_version_ 1866908959269453824
author Sullivan-Allsop, Sam
Clark, Nick
Wang, Wendong
Cai, Rongsheng
Thornley, William
Hopkinson, David G.
McHugh, James G.
Davies, Ben
Pattisson, Samuel
Dummer, Nicholas F.
Zhang, Rui
Lindley, Matthew
Tainton, Gareth
Harrison, Jack
De Latour, Hugo
Parker, Joseph
Swindell, Joshua
Castanon, Eli G.
Carl, Amy
Lewis, David J.
Martsinovich, Natalia
Allen, Christopher S.
Danaie, Mohsen
Logsdail, Andrew J.
Falko, Vladimir
Hutchings, Graham J.
Summerfield, Alex
Gorbachev, Roman
Haigh, Sarah J.
author_facet Sullivan-Allsop, Sam
Clark, Nick
Wang, Wendong
Cai, Rongsheng
Thornley, William
Hopkinson, David G.
McHugh, James G.
Davies, Ben
Pattisson, Samuel
Dummer, Nicholas F.
Zhang, Rui
Lindley, Matthew
Tainton, Gareth
Harrison, Jack
De Latour, Hugo
Parker, Joseph
Swindell, Joshua
Castanon, Eli G.
Carl, Amy
Lewis, David J.
Martsinovich, Natalia
Allen, Christopher S.
Danaie, Mohsen
Logsdail, Andrew J.
Falko, Vladimir
Hutchings, Graham J.
Summerfield, Alex
Gorbachev, Roman
Haigh, Sarah J.
contents Understanding solid-liquid interfaces at the atomic-scale is key to improved performance of heterogeneous catalysts, electrodes and membranes. Here we combine unique specimen design, record atomic resolution in situ electron microscopy, and artificial intelligence-enabled analysis to achieve a step change in quantitative understanding of interfacial atomic behaviour. We create the first graphene liquid cells with organic solvents and employ them to track over 106 gold adatoms and clusters at a graphene surface immersed in acetone and cyclohexanone. We reveal dynamic correlated behaviour of gold adatom monomers, dimers, trimers and clusters, strongly influenced by each other, the solvent properties, and the atomic lattice of the substrate, in good agreement with theoretical calculations. We use the results to interpret differences in catalytic activity towards the industrially important acetylene hydrochlorination reaction. This new capability for exploration of atomic scale chemistry could enable rational design of future catalysts, membranes and electrodes with improved functionality.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_08299
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Atomic-resolution imaging of gold species at organic liquid-solid interfaces
Sullivan-Allsop, Sam
Clark, Nick
Wang, Wendong
Cai, Rongsheng
Thornley, William
Hopkinson, David G.
McHugh, James G.
Davies, Ben
Pattisson, Samuel
Dummer, Nicholas F.
Zhang, Rui
Lindley, Matthew
Tainton, Gareth
Harrison, Jack
De Latour, Hugo
Parker, Joseph
Swindell, Joshua
Castanon, Eli G.
Carl, Amy
Lewis, David J.
Martsinovich, Natalia
Allen, Christopher S.
Danaie, Mohsen
Logsdail, Andrew J.
Falko, Vladimir
Hutchings, Graham J.
Summerfield, Alex
Gorbachev, Roman
Haigh, Sarah J.
Materials Science
Understanding solid-liquid interfaces at the atomic-scale is key to improved performance of heterogeneous catalysts, electrodes and membranes. Here we combine unique specimen design, record atomic resolution in situ electron microscopy, and artificial intelligence-enabled analysis to achieve a step change in quantitative understanding of interfacial atomic behaviour. We create the first graphene liquid cells with organic solvents and employ them to track over 106 gold adatoms and clusters at a graphene surface immersed in acetone and cyclohexanone. We reveal dynamic correlated behaviour of gold adatom monomers, dimers, trimers and clusters, strongly influenced by each other, the solvent properties, and the atomic lattice of the substrate, in good agreement with theoretical calculations. We use the results to interpret differences in catalytic activity towards the industrially important acetylene hydrochlorination reaction. This new capability for exploration of atomic scale chemistry could enable rational design of future catalysts, membranes and electrodes with improved functionality.
title Atomic-resolution imaging of gold species at organic liquid-solid interfaces
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.08299