Correlating catalysis and self-healing in ceramics: Investigating metal mobility on ZrO2 thin-films by in-situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy at the atomic scale

• Grant number: 21/10672-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: February 01, 2022
• End date: January 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Edson Roberto Leite
• Grantee: Tanna Elyn Rodrigues Fiuza
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07296-2 - CDMF - Center for the Development of Functional Materials, AP.CEPID
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/11161-4 - 4D-STEM: a powerful technique to study electron-beam-sensitive materials in the transmission electron microscope, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The increasing demand for energy, foods, and medicines has encouraged the search for new materials. In this context, nanostructured materials have gained attention due to their unique properties in comparison with bulk counterparts. The comprehension of atom mobility under different processing and operating conditions is a topic that impacts different fields, such as catalysis and self-healing materials. In catalysis, atom mobility is directly related to performance, since the atom migration leads to the sintering of metallic particles and loss of catalytic activity. For self-healing systems, atom mobility is a crucial point to be highlighted, since to avoid the complete rupture, it is needed that the healing agents migrate towards the damage, filling it faster than the propagation of the crack. For both applications, better comprehension depends on adequate characterization tools, with spatial and, if available, temporal resolution. In this context, transmission electron microscopy is a powerful technique that includes imaging, spectroscopy, and crystallographic analyses, and the correction of spherical aberration (AC-TEM) has boosted the resolution of images, improving the quality of the analysis at the atomic scale. This project proposes a deep characterization of metals (Au, Ni, Fe) supported on ZrO2 thin-films by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), as well as direct visualization of the modification of the samples by in situ AC-TEM analysis. The in situ measurements allow a deep understanding of atom mobility in real-time, as well as provide insights into the driving force for atom migration.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

FIUZA, TANNA E. R.; FOCASSIO, BRUNO; BETTINI, JEFFERSON; SCHLEDER, GABRIEL R.; RODRIGUES, MURILLO H. M.; SOUZA JUNIOR, JOAO B.; FAZZIO, ADALBERTO; CAPAZ, RODRIGO B.; LEITE, EDSON R.. Visualization of electron beam-induced desintering of nanostructured ceramics at the atomic scale. CELL REPORTS PHYSICAL SCIENCE, v. 5, n. 2, p. 14-pg., 2024-02-21. (19/04527-0, 20/06257-7, 13/07296-2, 21/10672-2, 17/02317-2, 17/18139-6)

SANTOS, GABRIEL T. DOS; BEDIN, KAREN C.; FIUZA, TANNA E. R.; RODRIGUEZ-GUTIERREZ, INGRID; FICHTNER, PAULO F. P.; SOUZA, FLAVIO L.; BETTINI, JEFFERSON. Nanostructured FTO/Zr-hematite interfaces for solar water-splitting applications. Applied Surface Science, v. 645, p. 9-pg., 2023-11-09. (17/11986-5, 21/07459-5, 19/06654-9, 21/10672-2)

VERISSIMO, NATHALIA C.; PIRES, FABIO A.; RODRIGUEZ-GUTIERREZ, INGRID; BETTINI, JEFFERSON; FIUZA, TANNA E. R.; BIFFE, CLEYTON A.; MONTORO, FABIANO E.; SCHLEDER, GABRIEL R.; CASTRO, RICARDO H. R.; LEITE, EDSON R.; et al. Dual modification on hematite to minimize small polaron effects and charge recombination for sustainable solar water splitting. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A, v. 12, n. 11, p. 15-pg., 2024-01-20. (23/08273-8, 21/10672-2, 17/02317-2, 22/04150-6, 17/11986-5)