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New Insights into the Early Stages of Nanoparticle Electrodeposition

par Ustarroz Troyano, Jon ;Ke, Xiaoxing;Hubin, Annick ;Bals, Sara;Terryn, Herman
Référence The Journal of Physical Chemistry Part C: Nanomaterials and Interfaces, 116, 3, page (2322-2329)
Publication Publié, 2012-01

Article révisé par les pairs

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Résumé :

Electrodeposition is an increasingly important method to synthesize supported nanoparticles, yet the early stages of electrochemical nanoparticle formation are not per- fectly understood. In this paper, the early stages of silver nanoparticle electrodeposition on carbon substrates have been studied by aberration-corrected TEM, using carbon-coated TEM grids as electrochemical electrodes. In this manner we have access to as-deposited nanoparticle size distribution and structural characterization at the atomic scale combined with electrochemical measurements, which represents a break- through in a full understanding of the nanoparticle electro- deposition mechanisms. Whereas classical models, based upon characterization at the nanoscale, assume that electrochemical growth is only driven by direct attachment, the results reported hereafter indicate that early nanoparticle growth ismostly driven by nanocluster surfacemovement and aggregation. Hence, we conclude that electrochemical nulceation and growth models should be revised and that an electrochemical aggregative growth mechanism should be considered in the early stages of nanoparticle electrodeposition.