Catalysis happens only at the surface of materials, this makes nanoparticles of particular interest in the field of catalysis because of their high surface-to-volume ratio. The exact atomic structure of nanoparticle surfaces is of particular importance in catalysis, and the expression of surface facets is largely governed by their overall structure. Typically, small metal nanoparticles will take one of three major structural isomers: decahedron, icosahedron or cuboctahedron (Figure 1). Determination of the structural isomer of a nanoparticle can be performed using high-angle annular dark field (HAADF) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) [1,2].
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.