Monolayer Nanosheets Enabling Photothermic Catalysis for Full Solar Spectrum (250–2500 nm) Harvesting. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019; 58:3077-3081. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201810694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Min‐Quan Yang
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117583 Singapore Singapore
| | - Lei Shen
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117575 Singapore Singapore
| | - Yuyao Lu
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117583 Singapore Singapore
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of PhysicsNational University of Singapore 117551 Singapore Singapore
| | - Xin Lu
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117583 Singapore Singapore
| | - Xiao Chi
- Singapore Synchrotron Light SourceNational University of Singapore 117603 Singapore Singapore
| | - Zhihui Chen
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore 117543 Singapore Singapore
| | - Qing‐Hua Xu
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore 117543 Singapore Singapore
| | - Utkur Mirsaidov
- Department of PhysicsNational University of Singapore 117551 Singapore Singapore
| | - Ghim Wei Ho
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117583 Singapore Singapore
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31
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Yang M, Shen L, Lu Y, Chee SW, Lu X, Chi X, Chen Z, Xu Q, Mirsaidov U, Ho GW. Disorder Engineering in Monolayer Nanosheets Enabling Photothermic Catalysis for Full Solar Spectrum (250–2500 nm) Harvesting. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201810694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Min‐Quan Yang
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117583 Singapore Singapore
| | - Lei Shen
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117575 Singapore Singapore
| | - Yuyao Lu
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117583 Singapore Singapore
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of PhysicsNational University of Singapore 117551 Singapore Singapore
| | - Xin Lu
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117583 Singapore Singapore
| | - Xiao Chi
- Singapore Synchrotron Light SourceNational University of Singapore 117603 Singapore Singapore
| | - Zhihui Chen
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore 117543 Singapore Singapore
| | - Qing‐Hua Xu
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore 117543 Singapore Singapore
| | - Utkur Mirsaidov
- Department of PhysicsNational University of Singapore 117551 Singapore Singapore
| | - Ghim Wei Ho
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational University of Singapore 117583 Singapore Singapore
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32
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Abstract
Hierarchically organized nanoparticles (NPs) possess unique properties and are relevant to various technological applications. An important "bottom-up" strategy for building such hierarchical nanostructures is to guide the individual NPs into ordered nanoarchitectures using intermolecular interactions and external forces. However, our current understanding of the nanoscale interactions that govern such self-assembly processes usually relies on post-synthesis/assembly or indirect characterization. Theoretical models that can derive these interactions are presently constrained to systems with only a few particles or on short time scales. Hence, except for a number of special cases, a description that captures the detailed mechanisms of NP self-assembly still eludes us. By imaging the assembly of NPs in solution with subnanometer resolution and in real-time, in situ liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (LC-TEM) can identify previously unknown intermediate stages and improve our understanding of such processes. Here, we review recent studies where we explored NP self-assembly at different organization length scales using LC-TEM: (1) we followed the transformation of atoms into crystalline NPs in solution, (2) we highlighted the role of solvation forces on interaction dynamics between NPs, and (3) we described the assembly dynamics of NPs in solution. In the case of nanocrystal nucleation, we identified the existence of three distinct steps that lead to the formation of crystalline nuclei in solution. These steps are spinodal decomposition of the precursor solution into solute-rich and solute-poor liquid phases, nucleation of amorphous clusters within the solute-rich liquid phase, followed by crystallization of these amorphous clusters into crystalline NPs. The next question we ask is how NPs interact in solution once they form. It turns out that the hydration layer surrounding each NP acts as a repulsive barrier that prevents NPs from readily attaching to each other due to attractive vdW forces. Consequently, two interacting NPs form a metastable pair separated by their one water molecule thick hydration shell and they undergo attachment only when this water between them is drained. Next, we explore the self-assembly of many NP systems where the formation of linear chains from spherical NPs or nanorods (NRs) is mediated by linker molecules. At low linker concentration, both spherical NPs and NRs tend to form linear chains because of the need to reduce electrostatic repulsion between NP building blocks. When the concentration of linkers is increased, the attachment of NPs is no longer linear. For example, we find that two NRs undergo side-to-side assembly due to decreased electrostatic repulsion and the anisotropic distribution of linkers on NR surfaces at high linker concentration. Lastly, we look at the formation of NP nanorings directed by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) nanodroplets in water. Our study shows that nanoring assemblies form via sequential attachment of NPs to binding sites located along the circumference of the EDTA nanodroplet, followed by rearrangement and reorientation of the attached NPs. Our approach based on real-time visualization of nanoscale processes not only reveals all the intermediate steps of NP assembly, but also provides quantitative description on the interactions between nanoscale objects in solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Fen Tan
- Department
of Physics, National University of Singapore, 117551 Singapore
- Centre
for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117557 Singapore
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department
of Physics, National University of Singapore, 117551 Singapore
- Centre
for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117557 Singapore
- Centre
for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, 117546 Singapore
| | - Guanhua Lin
- Department
of Physics, National University of Singapore, 117551 Singapore
