Stephen J. Pennycook

Z-contrast stem for materials science

Direct Sub-Angstrom Imaging of a Crystal Lattice

Despite the use of electrons with wavelengths of just a few picometers, spatial resolution in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) has been limited by spherical aberration t...

Direct Imaging of the Atomic Configuration of Ultradispersed Catalysts

Direct imaging of individual catalyst metal atoms on the insulating surface of an industrial support is demonstrated. Individual platinum and rhodium atoms ultradispersed on γ-A...

Dopants adsorbed as single atoms prevent degradation of catalysts

Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy: from atomic imaging and analysis to solving energy problems

The new possibilities of aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) extend far beyond the factor of 2 or more in lateral resolution that was the origi...

Origin of Anomalous Pt–Pt Distances in the Pt/Alumina Catalytic System

Intriguing Pt3 structures observed on the Pt/γ-alumina catalytic system by atomic-resolution Z-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) are investigated with fi...

New imaging methods for catalyst particles

High-entropy-stabilized chalcogenides with high thermoelectric performance

Distorted thermal properties Thermoelectric devices can convert waste heat into electricity, providing one path for improving energy efficiency. Jiang et al. leveraged entropy e...

Reversible Intercalation of Charged Iodine Chains into Carbon Nanotube Ropes

We report intercalation of charged polyiodide chains into the interstitial channels in a single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) rope lattice, suggesting a new carbon chemistry for n...