Pt clusters in BaKL zeolite: Characterization by transmission electron microscopy, hydrogen chemisorption, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Ultrasmall Metal Nanoparticles Confined within Crystalline Nanoporous Materials: A Fascinating Class of Nanocatalysts

Crystalline nanoporous materials with uniform porous structures, such as zeolites and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), have proven to be ideal supports to encapsulate ultrasmall metal nanoparticles (MNPs) inside their void nanospaces to generate high-efficiency nanocatalysts. The nanopore-encaged metal catalysts exhibit superior catalytic performance as well as high stability and catalytic shape selectivity endowed by the nanoporous matrix. In addition, the synergistic effect of confined MNPs and nanoporous frameworks with active sites can further promote the catalytic activities of the composite catalysts. Herein, recent progress in nanopore-encaged metal nanocatalysts is reviewed, with a special focus on advances in synthetic strategies for ultrasmall MNPs (<5 nm), clusters, and even single atoms confined within zeolites and MOFs for various heterogeneous catalytic reactions. In addition, some advanced characterization methods to elucidate the atomic-scale structures of the nanocatalysts are presented, and the current limitations of and future opportunities for these fantastic nanocatalysts are also highlighted and discussed. The aim is to provide some guidance for the rational synthesis of nanopore-encaged metal catalysts and to inspire their further applications to meet the emerging demands in catalytic fields.

New trends in tailoring active sites in zeolite-based catalysts

This review discusses approaches for tailoring active sites in extra-large pore, nanocrystalline, and hierarchical zeolites and their performance in emerging catalytic applications.

Influence of Different Zeolite Frameworks on the Geometry of Platinum(II)tetraammine Complex

The structural changes in the guest platinum(II)tetraammine complex due to the steric and electronic interactions with the host zeolite frameworks LTL, MWW, and Y have been investigated using density functional theory calculations. It is observed that the square planar geometry of platinum(II)tetraammine complex has been distorted to nonplanar geometry when encapsulated in supercages of zeolite framework. The distortion is found to be higher in LTL than that in Y and MWW frameworks, without affecting the nature of the zeolite framework. Geometrical parameters, highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energies, global hardness, and softness were calculated to understand the distortion in the pores of the zeolite matrix. The most plausible active site of the complex was identified using the Fukui functions.

Promotion effects in the oxidation of CO over zeolite-supported Pt nanoparticles

Well-defined Pt-nanoparticles with an average diameter of 1 nm supported on a series of zeolite Y samples containing different monovalent (H+, Na+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+) and divalent (Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+) cations have been used as model systems to investigate the effect of promotor elements in the oxidation of CO in excess oxygen. Time-resolved infrared spectroscopy measurements allowed us to study the temperature-programmed desorption of CO from supported Pt nanoparticles to monitor the electronic changes in the local environment of adsorbed CO. It was found that the red shift of the linear Pt-coordinated CO vibration compared to that of gas-phase CO increases with an increasing cation radius-to-charge ratio. In addition, a systematic shift from linear (L) to bridge (B) bonded CO was observed for decreasing Lewis acidity, as expressed by the Kamlet-Taft parameter alpha. A decreasing alpha results in an increasing electron charge on the framework oxygen atoms and therefore an increasing electron charge on the supported Pt nanoparticles. This observation was confirmed with X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and the intensity of the experimental Pt atomic XAFS correlates with the Lewis acidity of the cation introduced. Furthermore, it was found that the CO coverage increases with increasing electron density on the Pt nanoparticles. This increasing electron density was found to result in an increased CO oxidation activity; i.e., the T(50%) for CO oxidation decreases with decreasing alpha. In other words, basic promotors facilitate the chemisorption of CO on the Pt particles. The most promoted CO oxidation catalyst is a Pt/K-Y sample, which has a T(50%) of 390 K and a L:B intensity ratio of 2.7. The obtained results provide guidelines to design improved CO oxidation catalysts.