- Centre
for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117557 Singapore
- Centre
for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, 117546 Singapore
- NUSNNI-NanoCore, National University of Singapore, 117411 Singapore
| | - Utkur Mirsaidov
- Department
of Physics, National University of Singapore, 117551 Singapore
- Centre
for BioImaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117557 Singapore
- Centre
for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore, 117546 Singapore
- NUSNNI-NanoCore, National University of Singapore, 117411 Singapore
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Abstract
Using in situ liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we visualized a stepwise self-assembly of surfactant-coated and hydrated gold nanoparticles (NPs) into linear chains or branched networks. The NP binding is facilitated by linker molecules, ethylenediammonium, which form hydrogen bonds with surfactant molecules of neighboring NPs. The observed spacing between bound neighboring NPs, ∼15 Å, matches the combined length of two surfactants and one linker molecule. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that for lower concentrations of linkers, NPs with charged surfactants cannot be fully neutralized by strongly binding divalent linkers, so that NPs carry higher effective charges and tend to form chains, due to poor screening. The highly polar NP surfaces polarize and partly immobilize nearby water molecules, which promotes NPs binding. The presented experimental and theoretical approach allows for detail observation and explanation of self-assembly processes in colloidal nanosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanhua Lin
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore , 117551, Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore , 117546, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , 117543, Singapore
- NanoCore, National University of Singapore , 117576, Singapore
| | - See Wee Chee
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore , 117551, Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore , 117546, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , 117543, Singapore
| | | | | | - Utkur Mirsaidov
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore , 117551, Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore , 117546, Singapore
- Centre for BioImaging Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , 117543, Singapore
- NanoCore, National University of Singapore , 117576, Singapore
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Pinkowitz A, Chee SW, Engler BJ, Duquette DJ, Hull R. An In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of Localized Corrosion on Aluminum. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1557/adv.2016.334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Tan SF, Chee SW, Lin G, Bosman M, Lin M, Mirsaidov U, Nijhuis CA. Real-Time Imaging of the Formation of Au-Ag Core-Shell Nanoparticles. J Am Chem Soc 2016; 138:5190-3. [PMID: 27043921 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b00594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We study the overgrowth process of silver-on-gold nanocubes in dilute, aqueous silver nitrate solution in the presence of a reducing agent, ascorbic acid, using in situ liquid-cell electron microscopy. Au-Ag core-shell nanostructures were formed via two mechanistic pathways: (1) nuclei coalescence, where the Ag nanoparticles absorbed onto the Au nanocubes, and (2) monomer attachment, where the Ag atoms epitaxially deposited onto the Au nanocubes. Both pathways lead to the same Au-Ag core-shell nanostructures. Analysis of the Ag deposition rate reveals the growth modes of this process and shows that this reaction is chemically mediated by the reducing agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Fen Tan
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore , 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543
| | - See Wee Chee
- Centre for Bioimaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543.,Department of Physics, National University of Singapore , 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore , 117551.,NUSNNI-Nanocore, National University of Singapore , 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore , 117411.,Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore , 6 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117546
| | - Guanhua Lin
- Centre for Bioimaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543.,Department of Physics, National University of Singapore , 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore , 117551.,NUSNNI-Nanocore, National University of Singapore , 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore , 117411.,Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore , 6 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117546
| | - Michel Bosman
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) , 2 Fusionopolis Way, Singapore 138634.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore , 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117575
| | - Ming Lin
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) , 2 Fusionopolis Way, Singapore 138634
| | - Utkur Mirsaidov
- Centre for Bioimaging Sciences and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543.,Department of Physics, National University of Singapore , 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore , 117551.,NUSNNI-Nanocore, National University of Singapore , 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore , 117411.,Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore , 6 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117546
| | - Christian A Nijhuis
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore , 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543.,Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre, National University of Singapore , 6 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117546
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Tamura G, Chee SW, Loh D, Mirsaidov U, Matsudaira P. B12-O-13 In-situTEM observation of biological specimen in liquid cells. Microscopy (Oxf) 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfv100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Chee SW, Pratt SH, Hattar K, Duquette D, Ross FM, Hull R. Studying localized corrosion using liquid cell transmission electron microscopy. Chem Commun (Camb) 2015; 51:168-71. [DOI: 10.1039/c4cc06443g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Localized corrosion of Cu and Al thin films exposed to aqueous NaCl solutions was studied using liquid cell TEM. We demonstrate that potentiostatic control can be used to initiate pitting and that local compositional changes, due to FIB implantation of Au+ions, can modify the corrosion susceptibility of Al films.
