Comparison of Nucleation, Chemical State, and Energetics of Ni and Co Nanoparticles on CeO2(111)

Authors

• Nishan Paudyal, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
• Linze Du Hill, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
• Erik W. Peterson, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
• Nusrat Jahan Rifat, Cain Department of Chemical Engineering
• Ye Xu, Cain Department of Chemical Engineering
• Jing Zhou, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-12-2025

Abstract

The nucleation, growth, and chemical states of Ni nanoparticles (NPs) over CeO2(111) thin film surfaces have been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations in comparison to Co NPs. At a very low coverage of ∼0.10 ML, Ni NPs are present in both Ni²⁺ and metallic states on CeO2(111), while Co NPs are found in the Co²⁺ state. STM results show that Ni grows as small particles with an average height and diameter of 2.1 ± 0.7 and 17.6 ± 4.4 Å, while Co particles exhibit an average height and diameter of 1.8 ± 0.5 and 17.0 ± 3.2 Å, respectively, indicating a slightly stronger metal-ceria relative to metal-metal interaction for Co than for Ni at this scale. This is corroborated by DFT calculations, which predict a more rapid stabilization of metal atoms in the NPs with increasing size of the NPs for Ni than for Co.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Journal of Physical Chemistry C

First Page

10676

Last Page

10684

Recommended Citation

Paudyal, N., Hill, L., Peterson, E., Rifat, N., Xu, Y., & Zhou, J. (2025). Comparison of Nucleation, Chemical State, and Energetics of Ni and Co Nanoparticles on CeO2(111). Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 129 (23), 10676-10684. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.5c01258