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Strain-Driven Honeycomb Reconstruction of Multilayered Rh/Pt(111)
Abdulla Bin Afif1, Oleksii Ivashenko1,2, Alexandra Jahr Kolstad1
1Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1033 Blindern, N-0315 Oslo, Norway.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|May 25, 2026
Summary
Researchers discovered a unique honeycomb surface structure on Rhodium (Rh) on Platinum (Pt) after annealing. This nanostructure formation depends on Rh coverage, temperature, and diffusion dynamics, offering insights into bimetallic material evolution.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Bimetallic nanostructures are crucial for catalysis and electronics.
- Understanding their formation mechanisms is key to controlling properties.
- Rhodium (Rh) on Platinum (Pt) systems offer unique electronic and catalytic properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the formation of ordered surface structures during the annealing of Rh multilayers on Pt(111).
- To elucidate the role of diffusion and strain in the self-assembly of bimetallic nanostructures.
Main Methods:
- Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) for surface morphology analysis.
- In situ X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) for elemental composition.
- Computational diffusion calculations to model atomic transport.
Main Results:
- A long-range ordered honeycomb surface structure with ~15 nm periodicity was observed at ~11.2 ML Rh coverage and 700 K.
- Pt surface enrichment and Pt-Rh intermixing were driven by surface and grain boundary diffusion at 700 K.
- Bulk diffusion became dominant at 900 K, disrupting the honeycomb structure.
Conclusions:
- The honeycomb structure formation is a result of interplay between Rh coverage, annealing parameters, and Pt-Rh mixing.
- Interfacial strain due to lattice mismatch drives surface reorganization and nanostructure evolution.
- This study reveals the critical role of diffusion kinetics and strain in bimetallic surface reconstruction.
