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Part 1—Structure-Sensitivity of Nanoparticle Catalysts: Relating Current Theories to Experimental Data

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Abstract

This work investigates the current theories that have been used to explain the particle size effect on electrocatalytic activity. In particular, this work focuses on electronic structure effects, geometric shape effects, crystallographic orientation effects, support structure effects, and the concept of territory theory. To investigate these theories, gold and nickel–phosphorus nanowire arrays have been used as model systems for electrocatalytic testing of the hydrogen evolution reaction in basic medium. In this study, the current particle size effect theories cannot adequately account for the observed structure-sensitive trends that are exhibited in the aforementioned systems. This work systematically looks at each of these different theories and discusses new possible factors that could serve as a foundation for a new theory on structure-sensitive catalysis.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported through the University of Toronto Materials Engineering Open Fellowship and NSERC. The authors would like to thank Dr. Dan Grozea for his help and expertise with the XPS work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, 184 College Street, Rm. 140, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3E4

    R. J. Gilliam & S. J. Thorpe

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Rm. 246, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3E5

    D. W. Kirk

Authors
  1. R. J. Gilliam
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  2. D. W. Kirk
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  3. S. J. Thorpe
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Correspondence to R. J. Gilliam.

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Gilliam, R.J., Kirk, D.W. & Thorpe, S.J. Part 1—Structure-Sensitivity of Nanoparticle Catalysts: Relating Current Theories to Experimental Data. Electrocatal 3, 68–74 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-011-0077-7

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