Atomic scale dynamics of metal nanoclusters

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The project is aiming to understand the atomically structural dynamics of metallic nanocatalyts during catalysis as well as their long rang dynamics as rigid rotators/translators under external stimuli. We will combine metallic nanocatalyts (Fe, Pt) encapsulated in SWNT test systems with the in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) based on our new CC/CS-corrected SALVE microscope. Thereby the kinetic energy transferred from the e-beam with accelerating voltage of 20–80 keV to the atoms is utilized to stimulate the nanocluster dynamics and reactions. Meanwhile, to decouple the thermal and electron beam driven processes from each other, heating and cooling holders will be utilized to enable assessment of thermally promoted processes. Moreover, the e-beam stimulated motions of the metallic nanoclusters will be investigated and further manipulated to study the interactions between different metallic nanoclusters, including alloy catalysts and Janus catalysts forming. Accompanying atomistic simulations underpinning the observed dynamics of nanoclusters will be used to elucidate their structure-property relationship during nanocatalysis and reveal the mechanism of nanoparticles’ motion stimulated by e-beam. Considering our abundant preliminary work and successful first results, we have confidence to implement this project and advance understanding of fundamental behavior of metallic nanoclusters.