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Updated: Apr 24, 2026

Author Spotlight: Tracking Electrochemistry on Single Nanoparticles with Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Spectroscopy and Microscopy
Published on: May 12, 2023
Electrochemically induced surface metal migration in well-defined core-shell nanoparticles and its general influence
Casey N Brodsky1, Allison P Young, Ka Chon Ng
1Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College , 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States.
Abstract:
Bimetallic nanoparticle catalysts provide enhanced activity, as combining metals allows tuning of electronic and geometric structure, but the enhancement may vary during the reaction because the nanoparticles can undergo metal migration under catalytic reaction conditions. Using cyclic voltammetry to track the surface composition over time, we carried out a detailed study of metal migration in a well-defined model Au-Pd core-shell nanocatalyst. When subjected to electrochemical conditions, Au migration from the core to the shell was observed. The effect of Pd shell thickness and electrolyte identity on the extent of migration was studied. Migration of metals during catalytic ethanol oxidation was found to alter the particle's surface composition and electronic structure, enhancing the core-shell particles' activity. We show that metal migration in core-shell nanoparticles is a phenomenon common to numerous electrochemical systems and must be considered when studying electrochemical catalysis.
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