Watching graphene grow The growth of graphene on metal surfaces can be catalyzed by mobile surface metal atoms. Patera et al. used a high-speed scanning tunneling microscope to image the growth of graphene islands on a nickel surface. High temperatures caused carbon to diffuse to the surface, where mobile nickel atoms catalyzed graphene growth on the edges of islands. Molecular dynamics and density functional theory calculations provide mechanistic insights into the reaction steps. Science, this issue p. 1243 Individual Ni atoms catalyzing the growth of a graphene flake along its edges were imaged on the millisecond time scale. Single adatoms are expected to participate in many processes occurring at solid surfaces, such as the growth of graphene on metals. We demonstrate, both experimentally and theoretically, the catalytic role played by single metal adatoms during the technologically relevant process of graphene growth on nickel (Ni). The catalytic action of individual Ni atoms at the edges of a growing graphene flake was directly captured by scanning tunneling microscopy imaging at the millisecond time scale, while force field molecular dynamics and density functional theory calculations rationalize the experimental observations. Our results unveil the mechanism governing the activity of a single-atom catalyst at work.

中文翻译：

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镍上吸附原子促进石墨烯生长的实时成像

观察石墨烯的生长 石墨烯在金属表面的生长可以被移动的表面金属原子催化。帕特拉等人。使用高速扫描隧道显微镜对镍表面上石墨烯岛的生长进行成像。高温导致碳扩散到表面，在那里移动的镍原子催化了岛边缘的石墨烯生长。分子动力学和密度泛函理论计算提供了对反应步骤的机械见解。科学，这个问题 p。1243 个单独的 Ni 原子催化石墨烯薄片沿其边缘生长，在毫秒时间尺度上成像。预计单个吸附原子将参与发生在固体表面的许多过程，例如石墨烯在金属上的生长。我们从实验和理论上证明，单金属吸附原子在镍 (Ni) 上石墨烯生长的技术相关过程中所起的催化作用。通过毫秒时间尺度的扫描隧道显微镜成像直接捕获生长石墨烯薄片边缘的单个 Ni 原子的催化作用，而力场分子动力学和密度泛函理论计算使实验观察合理化。我们的结果揭示了控制工作中单原子催化剂活性的机制。而力场分子动力学和密度泛函理论计算使实验观察合理化。我们的结果揭示了控制工作中单原子催化剂活性的机制。而力场分子动力学和密度泛函理论计算使实验观察合理化。我们的结果揭示了控制工作中单原子催化剂活性的机制。