Kinetics of chemical ordering in a Ag-Pt nanoalloy particle via first-principles simulations

Oxidation and de-alloying of PtMn particle models: a computational investigation

We present a computational study of the energetics and mechanisms of oxidation of Pt-Mn systems. We use slab models and simulate the oxidation process over the most stable (111) facet at a given Pt₂Mn composition to make the problem computationally affordable, and combine Density-Functional Theory (DFT) with neural network potentials and metadynamics simulations to accelerate the mechanistic search. We find, first, that Mn has a strong tendency to alloy with Pt. This tendency is optimally realized when Pt and Mn are mixed in the bulk, but, at a composition in which the Mn content is high enough such as for Pt₂Mn, Mn atoms will also be found in the surface outmost layer. These surface Mn atoms can dissociate O₂ and generate MnO_x species, transforming the surface-alloyed Mn atoms into MnO_x surface oxide structures supported on a metallic framework in which one or more vacancy sites are simultaneously created. The thus-formed vacancies promote the successive steps of the oxidation process: the vacancy sites can be filled by surface oxygen atoms, which can then interact with Mn atoms in deeper layers, or subsurface Mn atoms can intercalate into interstitial sites. Both these steps facilitate the extraction of further bulk Mn atoms into MnO_x oxide surface structures, and thus the progress of the oxidation process, with typical rate-determining energy barriers in the range 0.9-1.0 eV.

Thermodynamics of nanoalloys

This article reviews recent advances in our understanding of how temperature affects the structure and the phase of multimetallic nanoparticles. Focusing on bimetallic systems, we discuss the interplay of size, shape and chemical order on the stable configurations at thermal equilibrium. Besides some considerations about experimental evidence for thermally-induced transformations, most insight is generally gained from theory and computation. The perspectives offered by mesoscopic approaches (i.e. corrected from the bulk) and atomistic simulations complement each other and often provide detailed information about the respective roles of coordination, composition and more generally surface effects to be evaluated. Order-disorder transitions and the melting phase change are strongly altered in nanoscale systems, and we describe how they possibly impact entire phase diagrams.

Optical properties of nanoalloys

Optical absorption spectra of bare (left) and monolayer-protected (right) metal nanoalloys.

Trimetallic nanostructures: the case of AgPd-Pt multiply twinned nanoparticles

We report the synthesis, structural characterization, and atomistic simulations of AgPd-Pt trimetallic (TM) nanoparticles. Two types of structure were synthesized using a relatively facile chemical method: multiply twinned core-shell, and hollow particles. The nanoparticles were small in size, with an average diameter of 11 nm and a narrow distribution, and their characterization by aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy allowed us to probe the structure of the particles at an atomistic level. In some nanoparticles, the formation of a hollow structure was also observed, that facilitates the alloying of Ag and Pt in the shell region and the segregation of Ag atoms on the surface, affecting the catalytic activity and stability. We also investigated the growth mechanism of the nanoparticles using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations, and we have found that Pt regions grow at overpotentials on the AgPd nanoalloys, forming 3D islands at the early stages of the deposition process. We found very good agreement between the simulated structures and those observed experimentally.

Morphology, dimension, and composition dependence of thermodynamically preferred atomic arrangements in Ag-Pt nanoalloys

The present article is on Metropolis Monte Carlo simulations coupled with semiempirical potentials to obtain the thermodynamically preferred configurations of Ag-Pt nanoalloys. The effects of particle size, morphology or alloy composition on the surface segregation and the chemical ordering patterns were investigated. Surface segregation of Ag is observed in all Ag-Pt nanoalloys. Such segregation develops quickly as the increase of particle sizes or global Ag composition. Generally, Ag surface enrichment is more apparent for more open particles except for large sized icosahedron (ICO) nanoalloys. The most energetically favorable chemical ordering patterns gradually evolve from Pt-core/Ag-shell to onion-like structures when the global Ag composition increases. Due to the site preference of Ag segregation, the presence of partly alloyed facets and Ag blocked vertices or edges at low global Ag compositions can modify the electronic and geometric structures on the nanoalloys' surface. The coupling between Pt and Ag sites is a topic of particular interest for catalysis. The detailed atomistic understanding of atomic arrangements in Ag-Pt nanoalloys is essential to intelligently design robust and active nanocatalysts with a low cost.