Operando Gas Cell TEM and X-Ray Microscopy Enables Mapping of Catalytic Reactions in Real Time

Nature Communnications LOGO 640x 78 Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have used Hummingbird Scientific in-situ gas cell TEM and X-Ray specimen holders to characterize heterogeneous catalytic reactions. Their findings were published in the latest version of Nature Communications.

Figure 2C
The STEM images are shown as measured in the operando mode, during different reaction regimes. Theoretical fits to EXAFS data included three contributions between Pt and their nearest neighbours. Images Copyright © 2015, Nature Communications.

By using correlated gas cell scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and X-ray microscopy and spectroscopy they were able to quantitatively characterize catalytic activity of supported Pt catalysts. The capability of the Hummingbird Scientific gas cell to be transferred between the TEM and X-Ray microscope allowed a variety of probes to characterize a model catalytic reaction. This method can be broadly applied to study  operando gas-reaction studies.

Learn more about the gas cell TEM sample holder used in the experiment

Y. Li, D. Zakharov, S. Zhao, R. Tappero, U. Jung, A. Elsen, Ph. Baumann, R.G. Nuzzo, E.A. Stach & A.I. Frenkel, “Complex structural dynamics of nanocatalysts revealed in Operando conditions by correlated imaging and spectroscopy probes”. Nature Communications 6, Article number:7583doi:10.1038/ncomms8583, Published

 

 


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