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Affiliation(s)
- See Wee Chee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Troy
- USA
| | | | | | - David Duquette
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Troy
- USA
| | | | - Robert Hull
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Troy
- USA
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Chee SW, Duquette DJ, Ross FM, Hull R. Metastable structures in Al thin films before the onset of corrosion pitting as observed using liquid cell transmission electron microscopy. Microsc Microanal 2014; 20:462-468. [PMID: 24565052 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927614000221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
One of the fundamental challenges in understanding the early stages of corrosion pitting in metals protected with an oxide film is that there are relatively few techniques that can probe microstructure with sufficient resolution while maintaining a wet environment. Here, we demonstrate that microstructural changes in Al thin films caused by aqueous NaCl solutions of varying chloride concentrations can be directly observed using a liquid flow cell enclosed within a transmission electron microscope (TEM) holder. In the absence of chloride, Al thin films did not exhibit significant corrosion when immersed in de-ionized water for 2 days. However, introducing 0.01 M NaCl solutions led to extensive random formation of blisters over the sample surface, while 0.1 M NaCl solutions formed anomalous structures that were larger than the typical grain size. Immersion in 1.0 M NaCl solutions led to fractal corrosion consistent with previously reported studies of Al thin films using optical microscopy. These results show the potential of in situ liquid cell electron microscopy for probing the processes that take place before the onset of pitting and for correlating pit locations with the underlying microstructure of the material.
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Affiliation(s)
- See Wee Chee
- 1 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - David J Duquette
- 1 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Frances M Ross
- 2 IBM TJ Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA
| | - Robert Hull
- 1 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
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Chee SW, Ross FM, Duquette D, Hull R. Studies of Corrosion of Al Thin Films using Liquid Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1557/opl.2013.558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTA fundamental understanding of the processes that occur during early stages of corrosion is traditionally limited by the dearth of techniques that probe the liquid-solid interface with both high spatial resolution and microstructural detail such as grain size and orientation. Here, we demonstrate that with a microfluidic liquid flow cell holder, we can track the progress of corrosion in situ in Al thin films with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). To mitigate the loss of resolution caused by imaging through liquid, we developed a method in which the liquid is temporarily de-wetted from the entire windowed area by switching the liquid stream from pure water to a mixture of ethanol and water. In the de-wetted region, we then collected images of the film microstructure with high spatial resolution over regular intervals while maintaining a low electron flux over the imaged area to minimize beam-induced effects. For as-deposited films, we find that the corrosion progresses in a fractal manner, consistent with reported behavior for films studied in water with low iron and chloride concentrations. For films that were subjected to rapid thermal annealing, we observe a higher density of pitting events, which we attribute to defects created by thermal stress in the oxide film. Furthermore, we observe that the pits can form at multiple locations in a single grain and are not confined to grain boundaries.
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Chee SW, Sharma R. Controlling the size and the activity of Fe particles for synthesis of carbon nanotubes. Micron 2012; 43:1181-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2012.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2011] [Revised: 01/12/2012] [Accepted: 01/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Abstract
We report the evolution of titanium dioxide nanostructures when Au nanoparticles, supported on single crystal TiO(2) substrates, were heated under ∼260 Pa of flowing O(2) in an environmental transmission electron microscope. Nanostructures with different morphologies were first observed around 500°C. Our measurements show that temperature, oxygen pressure, and the electron beam control the nanostructure growth. We propose a reaction-controlled growth mechanism where mobile Ti atoms generated by the electron- beam-induced reduction of TiO(2) are preferentially reoxidized at the Au-TiO(2) interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- See Wee Chee
- LeRoy Eyring Center for Solid State Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
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Chiew YF, Chee SW, Mah PK, Chew WL. Two interesting cases of non-fatal melioidosis from Alexandra Hospital in Singapore. Singapore Med J 1994; 35:77-8. [PMID: 8009288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Y F Chiew
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore
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