Visualizing bimetallic effect and plasmonic catalytic hotspots on single nanocatalysts via correlated super-resolution and electron microscopy

I will present our latest efforts in using correlated super-resolution fluorescence microscopy of catalysis and scanning electron microscopy to visualize two nanoscale catalytic phenomena on single nanocatalysts. In one, we quantitatively visualize the enhanced bimetallic activity at a well-defined metal-metal interface within single bimetallic nanoparticles, in direct comparison with those at non-interface regions within the same nanocatalyst. In the other, we quantitatively visualize the surface-plasmon-enhanced catalytic activity at nanoscale gaps within a single plasmonic nanostructure, in direct comparison with those at non-gap regions. In both cases, localized catalytic enhancements are spatially resolved under operando conditions. Analyses of the results further lead to insights into the enhancement mechanisms at bimetallic sites and plasmonic hotspots, respectively.