Structural characterization of bimetallic nanomaterials with overlapping x-ray absorption edges

We describe a data analysis method for extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy suitable for use with compounds of diverse form that contain overlapping absorption edges. This method employs direct concurrent analysis of the data-demonstrated here for cases involving two interfering metal edges-and does not utilize subtractive or data filtering strategies that have been previously used to address this challenge. Its generality and precision are demonstrated in analyses made on two model nanoscale samples: (1) a Ir-Pt nanoparticle system supported on γ -Al2 O3 and (2) a hybrid system of Pt nanowires on which Au nanoparticles have been nucleated and grown at the nanowire tips, stacking faults, and twinning boundaries. The results obtained demonstrate the unique compositional and structural qualities of these two systems as well as the broader utility of the new x-ray absorption spectroscopy based protocol used to characterize them.