HRTEM analyses of the platinum nanoparticles prepared on graphite particles using coaxial arc plasma deposition

Abstract

Platinum nanoparticles with diameters less than ∼5 nm were prepared on graphite particles by the coaxial arc plasma deposition, and the structure of platinum nanoparticles was investigated using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. {110} facets of platinum nanoparticles parallel to the surface (0001) planes of graphite particles were most frequently observed. The platinum nanoparticles were found to be anisotropically deformed from the bulk face-centered cubic structure, and the lattice parameters of platinum nanoparticles were estimated by assuming monoclinic structures. No correlation was observed between the diameter and the lattice parameters of the platinum nanoparticles. Approximately two-thirds of the platinum nanoparticles were compressively strained, and the other platinum nanoparticles showed the expanded unit cells. The cube root of monoclinic unit cell of the platinum nanoparticles varied from a compression of 5.9% to an expansion of 2.8% as compared with the bulk lattice constant of platinum.