TEM-based Pair Distribution Function study of interatomic distances in C-supported Pt

Abstract

The interatomic distances have been characterised for a Pt on Carbon based fuel cell catalyst studied by analysing the atomic pair distribution functions (PDF) obtained from electron diffraction (ED) data taken in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The experimental PDFs have been compared with atomistic models to examine C-C and Pt-Pt interatomic distances. Further, the models have been refined by reverse Monte-Carlo simulations (RMC) based on the experimental PDF, enabling the investigation of Pt-C interatomic distances. This has demonstrated the existence of an interatomic contact between the Pt and C.