FURI | Fall 2020

Atomic Dynamics of Platinum Nanoparticles on Cerium Oxide Catalysts

In time-resolved series of TEM images taken of supported nanoclusters in gas environments, it is observed that the nanoparticles can undergo dynamic structural reconfigurations which give rise to unique contrast features in the image. The purpose of this project is to develop a methodology for understanding how structural dynamics might give rise to experimentally observed contrast features. TEM image simulations will be performed on the structure models under experimentally-relevant conditions. Combinations of different simulated images will be analyzed to interpret experimentally observed image contrast and to develop a framework for understanding dynamic structural reconfigurations that occur on supported nanoclusters.