Bragg CXDI of single ceria nanocubes under redox and catalytic reaction conditions

We aim to utilize Bragg Coherent X-ray Diffraction Imaging (CXDI) to elucidate how pure and PtRh nanoparticle covered ceria nanocubes behave under reduction and oxidation conditions, as well as CO oxidation conditions. We will utilize the strain- and shape-sensitivity of the CXDI technique i) to investigate how reduction and oxidation induced compositional changes in the near surface region and in the bulk of ceria nanocubes can be traced by Bragg CDI, since the induction of vacancies leads to a change in lattice parameter, and ii) to track the shape and strain state of a ceria nanocube overgrown with lattice-matched PtRh alloy epitaxial nanoparticles, which exhibit a significantly improved CO oxidation activity at low temperatures, since ceria serves as a reservoir for oxygen.