On the structure of bimetallic noble metal nanoparticles as revealed by aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)

In the present manuscript we present the feasibility of two different routes to obtain metal nanoparticles:

(1) inert gas deposition technique (IGC) and (2) chemical routes. These two routes can enable

the production of metal nanoparticles with a well-controlled size and shape distribution. In addition,

Co/Au and Pd/Au nanoparticles have been deposited on three different grids with the aim of studying the

coalescence of the different metals. The as-synthesized materials, that initially were forming isolated,

core–shell, were sintered by thermal treatment (Co/Au) or by strong electron beam irradiation and the

subsequent characterization was carried out in situ in an aberration corrected STEM.