Atomic-scale electron microscopy at ambient pressure.

We demonstrate a novel nanoreactor for performing atomic-resolution environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM) of nanostructured materials during exposure to gases at ambient pressures and elevated temperatures. The nanoreactor is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) and is functionalized with a micrometer-sized gas-flow channel, electron-transparent windows and a heating device. It fits into the tip of a dedicated sample holder that can be used in a normal CM microscope of Philips/FEI Company.

Design of a surface alloy catalyst for steam reforming.

Detailed studies of elementary chemical processes on well-characterized single crystal surfaces have contributed substantially to the understanding of heterogeneous catalysis. Insight into the structure of surface alloys combined with an understanding of the relation between the surface composition and reactivity is shown to lead directly to new ideas for catalyst design. The feasibility of such an approach is illustrated by the synthesis, characterization, and tests of a high-surface area gold-nickel catalyst for steam reforming.