Nanoparticle growth: Small 6/2009

The cover image shows a scanning electron microscopy image of platinum nanoparticles grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on the {001} faces of strontium titinate nanocubes. The SrTiO3 single-crystal cubes are grown by hydrothermal methods to have 60-nm-long edges. Precise control over the Pt particle size, dispersion, and chemical state is achieved by controlling the number of ALD cycles. This is demonstrated by X-ray scattering and X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies of the early stages of particle nucleation and growth. Coupling ALD to hydrothermal synthesis enables a flexible and scalable method for the rational design of oxide-supported, uniform noble metal clusters, with atomic-level control over the composite composition and surface structure. For more information, please read the Full Paper “Controlled Growth of Platinum Nanoparticles on Strontium Titanate Nanocubes by Atomic Layer Deposition” by M. J. Bedzyk et al. beginning on page 750.