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Directional Gateway to Metal Oxidation: 3D Chemical Mapping Unfolds Oxygen Diffusional Pathways in Rhodium
Sten V Lambeets1,2, Thierry Visart de Bocarmé2, Daniel E Perea1
1Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|April 3, 2020
Summary
Oxygen atoms penetrate reactive rhodium nanoparticles through specific crystal facets, acting as gateways for subsurface diffusion. This finding enhances understanding of metal corrosion and heterogeneous catalysis.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- The atomic-level mechanisms of metal oxidation, especially in nanoparticles, remain poorly understood.
- Surface oxide formation is crucial for metal corrosion and heterogeneous catalysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate oxygen atom incorporation pathways in rhodium nanoparticles.
- To elucidate the role of crystallographic facets in oxygen diffusion.
Main Methods:
- Atom probe microscopy (APM) for analyzing oxygen atom distributions.
- Video-field emission analyses to study subsurface diffusion.
Main Results:
- Oxygen atoms were found distributed within rhodium nanoparticles.
- Facets along the ⟨022̅⟩ crystallographic directions, specifically {113} facets, were identified as primary gateways for oxygen permeation.
- Anisotropic oxygen distribution confirmed facet-dependent diffusion.
Conclusions:
- Specific crystallographic facets control oxygen diffusion into nanoparticles.
- This research provides fundamental insights into metal corrosion precursors and informs the design of catalysts based on nanoparticle structural dynamics.
