biostudies-literatureChen XChina Postdoctoral Science FoundationNational Natural Science Foundation of China3262-3267https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC5490425biostudies-literatureUnknown6(5)The electronic interaction of a catalyst and its support is of vital importance to its catalytic performance. However, it is still a great challenge to directly probe the interaction due to the lack of well-defined models and efficient technical means. In this study, we report that pod-like carbon nanotubes with encapsulated iron particles (Pod-Fe) and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) can be used as an ideal model and technique to study the electronic interaction between carbon shells and iron particles. The chemical imaging and spectroscopy of Pod-Fe by STXM show that the local electronic structures at C K-edge near edge (π*) of carbon shells can be significantly modified by the encapsulated iron particles, which promotes the adsorption of oxygen-containing species, and thereChemical scienceVisualizing electronic interactions between iron and carbon by X-ray chemical imaging and spectroscopy.PMC54904252014M5511312132100221303191Pan XDeng DYu LHeine THu YXiao JBao XChen XWang JZhou JfalseVisualizing electronic interactions between iron and carbon by X-ray chemical imaging and spectroscopy.The electronic interaction of a catalyst and its support is of vital importance to its catalytic performance. However, it is still a great challenge to directly probe the interaction due to the lack of well-defined models and efficient technical means. In this study, we report that pod-like carbon nanotubes with encapsulated iron particles (Pod-Fe) and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) can be used as an ideal model and technique to study the electronic interaction between carbon shells and iron particles. The chemical imaging and spectroscopy of Pod-Fe by STXM show that the local electronic structures at C K-edge near edge (π*) of carbon shells can be significantly modified by the encapsulated iron particles, which promotes the adsorption of oxygen-containing species, and there2015-01-01T00:00:00Z2015 May2025-04-19T13:35:30.827Z2019-03-27T02:48:51ZS-EPMC54904252870669410.1039/c5sc00353a