Direct observation of the formation and stabilization of metallic nanoparticles on carbon supports

Authors

Zhennan Huang, University of Illinois at Chicago
Yonggang Yao, A. James Clark School of Engineering
Zhenqian Pang, A. James Clark School of Engineering
Yifei Yuan, University of Illinois at Chicago
Tangyuan Li, A. James Clark School of Engineering
Kun He, Northwestern University
Xiaobing Hu, Northwestern University
Jian Cheng, A. James Clark School of Engineering
Wentao Yao, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-11-2020

Department

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

Abstract

Direct formation of ultra-small nanoparticles on carbon supports by rapid high temperature synthesis method offers new opportunities for scalable nanomanufacturing and the synthesis of stable multi-elemental nanoparticles. However, the underlying mechanisms affecting the dispersion and stability of nanoparticles on the supports during high temperature processing remain enigmatic. In this work, we report the observation of metallic nanoparticles formation and stabilization on carbon supports through in situ Joule heating method. We find that the formation of metallic nanoparticles is associated with the simultaneous phase transition of amorphous carbon to a highly defective turbostratic graphite (T-graphite). Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations suggest that the defective T-graphite provide numerous nucleation sites for the nanoparticles to form. Furthermore, the nanoparticles partially intercalate and take root on edge planes, leading to high binding energy on support. This interaction between nanoparticles and T-graphite substrate strengthens the anchoring and provides excellent thermal stability to the nanoparticles. These findings provide mechanistic understanding of rapid high temperature synthesis of metal nanoparticles on carbon supports and the origin of their stability.

Publisher's Statement

© 2020, The Author(s). Publisher’s version of record: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20084-5

Publication Title

Nature Communications

Recommended Citation

Huang, Z., Yao, Y., Pang, Z., Yuan, Y., Li, T., He, K., Hu, X., Cheng, J., & Yao, W. (2020). Direct observation of the formation and stabilization of metallic nanoparticles on carbon supports. Nature Communications, 11(1). http://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20084-5
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/14553

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Version

Publisher's PDF