IR spectroscopic observation of molecular transport through Pt@CoO yolk-shell nanostructures

FTIR spectroscopy has been used to monitor the transport of CO to the Pt cores of Pt@CoO nanoparticles forming CO/Pt species. It was found that external Pt sites are not present on the outer surfaces of the similar to 10 nm diameter nanostructures and that CO transports to Pt adsorption sites by an activated surface diffusion process through the CoO shells surrounding similar to 2 nm diameter Pt cores. The CO transport process is not due to gas-phase transport below 300 K. The weakly bound adsorbed CO/CoO species responsible for transport was directly observed at similar to 2147 cm(-1) during transport through the CoO shells.