Alternative methods of identifying the oxidation of metallic nanoparticles embedded in a matrix.
We compare methods for valence-state analysis based on energy-loss near-edge structure (ELNES), including the white-line ratio (WLR), pre-edge peak (prepeak) and post-edge peak (postpeak) techniques. Starting from multiple-scattering calculations, we correlate the appearance of a prepeak in the O-K edge and postpeak in the L-edge with oxidation of a transition metal (TM). The ability to use more than one technique is especially advantageous for a nanocomposite of metallic nanoparticles embedded in a matrix, as we show for the case of iron nanoparticles in a silica matrix.
Wang
Feng
F
Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2J1, Canada. fwang@phys.ualberta.ca
Malac
Marek
M
Egerton
Ray F
RF