Formation of Pt islets on facets of Ru nanoparticles: First-principles study

    Authors

    M. A. Ortigoza; S. Stolbov;T. S. Rahman

    Comments

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    Abstract

    We have carried out density-functional-theory-based calculations of the size-dependent formation energy and geometry of Pt islands on Ru(0001) to model Pt-Ru nanocatalysts which have been recently proposed as fuel cell anode. The Pt islands are found to prefer two-dimensional (2D) structures. Furthermore, a monotonic decrease in the formation energy per Pt atom suggests a propensity of Pt atoms to wet the Ru(0001) surface. Calculated energy barriers for the diffusion of Pt monomers and dimers on the facets and through the edges of a superstructure modeling a Ru nanoparticle indicate that these edges help reduce considerably the diffusion rates across them such that the Pt atoms prefer to remain in the facet on which they were adsorbed originally and form 2D islands.

    Journal Title

    Physical Review B

    Volume

    78

    Issue/Number

    19

    Publication Date

    1-1-2008

    Document Type

    Article

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000262607800103

    ISSN

    1098-0121

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