In recent years, electron microscopy has made significant progress for the study of heterogeneous catalysts at the atomic-scale. In particular, advancements in electron optics have made electron microscopy capable of delivering images of catalysts with sub-Ångström resolution and single-atom sensitivity. Parallel developments of gas cells have made electron microscopy available for <i>in situ</i> observations of catalysts during exposure to reactive gas environments at pressures up to atmospheric levels and temperatures of up to several hundred centigrade. It is desirable to take advantage of these emerging technologies in the study of catalysts as information about surface structures and dynamics can be obtained to further improve the understanding of structure-sensitive properties in catalysis. In this contribution I will outline applications of these advanced imaging tools to the study of catalysts with an emphasis on carbon formation in reforming catalysts (1-10). I will also discuss how the atomic-scale observations beneficially can be combined with information from e.g. density functional theory studies to extend the description of dynamic properties in catalysis with information that is specific to the exposed surface sites.<br/><br/>(1) C. Kisielowski et al., Angew. Chemie. Int. Ed. 49, 2708 (2010). (2) L.P. Hansen et al., Angew. Chemie. Int. Ed. 50, 10153 (2011). (3) Y. Zhu et al., Angew. Chemie Int. Ed. 53, 10723 (2014). (4) J.R. Jinschek, S. Helveg, Micron 43, 1156 (2012). (5) S.B. Vendelbo et al., Nature Materials 13, 884 (2014). (6) L.P. Hansen et al., J. Phys. Chem. C 118, 22768 (2014). (7) S Helveg et al., Nature 427, 426 (2004). (8) F. Abild-Pedersen et al., Phys Rev. B 73, 115419 (2006). (9) S. Saadi et al., Phys Chem C 114, 11221 (2010). (10) Z. Peng et al., J. Catal. 286, 22 (2012).

Electron microscopy advances for catalysis

249th National Meeting (2015)

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