High resolution TEM studies on palladium nanoparticles

In the present work, we discuss the analysis of Pd nanoparticles in the range of 1-5 nm using high resolution electron microscopy (HREM). Particles were grown using colloidal methods. The principles of the observation of HREM images and their study using the corresponding FFT of the images are discussed. The results show that particles have the following shapes: FCC cubo-octahedrons, icosahedrons, truncated decahedrons and single-twinned FCC configuration. Each one of those structures is discussed and images are shown. We also found that a fraction of the particles corresponds to a short range ordered amorphous phase. The future of HREM observations of nanoparticles is also discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.