In cerium oxide nanoparticles, the facets exposed control their reactivity and catalytic behavior and hence their performance in applications such as three-way catalysis, gas sensors, or solid fuel cells. Thus, the precise characterization of the cerium oxide facets exposed is crucial. In the present work, the geometry of branched cerium oxide nanoparticles, obtained by means of ligand-controlled overgrowth, is determined through the comparison between High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) experimental and simulated images. Two possible 3D structures, corresponding to octapod and tetrapod geometries, were suggested from a preliminary examination of the experimental HRTEM images. A comparative analysis of the gray scale intensity profiles of the simulated and experimental HRTEM images was then performed. This method proved capable of discriminating between the two proposed geometries, showing CeO2 nanoparticles to have an octapod geometry. The obtained results were further confirmed by comparing High Angular Dark Field experimental and simulated images of the nanoparticles. This method can be suitable whenever 3D-Tomographic reconstruction is not feasible in the TEM, for instance, in the case of highly beam sensitive materials.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
27 November 2017
Research Article|
November 30 2017
Atomistic modelling and high resolution electron microscopy simulations of CeO2 nanoparticles
J. Blanco-Portals
;
J. Blanco-Portals
a)
1
LENS-MIND, Departament d'Enginyeries i Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
2
Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
T. Berestok;
T. Berestok
1
LENS-MIND, Departament d'Enginyeries i Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
2
Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
3
Catalonia Institute for Energy Research – IREC
, 08930 Sant Adrià de Besòs, Barcelona, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
P. Torruella;
P. Torruella
1
LENS-MIND, Departament d'Enginyeries i Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
2
Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
C. Coll;
C. Coll
1
LENS-MIND, Departament d'Enginyeries i Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
2
Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
L. López-Conesa
;
L. López-Conesa
1
LENS-MIND, Departament d'Enginyeries i Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
2
Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
4
Centres Científics i Tecnològics (CCiT-UB), Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
P. Guardia;
P. Guardia
3
Catalonia Institute for Energy Research – IREC
, 08930 Sant Adrià de Besòs, Barcelona, Spain
5
Centre de Tecnologia Química de Catalunya and Universitat Rovira i Virgili
, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
L. E. Coy
;
L. E. Coy
6
NanoBioMedical Centre, Adam Mickiewicz University
, Umultowska 85, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
Search for other works by this author on:
A. Cabot;
A. Cabot
3
Catalonia Institute for Energy Research – IREC
, 08930 Sant Adrià de Besòs, Barcelona, Spain
7
ICREA
, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
S. Estradé;
S. Estradé
1
LENS-MIND, Departament d'Enginyeries i Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
2
Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
F. Peiró
F. Peiró
1
LENS-MIND, Departament d'Enginyeries i Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
2
Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), Universitat de Barcelona
, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
a)
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]. Address: Carrer de Martí i Franquès, n°1, Facultat de Física, despatx H23. Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
Appl. Phys. Lett. 111, 223107 (2017)
Article history
Received:
September 18 2017
Accepted:
November 14 2017
Citation
J. Blanco-Portals, T. Berestok, P. Torruella, C. Coll, L. López-Conesa, P. Guardia, L. E. Coy, A. Cabot, S. Estradé, F. Peiró; Atomistic modelling and high resolution electron microscopy simulations of CeO2 nanoparticles. Appl. Phys. Lett. 27 November 2017; 111 (22): 223107. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5005499
Download citation file:
Pay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
352
Views
Citing articles via
Roadmap on photonic metasurfaces
Sebastian A. Schulz, Rupert. F. Oulton, et al.
Superconducting flip-chip devices using indium microspheres on Au-passivated Nb or NbN as under-bump metallization layer
Achintya Paradkar, Paul Nicaise, et al.
Special issue APL organic and hybrid photodetectors
Karl Leo, Canek Fuentes-Hernandez, et al.
Related Content
Phase diagram of octapod-shaped nanocrystals in a quasi-two-dimensional planar geometry
J. Chem. Phys. (April 2013)
Controlled formation of intense hot spots in Pd@Ag core-shell nanooctapods for efficient photothermal conversion
Appl. Phys. Lett. (August 2017)
Aqueous synthesis of CdS and CdSe/CdS tetrapods for photocatalytic hydrogen generation
APL Mater. (January 2014)
Studies on DC conductivity and LPG sensing behaviour of nanostructured polypyrrole-CeO2 composites
AIP Conference Proceedings (July 2018)
Non-radiative relaxation and rectification behavior of metal/semiconductor tetrapod heterostructures
Appl. Phys. Lett. (February 2014)