Reaction-Driven Migration Dynamics of Nano-Metal Particles Unraveled by Quantitative Electron Microscopies

The stability of supported nano-metal catalysts holds significant importance in both scientific and economic practice, beyond the long pursuit of enhanced activity. While previous efforts have concentrated on augmenting the interaction between nano-metals and carriers, in the thermodynamic macro-perspective, to achieve optimized repression upon particle migration coalescence and Ostwald ripening, nevertheless, the microscale kinetics of migrating catalyst particles driven by the reaction remains unknown. In this work, the migration of nano-copper particles is investigated during hydrogen oxidation reaction by utilizing high spatiotemporal resolution of environmental transmission electron microscopy. It is shown that there exists a delicate correlation between the migration dynamics of nano-copper particles and the evolution of asymmetrically distributed Cu and Cu₂O phases over the particle surface. It is found that the interplay of reduction and oxidation near the surface areas filled with Cu and Cu₂O phases can facilitate the pressure gradient, which drives the migration of nano-particles. A driving force model is therefore established which is capable of qualitatively explaining the influences of reaction conditions such as temperature and hydrogen-to-oxygen ratio on the reaction-driven particle migration. This work adds a potential yet critical perspective to understanding particle migration and thus the nano-metal catalyst particle sintering in heterogeneous catalysis.