Regensburg 2019 – scientific programme
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MM: Fachverband Metall- und Materialphysik
MM 9: Topical session (Symposium MM): Correlative and in-situ Microscopy in Materials Research
MM 9.10: Talk
Monday, April 1, 2019, 18:45–19:00, H44
Structural analysis of complex Liquid Metal Catalyst structures utilizing 3D X-ray and Electron Microscopy — •Janis Wirth1, Silvan Englisch1, Christian Wiktor1, Nicola Taccardi2, Benjamin Apeleo Zubiri1, Peter Wasserscheid2, and Erdmann Spiecker1 — 1Institute of Micro- and Nanostructure Research (IMN) & Center for Nanoanalysis and Electron Microscopy (CENEM), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany — 2Chair of Chemical Engineering I (Reaction Engineering), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
X-ray microscopy (XRM) allows non-destructive 3D investigations of materials across multiple length scales. Due to the high-resolution capabilities and flexible contrast a correlative 3D study combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques is possible. In this contribution, we report about correlative 3D studies of Pd(Pt)-Ga liquid metal catalysts which recently showed outstanding performance in alkane dehydrogenation and, in particular, high resistance against coking. This material exhibits a complex structure featuring a catalytically-active liquid film/droplet layer adsorbed on macroporous silica. 3D characterization across different length scales is required to gain deeper insight into the structure and microscopic mechanisms of the catalyst system. Utilizing XRM the metal droplets and the macroporous silica network can be independently resolved. In order to study the composition of individual metal droplets inside the porous network, site-specific sample preparation has to be combined with analytical TEM techniques.