RESUMO
An advanced materials solution utilizing the concept of "smart catalysts" could be a game changer for today's automotive emission control technology, enabling the efficient use of precious metals via their two-way switching between metallic nanoparticle forms and ionic states in the host perovskite lattice as a result of the cyclical oxidizing/reducing atmospheres. However, direct evidence for such processes remains scarce; therefore, the underlying mechanism has been an unsettled debate. Here, we use advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy to reveal the atomic-scale behaviors for a LaFe0.95Pd0.05O3-supported Ir-Pd-Ru nanocatalyst under fluctuating redox conditions, thereby proving the reversible dissolution/exsolution for Ir and Ru but with a limited occurrence for Pd. Despite such selective dissolution during oxidation, all three elements remain cooperatively alloyed in the subsequent reduction, which is a key factor in preserving the catalytic activity of the ternary nanoalloy while displaying its self-regenerating functionality and control of particle agglomeration.
RESUMO
Highly efficient thermoelectric materials require, including point defects within the host matrix, secondary phases generating positive effects on lowering lattice thermal conductivity (κL ). Amongst effective dopants for a functional thermoelectric material, SnTe, Cu doping realizes the ultra-low κL approaching the SnTe amorphous limit. Such effective κL reduction is first attributed to strong phonon scattering by substitutional Cu atoms at Sn sites and interstitial defects in the host SnTe. However, other crystallographic defects in secondary phases have been unfocused. Here, this work reports micro- to atomic-scale characterization on secondary phases of Cu-doped SnTe using advanced microscopes. It is found that Cu-rich secondary phases begin precipitation ≈1.7 at% Cu (x = 0.034 where Sn1- x Cux Te). The Cu-rich secondary phases encapsulate two distinct solids: Cu2 SnTe3 ( F 4 ¯ 3 m $F\bar{4}3m$ ) has semi-coherent interfaces with SnTe ( F m 3 ¯ m $Fm\bar{3}{\rm{m}}$ ) such that they minimize lattice mismatch to favor the thermoelectric transport; the other resembles a stoichiometric Cu2 Te model, yet is so meta-stable that it demonstrates not only various defects such as dislocation cores and ordered/disordered Cu vacancies, but also dynamic grain-boundary migration with heating and a subsequent phase transition ≈350 °C. The atomic-scale analysis on the Cu-rich secondary phases offers viable strategies for reducing κL through Cu addition to SnTe.
RESUMO
Ga and Ga-based alloys have received significant attention for applications in the liquid state and also for their potential as a bonding material in microelectronic assemblies. This study investigates the phase stability of the CuGa2 phase as a product of the interfacial reaction between liquid Ga and Cu-10Ni substrates at room temperature. In the binary Ga-Cu system, CuGa2 is decomposed into liquid Ga and Cu9Ga4 as the temperature increases to around 260 °C, which prevents the widespread application of this alloy. In contrast to CuGa2 grown from a pure Cu substrate, CuGa2 from the Cu-10Ni substrate shows an increase in the decomposition temperature during heating from 25 to 300 °C. According to our first-principle calculations, there is only a minor difference in the total free energy between Ni solute at the Cu sublattice and the Ga sublattice in the tetragonal CuGa2 crystal structure. This result indicates that both of the sublattices can accommodate the dilute Ni solute with comparable probability. Regardless of the sublattice where the Ni impurities are located, the presence of diluted Ni in the matrix stabilizes the CuGa2 system by inducing some localized Ni 3d states at energy levels near the Fermi level. It is also shown that the formation of Cu antisite defects, which also stabilizes CuGa2, is preferable if the CuGa2 matrix is grown on a Ni-containing substrate.