Density dependence of the extinction coefficient of a dispersion of spherical metal particles

In the Study of small metal particles the shape is a very Important parameter. Using electron microscopy Ino and Owaga(l) have studied the shape of twinned particles of gold. In that work electron diffraction and contrast (dark field) experiments were used to produce models of a crystal particle. In this work we report a method which can give direct information about the shape of an small metal particle in the amstrong- size range with high resolution. The diffraction pattern of a sample containing small metal particles contains in general several systematic and non- systematic reflections and a two-beam condition can not be used in practice. However a N-beam condition produces a reduced extinction distance. On the other hand if a beam is out of the bragg condition the effective extinction distance is even more reduced.

Download Full-text

Structure and composition of metal particles in Pt-Sn/Al2O3 bimetallic catalysts

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100174527 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 278-279

Author(s):

A. Sachdev ◽

J. Schwank

Keyword(s):

Bimetallic Catalysts ◽

Bimetallic Catalyst ◽

Size Structure ◽

High Surface ◽

High Surface Area ◽

Metal Particles ◽

Alloy Formation ◽

Particle Size Range ◽

Oxide Supports ◽

Petroleum Fractions

Platinum - tin bimetallic catalysts have been primarily utilized in the chemical industry in the catalytic reforming of petroleum fractions. In this process the naphtha feedstock is converted to hydrocarbons with higher octane numbers and high anti-knock qualities. Most of these catalysts contain small metal particles or crystallites supported on high surface area insulating oxide supports. The determination of the structure and composition of these particles is crucial to the understanding of the catalytic behavior. In a bimetallic catalyst it is important to know how the two metals are distributed within the particle size range and in what way the addition of a second metal affects the size, structure and composition of the metal particles. An added complication in the Pt-Sn system is the possibility of alloy formation between the two elements for all atomic ratios.

Download Full-text

Investigation of cluster layers of small netal particles by TEM, SEM, EELS and by photoacoustic spectroscopy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100174382 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 250-251

Author(s):

H. Seiler ◽

U. Haas ◽

K.H. Körtje

Keyword(s):

Bulk Material ◽

High Vacuum ◽

Optical Methods ◽

Metal Particles ◽

Silver Particles ◽

Low Loss ◽

Plasmon Excitation ◽

First Results ◽

Diffraction Patterns ◽

Small Metal Particles

The physical properties of small metal particles reveal an intermediate position between atomic and bulk material. Especially Ag has shown pronounced size effects. We compared silver layers evaporated in high vacuum with cluster layers of small silver particles, evaporated in N2 at a pressure of about 102 Pa. The investigations were performed by electron optical methods (TEM, SEM, EELS) and by Photoacoustic (PA) Spectroscopy (gas-microphone detection).The observation of cluster layers with TEM and high resolution SEM show small silver particles with diameters of about 50 nm (Fig. 1 and Figure 2, respectively). The electron diffraction patterns of homogeneous Ag layers and of cluster layers are similar, whereas the low loss EELS spectra due to plasmon excitation are quite different. Fig. 3 and Figure 4 show first results of EELS spectra of a cluster layer of small silver particles on carbon foil and of a homogeneous Ag layer, respectively.

Download Full-text

Coherent electron nanodiffraction from clean silver nano particles in a UHV STEM

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010015112x ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 1058-1059

Author(s):

J. Liu ◽

M. Pan ◽

G. E. Spinnler

Keyword(s):

Supported Catalysts ◽

Imaging Techniques ◽

Nano Particles ◽

Metal Particles ◽

Shape Structure ◽

Dynamical Simulations ◽

Small Metal Particles ◽

Extract Information

Small metal particles have peculiar chemical and physical properties as compared to bulk materials. They are especially important in catalysis since metal particles are common constituents of supported catalysts. The structural characterization of small particles is of primary importance for the understanding of structure-catalytic activity relationships. The shape and size of metal particles larger than approximately 5 nm in diameter can be determined by several imaging techniques. It is difficult, however, to deduce the shape of smaller metal particles. Coherent electron nanodiffraction (CEND) patterns from nano particles contain information about the particle size, shape, structure and defects etc. As part of an on-going program of STEM characterization of supported catalysts we report some preliminary results of CEND study of Ag nano particles, deposited in situ in a UHV STEM instrument, and compare the experimental results with full dynamical simulations in order to extract information about the shape of Ag nano particles.

