Typical high surface area catalytic supports lack well defined surfaces, while most surface studies are conducted on single crystals of negligible surface area.  We synthesized cuboid shaped SrTiO3 nanocrystals with well defined surfaces and significant surface area.  Knowledge from single crystal strontium titanate surface studies and the ensuing atomic level understanding of the support surface and support�active phase interface help understand and improve catalyst design.  Platinum nanoparticles on SrTiO3 nanocuboid (100) surfaces exhibit strong cube-on-cube epitaxy and a shape consistent with the Winterbottom construction.  This stabilizes the exposed Pt  facets, edges, and corners in different ratios than would be seen on platinum nanoparticles either unsupported or on polycrystalline supports.  The different platinum exposure changes the catalytic properties.  Since the Winterbottom shape depends upon the support�active phase interface, precisely modifying the support will control the metal nanoparticle shape, and can therefore alter the catalytic properties.

Nanocrystal catalysts: Synthesis and structure of perovskite nanocube based catalysts

244th National Meeting (2012)

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