Development of operando cell with membrane for "in-situ" observations of electronic states in chemical reactions

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26390120
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Quantum beam science
• Research Institution: Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute
• Principal Investigator: Ikenaga Eiji 公益財団法人高輝度光科学研究センター, 利用研究促進部門, 研究員 (90443548)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 硬Ｘ線光電子分光 / 湿潤環境 / 化学反応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I have developed the operando controlling cell which could keep the environment for wet sample within a high vacuum successfully and realized observation in the wet sample of the electronic states using hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HAXPES) in SPring-8. To improve the efficiency of Pt-based cathode catalysts in polymer electrolyte fuel cells, understanding of the oxygen reduction process at surfaces and interfaces in the molecular level is essential. In this study with this operando cell, H2O and O2 adsorption and dissociation of the reduction process were investigated by HAXPES. Pt 5d valence band and Pt 3d, Pt 4f core HAXPES spectra of Pt nanoparticles upon H2O and O2 adsorption revealed that H2O adsorption has negligible effect on the electronic structure of Pt, while O2 adsorption has significant effect, reflecting the weak and strong chemisorption of H2O and O2 on the Pt nanoparticle, respectively.

Free Research Field

放射光光電子分光