Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Atomic Structure

Atomic Structure

Atomic Mass

Atomic Mass

Atoms — and the protons, neutrons, and electrons that compose them — are extremely small. For example, a carbon atom weighs less than 2 × 10−23 g. When describing the properties of tiny objects such as atoms, we use appropriately small units of measure, such as the atomic mass unit (amu). The amu was originally defined based on hydrogen, the lightest element, then later in terms of oxygen. Since 1961, it has been defined with regard to the most abundant isotope of carbon, atoms of which...

Atomic Orbitals

Atomic Orbitals

An atomic orbital represents the three-dimensional regions in an atom where an electron has the highest probability to reside. The radial distribution function indicates the total probability of finding an electron within the thin shell at a distance r from the nucleus. The atomic orbitals have distinct shapes which are determined by l, the angular momentum quantum number. The orbitals are often drawn with a boundary surface, enclosing densest regions of the cloud.

Hybridization of Atomic Orbitals I

Hybridization of Atomic Orbitals I

The mathematical expression known as the wave function, ψ, contains information about each orbital and the wavelike properties of electrons in an isolated atom. When atoms are bound together in a molecule, the wave functions combine to produce new mathematical descriptions that have different shapes. This process of combining the wave functions for atomic orbitals is called hybridization and is mathematically accomplished by the linear combination of atomic orbitals. The new orbitals that...

The Energies of Atomic Orbitals

The Energies of Atomic Orbitals

In an atom, the negatively charged electrons are attracted to the positively charged nucleus. In a multielectron atom, electron-electron repulsions are also observed. The attractive and repulsive forces are dependent on the distance between the particles, as well as the sign and magnitude of the charges on the individual particles. When the charges on the particles are opposite, they attract each other. If both particles have the same charge, they repel each other.

The Atomic Theory of Matter

The Atomic Theory of Matter

The earliest recorded discussion of the basic structure of matter comes from ancient Greek philosophers. Leucippus and Democritus argued that all matter was composed of small, finite particles that they called atomos, meaning “indivisible.” Later, Aristotle and others came to the conclusion that matter consisted of various combinations of the four “elements” — fire, earth, air, and water — and could be infinitely divided. Interestingly, these philosophers...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Linking metal oxidation to oxygen reactivity.

Nature materials·2026

Same author

Charge accumulation and solvation in β-NiOOH: Surface chemistry of an OER catalyst from ML-aided simulations.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026

Same author

Connecting the dots in a pH-dependent oxygen evolution reaction.

Nature chemistry·2025

Same author

Author Correction: Operando TEM study of a working copper catalyst during ethylene oxidation.

Nature communications·2025

Same author

Operando TEM study of a working copper catalyst during ethylene oxidation.

Nature communications·2025

Same author

Electric fields imbue enzyme reactivity by aligning active site fragment orbitals.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Published on: April 10, 2018

Free-atom-like d states in single-atom alloy catalysts.

M T Greiner^1,2, T E Jones³, S Beeg^4,5

¹Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Department of Heterogeneous Reactions, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany. mark.greiner@cec.mpg.de.

Nature Chemistry

|August 29, 2018

Summary

Single-atom alloys display emergent electronic structures, mimicking free atoms. This unique property enhances catalytic activity, as seen in silver-copper alloys, offering a new design strategy for advanced catalysts.

More Related Videos

Force Spectroscopy of Single Protein Molecules Using an Atomic Force Microscope

Force Spectroscopy of Single Protein Molecules Using an Atomic Force Microscope

Published on: February 28, 2019

Atom Probe Tomography Studies on the CuIn,GaSe2 Grain Boundaries

Atom Probe Tomography Studies on the CuIn,GaSe2 Grain Boundaries

Published on: April 22, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Published on: April 10, 2018

Force Spectroscopy of Single Protein Molecules Using an Atomic Force Microscope

Force Spectroscopy of Single Protein Molecules Using an Atomic Force Microscope

Published on: February 28, 2019

Atom Probe Tomography Studies on the CuIn,GaSe2 Grain Boundaries

Atom Probe Tomography Studies on the CuIn,GaSe2 Grain Boundaries

Published on: April 22, 2013

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Catalysis
Surface Chemistry

Background:

Alloying metal catalysts tunes electronic structure for performance.
Mean-field behavior in metals limits performance tuning.
Emergent properties beyond component interpolation are needed for unprecedented catalysis.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate emergent electronic structures in single-atom alloys.
To explore how these structures affect catalytic adsorption and performance.
To demonstrate a new design approach for advanced alloy catalysts.

Main Methods:

Fabrication and characterization of dilute single-atom alloys (e.g., AgCu).
In situ electron spectroscopy to probe electronic structure under reaction conditions.
Methanol reforming reaction studies to measure catalytic activity and activation barriers.

Main Results:

Observed a free-atom-like electronic structure on minority elements in single-atom alloys.
Demonstrated that this structure alters adsorption properties, resembling molecular metal complexes.
Showcased a 0.1 eV lower activation barrier for methanol reforming with dilute Cu in AgCu compared to bulk Cu.

Conclusions:

Single-atom alloys can exhibit emergent electronic structures with unique catalytic properties.
This phenomenon offers a pathway to design catalysts with significantly enhanced performance.
The findings suggest potential for developing novel alloys with unprecedented catalytic capabilities.