Engineering and direct imaging of nanocube self-assembly pathways
December 17, 2024
Tuesday publication update! This newest research published in #MaterialsAdvances looks at the thermal decomposition of methane into carbon nanofibers (CNF) using our #AtmosphereAX system! Suzanne Schoemaker, Stefan Bismeijer, Tom Welling and Petra de Jongh from #UtrechtUniversity are visualizing the CNF formation behavior of supported bimetallic NiCu catalysts at the nanoscale.
This study started from NiCu catalysts and looked at the influence of the copper content on the carbon yield when forming CNF. It was shown that the optimal Cu concentration was ~30%, which maximized carbon yield. As the Cu content increased, this decreased the carbon solubility in the NiCu nanoparticles, influencing reaction kinetics and overall yield.
Utilizing in situ electron microscopy small and intricate changes were observed in the metal nanoparticle morphology during carbon growth. This was done by first performing an in situ reduction step and then adding the methane gas at 1 bar and at 600°C.
It was also found that NiCu nanoparticles maintained larger, spherical shapes, fostering consistent carbon nanofiber (CNF) growth, while pure Ni nanoparticles exhibited variable shapes and interrupted CNF growth.
This research emphasizes the critical role of balancing carbon supply, transport, and nucleation in optimizing catalytic performance. It also shows the importance of integrating statistical measurements with microscopic insights to grasp overarching catalytic trends.
Want to read the entire research paper?
Find it here!
https://www.doi.org/10.1039/d4ma00138a
#Protochips #insitumicroscopy #FindyourBreakthrough #Catalysis #HydrogenProduction #ElectronMicroscopy
