From amorphous to ordered: Structural transformation of Pd nanoclusters in 1-pentyne hydrogenation reactions

A specific structural transformation of size-selected Pd nanoclusters, from amorphous to highly symmetrical structures, is observed following catalytic reaction using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (AC-STEM). This surprising behaviour, which occurs concurrently with the alkyne hydrogenation reaction, is clearly size-dependent.