Unraveling the shell growth pathways of Pd-Pt core-shell nanocubes at atomic level by <i>in situ</i> liquid cell electron microscopy

Understanding the formation of core-shell nanomaterials is decisive for controlling their growth, structure, and morphology, which particularly important in catalysis. As a promising material photo catalysis application, Pd-Pt nanoparticles (NPs) have been spotlight many years owing to catalytic performance typically superior that pure Pt nanoparticles. The generation ultra-thin skins only few atomic layers on Pd has turned out be extremely difficult because tends form islands during deposition instead continuous shell. Therefore, understanding mechanisms shell critical atomic-scale design control platinum Here, by using situ graphene-based liquid cell scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), growth nanocubes (NCs) are studied aqueous solution at level. NPs formed via two distinct mechanisms: (i) low concentration atoms, an skin atom-by-atom (ii) higher inhomogeneous thick shells attachment clusters. Our study provides route helps us understand exact seeds.