Self-Organized Platinum Nanoparticles on Freestanding Graphene
  Freestanding graphene membranes were successfully functionalized with platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed a homogeneous distribution of single-crystal Pt NPs that tend to exhibit a preferred orientation. Unexpectedly, the NPs were also found to be partially exposed to the vacuum with the top Pt surface raised above the graphene substrate, as deduced from atomic-scale scanning tunneling microscopy images and detailed molecular dynamics simulations. Local strain accumulation during the growth process is thought to be the origin of the NP self-organization. These findings are expected to shape future approaches in developing Pt NP catalysts for fuel cells as well as NP-functionalized graphene based high-performance electronics. 
Peng Xu, Lifeng Dong, Mehdi Neek-Amal, Matthew L. Ackerman, Jianhua   Yu, Steven D. Barber, James Kevin Schoelz, Dejun Qi, F...
cond-mat.mes-hall