Download Full-text

Analytical Electron Microscopy study of two vehicle-aged automotive exhaust catalysts having dissimilar activities

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100153336 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 47 ◽

pp. 272-273

Author(s):

Sooho Kim ◽

M. J. D’Aniello

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Particle Size ◽

Noble Metal ◽

Catalyst Deactivation ◽

Analytical Electron Microscopy ◽

Microscopy Study ◽

Metal Particles ◽

Automotive Exhaust ◽

Exhaust Catalysts ◽

Analytical Electron

Automotive catalysts generally lose-agtivity during vehicle operation due to several well-known deactivation mechanisms. To gain a more fundamental understanding of catalyst deactivation, the microscopic details of fresh and vehicle-aged commercial pelleted automotive exhaust catalysts containing Pt, Pd and Rh were studied by employing Analytical Electron Microscopy (AEM). Two different vehicle-aged samples containing similar poison levels but having different catalytic activities (denoted better and poorer) were selected for this study.The general microstructure of the supports and the noble metal particles of the two catalysts looks similar; the noble metal particles were generally found to be spherical and often faceted. However, the average noble metal particle size on the poorer catalyst (21 nm) was larger than that on the better catalyst (16 nm). These sizes represent a significant increase over that found on the fresh catalyst (8 nm). The activity of these catalysts decreases as the observed particle size increases.

Download Full-text

HREM image simulations for supported metal particle catalysts

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100149519 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 736-737 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ming-Hui Yao ◽

David J. Smith

Keyword(s):

Fine Particles ◽

Amorphous Material ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Morphological Features ◽

Metal Particles ◽

Plan View ◽

Profile View ◽

Imaging Conditions ◽

Image Simulations ◽

Supported Metal

The chemical properties of catalysts often depend on the size, shape and structure of the supported metal particles. To characterize these morphological features and relate them to catalysis is one of the main objectives for HREM study of catalysts. However, in plan view imaging, details of the shape and structure of ultra-fine supported particles (<2nm) are often obscured by the overlapping contrast from the support, and supported sub-nanometer particles are sometimes even invisible. Image simulations may help in the interpretation at HREM images of supported particles in particular to extract useful information about the size, shape and structure of the particles. It should also be a useful tool for evaluating the imaging conditions in terms of visibility of supported particles. P. L. Gai et al have studied contrast from metal particles supported on amorphous material using multislice simulations. In order to better understand the influence of a crystalline support on the visibility and apparent morphological features of supported fine particles, we have calculated images of Pt and Re particles supported on TiO2(rutile) in both plan view and profile view.

Download Full-text

A High Resolution Study of Alumina Supported Iridium Catalysts

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s1431927600000878 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 38 ◽

pp. 202-203

Author(s):

C. Stoeckert ◽

B. Etherton ◽

M. Beer ◽

J. Gryder

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscope ◽

High Resolution ◽

Metal Particles ◽

Optical Transfer Function ◽

Particle Sizes ◽

Iridium Catalysts ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Optical Transfer ◽

Conventional Transmission Electron Microscope ◽

Resolution Study

The interpretation of the activity of catalysts requires information about the sizes of the metal particles, since this has implications for the number of surface atoms available for reaction. To determine the particle dimensions we used a high resolution STEM1. Such an instrument with its simple optical transfer function is far more suitable than a conventional transmission electron microscope for the establishment of particle sizes. We report here our study on the size and number distribution of Ir particles supported on Al2O3 and also examine simple geometric models for the shape of Ir particles.

Download Full-text