In situ Bragg Coherent Diffraction Imaging of Pt nanocrystals of various morphologies in electrocatalytic conditions

Platinum group metal (PGM) nanocrystals (NCs) are frequently used as catalysts in a large number of relevant (electro)-chemical processes. In this proposal, we intend to follow the formation and propagation of structural defects as well as strain changes in multiple single Pt NCs of various morphologies under realistic electrochemical reactions (e.g. oxygen reduction reaction – ORR, hydrogen evolution reaction – HER), these two parameters (defects and strain) being descriptors of the ORR and HER kinetics. We aim to map the strain response of multiple single NCs as a function of the electrode potential. The Pt NCs will be immersed in H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) and the electrode potential will be applied to trigger different reactions (e.g ORR, HER). This experiment will complement previous studies carried out at ID01 beamline.