The Role of γ-Al 2 O 3 Single Crystal Support to Pt Nanoparticles Construction

Here we report the preparation of a model Pt/γ-Al2O3 catalyst and its characterization by a cross-sectional high-resolution electron microscopy (XHREM) method. Pt/γ-Al2O3 is the most important technologically-relevant heterogeneous catalyst in the fuel cell, oil refining and chemical industries. The nanoparticle/support interactions, particularly the role of their interface, play a key role in the 3-dimensional (3D) particle shape, surface morphology and sintering behaviors of catalyst nanoparticles (NPs) which determine the heterogeneous catalysts’ chemical properties. Experimental measurements [1] and theoretical simulations [2] were initiated to quantitatively study the interfacial atomic and electronic structure and adhesion energy between the NPs and their support. Previous investigators have used single crystal oxide supports to resolve the nanoparticle/support structure and shape relations that can be directly compared to the theoretical simulations [2]. However, commercial γ-Al2O3 is polycrystalline and irregular in shape; hence, our aim is to create a single crystal γ-Al2O3 thin film in order to build up a model system to solve the structural and electronic relations between the Pt and γ-Al2O3 support, and compare our experimental results with theoretical predictions.