Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T06:59:44.521Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

In situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of the growth of Ni Nanoparticles on Amorphous Carbon and of the Graphitization of the Support in the Presence of Hydrogen

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2005

R. Anton*
Affiliation:
Institut für Angewandte Physik, Universität Hamburg, D-20355 Hamburg, Germany
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

In a specially equipped transmission electron microscope (TEM), Ni particles were vapor deposited onto thin films of amorphous carbon (a-C), and subsequent reactions with the carbon support were observed at elevated temperatures. Particles deposited at temperatures around 370 °C developed a graphite shell at above 600 °C and subsequently spread and graphitized the substrate. This activity was enhanced by hydrogen. The speed of graphitization significantly increased during spreading of the metal, which is attributed to the concomitant increase of the length of the reaction front, as well as to a purifying effect of hydrogen. It is concluded that the driving force for spreading of the Ni is the interdiffusion and catalytic conversion of carbonto graphite at the reaction front. Particles deposited at 500 °C remained inactive at670 °C. This is probably due to the formation of a rather stable carbidic or graphitic interlayer during deposition.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1Marsh, H. and Warburton, A.P.: Catalysis of graphitisation. J. Appl. Chem. 20, 113 (1970).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2Holstein, W.L., Moorehead, R.D., Poppa, H. and Boudart, M. The palladium-catalyzed conversion of amorphous to graphitic carbon, in Chemistry and Physics of Carbon, Vol. 18, edited by Walker, P.L. (Dekker, New York, 1982), p. 139.Google Scholar
3Lamber, R., Jaeger, N. and Schulz-Eckloff, G.: Electron microscopy study of the interaction of Ni, Pd and Pt with carbon. Surf. Sci. 197, 402 (1988).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4Nakamura, J., Hirano, H., Xie, M., Matsuo, I., Yamada, T. and Tanaka, K.: Formation of a hybrid surface of carbide and graphite layers on Ni(100) but no hybrid surface on Ni(111). Surf. Sci. Lett. 222 L809 (1989).Google Scholar
5Gamo, Y., Nagashima, A., Wakabayashi, M., Terai, M. and Oshima, C.: Atomic structure of monolayer graphite formed on Ni(1111). Surf. Sci. 374, 61 (1997).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6Derbyshire, F.J., Presland, A.E.B. and Trimm, D.L.: The formation of graphite films by precipitation of carbon from nickel foils. Carbon 10, 114 (1972).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7Goodman, D.W., Kelley, R.D., Madey, T.E. and Yates, J.T.: Kinetics of the hydrogenation of CO over a single crystal nickel catalyst. J. Catal. 63, 226 (1980).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8Goodman, D.W., Kelley, R.D., Madey, T.E. and White, J.M.: Measurement of carbide buildup and removal kinetics on Ni(100). J. Catal. 64, 479 (1980).Google Scholar
9Banhart, F., Charlier, J-C. and Ajayan, P.M.: Dynamic behaviour of Ni atoms in graphitic networks. Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 686 (2000).Google Scholar
10Valentini, L., Kenny, J.M., Lozzi, L. and Cantucci, S.: Formation of carbon nanotubes by plasma enhanced vapor deposition: Role of nitrogen and catalyst layer thickness. J. Appl. Phys. 92, 6188 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11Helveg, S., López-Cartes, C., Sehestad, J., Hansen, P.L., Clausen, B.S., Nielsen, J.R. Rostrup-, Abild-Pedersen, F. and Noerskov, J.K.: Atomic scale imaging of carbon nanofibre growth. Nature 427, 426 (2004).Google Scholar
12Anton, R., Reetz, O. and Schmidt, A.A.: In situ TEM investigation of processes catalyzed by PdNi alloy particles on carbon substrates in the presence and absence of oxygen. J. Catal. 149, 474 (1994).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13Baker, R.T.K. and Sherwood, R.D.: In situ observation of catalyzed gasification of graphite by nickel, in Proceedings, 39th Annual EMSA Meeting, 1981, edited by Bailey, G.W. (Claitor’s Publishing Division, Baton Rouge, LA, 1981), p. 76.Google Scholar
14Anton, R., Reetz, O. and Schmidt, A.A.: Performance of turbomolecular pumps in an extended TEM specimen chamber equipped for in situ vapor deposition experiments. Ultramicroscopy 41, 303 (1992).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15Schmidt, A.A., Eggers, H., Herwig, K. and Anton, R.: Comparative investigation of the nucleation and growth of fcc-metal particles (Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au) on amorphous carbon and SiO2 substrates during vapor deposition at elevated temperatures. Surf. Sci. 349, 301 (1996).Google Scholar
16Constitution of Binary Alloys, edited by Hansen, M. and Anderko, K. (McGraw-Hill, New York, Toronto, London, 1958), p. 374.Google Scholar