Dynamic State and Active Structure of Ni–Co Catalyst in Carbon Nanofiber Growth Revealed by in Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy
Source abstract
Abstract
Alloy catalysts often show superior effectiveness in the growth of carbon nanotubes/nanofibers (CNTs/CNFs) as compared to monometallic catalysts. However, due to the lack of an understanding of the active state and active structure, the origin of the superior performance of alloy catalysts is unknown. In this work, we report an in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study of the CNF growth enabled by one of the most active known alloy catalysts, i.e., Ni–Co, providing insights into the active state and the interaction between Ni and Co in the working catalyst. We reveal that the functioning catalyst is highly dynamic, undergoing constant reshaping and periodic elongation/contraction. Atomic-scale imaging combined with in situ electron energy-loss spectroscopy further identifies the active structure as a Ni–Co metallic alloy (face-centered cubic, FCC). Aided by the molecular dynamics simulation and density functional theory calculations, we rationalize the dynamic behavior of the catalyst and the growth mechanism of CNFs and provide insight into the origin of the superior performance of the Ni–Co alloy catalyst.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Carbon Nanotubes in Composites · Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications · Molecular Junctions and Nanostructures
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Wulong River North Street 2, 350108 Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
Office of Science and Technology, Fuzhou University, Wulong River North Street 2, 350108 Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
Center for Multidimensional Carbon Materials, Institute for Basic Science, 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, 44919 Ulsan, South Korea
Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, Leonhardstrasse 21, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Scientific Center for Optical and Electron Microscopy, ETH Zurich, Otto-Stern-Weg 3, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, 44919 Ulsan, South Korea
Funding
Eidgen??ssische Technische Hochschule Z??rich · Fuzhou University · Institute for Basic Science
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