University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) investigations of catalytic systems

Small, Matthew

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/42140

Description

Title
Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) investigations of catalytic systems
Author(s)
Small, Matthew
Issue Date
2013-02-03T19:17:05Z
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Nuzzo, Ralph G.
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Nuzzo, Ralph G.
Committee Member(s)
  • Gewirth, Andrew A.
  • Murphy, Catherine J.
  • Zuo, Jian-Min
Department of Study
Chemistry
Discipline
Chemical Physics
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
  • heterogeneous catalysis
  • aberration-corrected
  • scanning transmission electron microscopy
  • Pt
  • Al2O3
  • Noble metal
Abstract
Because of their importance to energy production, understanding and improving catalytic materials is essential to further advances in their development and use. The following work discusses the experimental investigation of various supported and unsupported noble metal nanoparticles using, predominantly, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) or spherical aberration-corrected STEM (Cs-STEM). Although the majority of the work focuses on γ-Al2O3 supported nanoparticles because of their industrial importance for fuel production, several other systems are also addressed. These include understanding the structural characteristics of unsupported noble metal nanoparticles (Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Ir and Rh) as a function of size and Pt-Pd nanoparticles formed in core-shell, reverse core-shell and alloy motifs. Regardless of the system investigated, all experiments revealed information about how the nanoparticle catalysts were structured and/or behaved under catalytic conditions.
Graduation Semester
2012-12
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/42140
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2012 Matthew Small

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