Fig. 1: Schematic of the atomic strain engineering to enhance Ptc-PA enzyme-like activities.
From: Atomic-scale strain engineering of atomically resolved Pt clusters transcending natural enzymes
Firstly, the evolution process from Pt single atom (Pt1), several Pt atoms (Ptn) to Pt cluster (Ptc) on the PdAu is accompanied by a reduction in tensile strain. Strain can prompt the formation of Pt vacancies, and further modulate the electronic structure, especially the upshift of d-band center. Meanwhile, Pd and Au substrates serve as storage layer and generation source of energetic charge carriers, respectively, which contributes to the formation of high potential surface. Thus, Ptc-PA exhibits ~104 times and 61.5 times higher POD-like and CAT-like capacities than natural HRP and CAT, respectively, and comparable SOD-like activity with natural SOD.
