title: Dynamic wet-ETEM observation of Pt/C electrode catalysts in a moisturized cathode atmosphere.
abstract: The gas injection line of the latest spherical aberration-corrected environmental transmission electron microscope has been modified for achieving real-time/atomic-scale observations in moisturised gas atmospheres for the first time. The newly developed Wet-TEM system is applied to platinum carbon electrode catalysts to investigate the effect of water molecules on the platinum/carbon interface during deactivation processes such as sintering and corrosion. Dynamic in situ movies obtained in dry and 24% moisturised nitrogen environments visualize the rapid rotation, migration and agglomeration of platinum nanoparticles due to the physical adsorption of water and the hydroxylation of the carbon surface. The origin of the long-interconnected aggregation of platinum nanoparticles was discovered to be a major deactivation process in addition to conventional carbon corrosion.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan. Nanostructures Research Laboratory, Japan Fine Ceramics Center, Atsuta-ku, Nagoya, 456-8587, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Alexander N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Bright
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lari
authors.forename: Xudong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tomoki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hiroyama
authors.forename: Edward D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Boyes
authors.forename: Pratibha L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Gai