Nucleation and growth of noble metals on oxide surfaces using atomic layer deposition

Noble metals supported on metal oxide surfaces have broad applications in catalysis, microelectronics and sensing. In most applications it is critical to control the dispersion and morphology of the noble metals to achieve either a smooth, continuous film or isolated particles of controlled size. Here we examine the atomic layer deposition of Pd and Pt films onto a variety of metal oxide surfaces including Al₂O₃, ZrO₂, and TiO₂. In situ quartz crystal microbalance measurements and quadrupole mass spectrometry are used to explore the nucleation and growth of the Pd and Pt on the different metal oxide surfaces. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are used to examine the morphology and surface state of the resulting Pt and Pd coatings. By varying the support material and the deposition conditions, we can control the morphology of the ALD noble metal coatings to yield agglomerated particles or continuous films. copyright The Electrochemical Society.