Template-free generation and integration of functional 1D magnetic nanostructures

The direct integration of 1D magnetic nanostructures into electronic circuits is crucial for realizing their great potential as components in magnetic storage, logical devices, and spintronic applications. Here, we present a novel template-free technique for producing magnetic nanochains and nanowires using directed self-assembly of gas-phase-generated metallic nanoparticles. The 1D nanostructures can be self-assembled along most substrate surfaces and can be freely suspended over micrometer distances, allowing for direct incorporation into different device architectures. The latter is demonstrated by a one-step integration of nanochains onto a pre-patterned Si chip and the fabrication of devices exhibiting magnetoresistance. Moreover, fusing the nanochains into nanowires by post-annealing significantly enhances the magnetic properties, with a 35% increase in the coercivity. Using magnetometry, X-ray microscopy, and micromagnetic simulations, we demonstrate how variations in the orientation of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy and the presence of larger multi-domain particles along the nanochains play a key role in the domain formation and magnetization reversal. Furthermore, it is shown that the increased coercivity in the nanowires can be attributed to the formation of a uniform magnetocrystalline anisotropy along the wires and the onset of exchange interactions

Structure and catalytic reactivity of Rh oxides

Using a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques, we show that a thin RhO2 surface oxide film forms prior to the bulk Rh2O3 corundum oxide on all close-packed single crystal Rh surfaces. Based on previous reports, we argue that the RhO2 surface oxide also forms on vicinal Rh surfaces as well as on Rh nanoparticles. The detailed structure of this film was previously determined using UHV based techniques and density functional theory. In the present paper, we also examine the structure of the bulk Rh2O3 corundum oxide using surface X-ray diffraction. Being armed with this structural information, we have explored the CO oxidation reaction over Rh(1 1 1), Rh(1 0 0) and Pt25Rh75(1 0 0) at realistic pressures using in situ surface X-ray diffraction and online mass spectrometry. In all three cases we find that an increase of the CO2 production coincides with the formation of the thin RhO2 surface oxide film. In the case of Pt25Rh75(1 0 0), our measurements demonstrate that the formation of bulk Rh2O3 corundum oxide poisons the reaction, and argue that this is also valid for all other Rh surfaces. Our study implies that the CO oxidation reaction over Rh surfaces at realistic conditions is insensitive to the exact Rh substrate orientation, but is rather governed by the formation of a specific surface oxide phase

Structure and catalytic reactivity of Rh oxides

Using a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques, we show that a thin RhO2 surface oxide film forms prior to the bulk Rh2O3 corundum oxide on all close-packed single crystal Rh surfaces. Based on previous reports, we argue that the RhO2 surface oxide also forms on vicinal Rh surfaces as well as on Rh nanoparticles. The detailed structure of this film was previously determined using UHV based techniques and density functional theory. In the present paper, we also examine the structure of the bulk Rh2O3 corundum oxide using surface X-ray diffraction. Being armed with this structural information, we have explored the CO oxidation reaction over Rh(1 1 1), Rh(1 0 0) and Pt25Rh75(1 0 0) at realistic pressures using in situ surface X-ray diffraction and online mass spectrometry. In all three cases we find that an increase of the CO2 production coincides with the formation of the thin RhO2 surface oxide film. In the case of Pt25Rh75(1 0 0), our measurements demonstrate that the formation of bulk Rh2O3 corundum oxide poisons the reaction, and argue that this is also valid for all other Rh surfaces. Our study implies that the CO oxidation reaction over Rh surfaces at realistic conditions is insensitive to the exact Rh substrate orientation, but is rather governed by the formation of a specific surface oxide phase. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Intrinsic Relation between Catalytic Activity of CO Oxidation on Ru Nanoparticles and Ru Oxides Uncovered with Ambient Pressure XPS

Recent progress in colloidal synthesis of nanoparticles with well-Controlled size, shape, and composition, together with development of in situ surface science characterization tool's, such as ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (APXPS), has generated new opportunities to unravel the surface structure of working catalysts. We report an APXPS study of Ru nanoparticles to investigate catalytically active species on Ru nanoparticles under oxidizing, reducing, and CO oxidation reaction conditions. The 2.8 and 6 nm Ru nanoparticle Model catalysts were synthesized in the presence of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) polymer capping agent and deposited onto a flat Si support as two-dimensional arrays using the Langmuir-Blodgett deposition technique. Mild oxidative and reductive characteristics, indicate the formation of surface oxide on the Ru nanoparticles, the thickness of Which is found to be dependent on nanoparticle size. The larger 6 nm Ru nanoparticles were oxidized to a smaller extent than the smaller Ru 2.8 nm nanoparticles within the temperature range of 50-200 degrees C under reaction conditions, which appears to he correlated with the higher catalytic, activity of the bigger nanoparticles. We found that the smaller. Ru nanoparticle form bulk RuO2 on their. surfaces, causing the lower catalytic activity As the size of the nanoparticle. increases, the core-shell type RuO2 becomes stable. Such in situ observations of Ru nanoparticles are useful in identifying the active state of the catalysts during use and hence, may allow for rational catalyst designs for practical applications.close1

Deactivation of Ru Catalysts under Catalytic CO Oxidation by Formation of Bulk Ru Oxide Probed with Ambient Pressure XPS

WOS: 000321236400022The surface science approach of using model catalysts in conjunction with the development of in situ spectroscopic tools, such as ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS), offers a synergistic strategy for obtaining a substantially better understanding of deactivation phenomena. In this study, we investigated the nature of Ru oxides on a Ru polycrystalline film under oxidizing, reducing, and catalytic CO oxidation reaction conditions. Thus, bulk Ru oxide was easily formed on such Ru catalysts, the growth of which was dependent on reaction temperature. Once formed, such an oxide is irreversible and cannot be completely removed even under reducing conditions at elevated temperatures (200 degrees C). Our reaction studies showed substantial deactivation of the Ru film during catalytic CO oxidation, and its activity could be partially recovered after reduction pretreatment. Such continuous deactivation of a Ru film is correlated with irreversibly formed bulk Ru oxide, as shown by AP-XPS. Such in situ spectroscopic evidence of the transition of oxides to a catalytically inactive state can enable more effective design of catalysts with less deactivation.WCU (World Class University) program through the National Research Foundation [31-2008-000-10055-0, 2012R1A2A1A01009249]; Research Center Program of IBS (Institute for Basic Science) [CA1201]; Fundamental R&D Program for Core Technology of Materials; Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Republic of KoreaThis work was supported by the WCU (World Class University) program (31-2008-000-10055-0 and 2012R1A2A1A01009249) through the National Research Foundation, the Research Center Program (CA1201) of IBS (Institute for Basic Science) and from the Fundamental R&D Program for Core Technology of Materials funded by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Republic of Korea