Counting charge on a single nanoparticle

Researchers in Japan have developed a way to count the charge on a single nanoparticle. The technique is accurate down to a single electron, and could offer new insights into fundamental aspects of heterogeneous catalysis.

Many heterogeneous catalysts are composed of metal nanoparticles supported on a metal oxide surface. But interactions between the particle and the support structure can affect the material’s catalytic properties, for example charge transfer from the support to the nanoparticle can alter the way in which substrate molecules interact with the catalyst.