Project description
Innovation reveals the correlated activity and properties of single nanoparticles
Studying particles whose size is on the scale of about a few hundred atoms (nanoparticles or NPs) is no easy task. However, characterising the intrinsic activity of specific NPs and correlating that to their properties is critical to designing NPs for applications. Among these is the use of transition metal-based NPs for electrocatalysis, instead of conventional scarce metal-based catalysts. The EU-funded MITICAT project is developing a technique to observe the activity of single NPs acting as catalysts of a sluggish yet critical reaction for renewable energy conversion. The ability to measure the intrinsic activity and physical properties of individual NPs in situ could lead to a step change in electrocatalysis and energise the transition to renewables.