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Atomic Structure01:33

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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...
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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...
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Golden single-atomic-site platinum electrocatalysts.

Paul N Duchesne1, Z Y Li2, Christopher P Deming3

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.

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Platinum-gold nanoparticles show remarkable electrocatalytic activity for formic acid oxidation. Low platinum content in Pt4Au96 nanoparticles resulted in unprecedented catalytic performance due to unique single-atomic-site structures.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Electrochemistry
  • Catalysis

Background:

  • Bimetallic nanoparticles offer tunable geometric and electronic effects for catalysis.
  • Controlling alloy bonding and surface structure is key to optimizing catalytic sites.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a facile colloidal method for preparing platinum-gold (PtAu) nanoparticles with controlled structures.
  • To investigate the electrocatalytic activity of these PtAu nanoparticles for formic acid oxidation.

Main Methods:

  • Facile colloidal synthesis of platinum-gold (PtAu) nanoparticles with controlled diameters (~7 nm).
  • Electrocatalytic activity testing for formic acid oxidation.
  • Structural characterization and density functional theory (DFT) simulations.

Main Results:

  • PtAu nanoparticles with low platinum content, specifically Pt4Au96, exhibited exceptional electrocatalytic activity.
  • Pt4Au96 achieved a forward current density of 3.77 A mgPt-1, significantly outperforming other PtAu compositions and commercial Pt catalysts.
  • Characterization revealed single-atom platinum sites surrounded by gold atoms in the best-performing catalysts.

Conclusions:

  • Tailored PtAu nanoparticles, particularly those with single-atomic-site platinum, demonstrate superior electrocatalytic performance for formic acid oxidation.
  • The enhanced activity is attributed to unique structural and alloy-bonding properties at the single-atomic-site level.
  • These findings highlight the potential of single-atomic-site catalysts for efficient electrochemical applications.