Transmission electron microscopy data collection

Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) data were collected via a Siemens D5005 diffractometer with CuKa radiation (A. = 1.5418 A). Routine transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Z-contrast microscopy were carried out using an HITACH HD-2000 scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) operated at 200 kV. Nitrogen gas adsorption measurements (Micromeritics Gemini) were used to determine the surface area and porosity of the catalyst supports. Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis was performed via an IRIS Intrepid II XSP spectrometer (Thermo Electron Corporation). 

The particle size (often nano) and polydispersion are usually confirmed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) or hydrodynamic chromatography, a separation technique that keeps apart the particles on the basis of the size sometimes DLS and SEM data are not directly comparable (SEM images are collected from dried samples while DLS measurements are in solution and a swelling effect occurs) but the trends of growth of the nanoparticles are similar for the two methods. 

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