Analytical electron microscopy of clusters; evidence of a stabilizing interaction between transition metal carbonyl clusters and amorphous carbon supports

摘要: Abstract Analytical studies employing energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDX), electron loss spectroscopy (EELS) and diffraction pattern techniques have been carried out on a series transition metal carbonyl clusters supported thin (ca. 20 nm) amorphous carbon films. High resolution micrographs show that the are dispersed evenly upon support in small groups or indeed singly. Exposure specimens to beam resulted various phenomena; agglomeration clusters, materials form gases (usually CO) metallic ions (in some cases), final degradation into dense particles nature. Differences respective stabilities was found depend number variables including type metal, presence interstitial atoms (and their when present), cation electronic charge cluster anion. During this work it noticed carbon, were much more stable air than solution solid states laboratory which led suspicion there stabilizing interaction between cluster. Evidence has collected corroborate theory.