CO oxidation on large high-index faceted Pd nanostructures

Designing Sites in Heterogeneous Catalysis: Are We Reaching Selectivities Competitive With Those of Homogeneous Catalysts?

A critical review of different prominent nanotechnologies adapted to catalysis is provided, with focus on how they contribute to the improvement of selectivity in heterogeneous catalysis. Ways to modify catalytic sites range from the use of the reversible or irreversible adsorption of molecular modifiers to the immobilization or tethering of homogeneous catalysts and the development of well-defined catalytic sites on solid surfaces. The latter covers methods for the dispersion of single-atom sites within solid supports as well as the use of complex nanostructures, and it includes the post-modification of materials via processes such as silylation and atomic layer deposition. All these methodologies exhibit both advantages and limitations, but all offer new avenues for the design of catalysts for specific applications. Because of the high cost of most nanotechnologies and the fact that the resulting materials may exhibit limited thermal or chemical stability, they may be best aimed at improving the selective synthesis of high value-added chemicals, to be incorporated in organic synthesis schemes, but other applications are being explored as well to address problems in energy production, for instance, and to design greener chemical processes. The details of each of these approaches are discussed, and representative examples are provided. We conclude with some general remarks on the future of this field.

Cu oxide deposited on shape-controlled ceria nanocrystals for CO oxidation: influence of interface-driven oxidation states on catalytic activity

The polar CeO2 (100) surface facets contribute considerably to the formation of surface hydroxyl groups, which are necessary for selective, stable Cu1+ state loading and enhancement of CO oxidation activity.

Macroporous Ni foam-supported Co3O4 nanobrush and nanomace hybrid arrays for high-efficiency CO oxidation

Herein, we reported the synthesis of well-defined Co₃O₄ nanoarrays (NAs) supported on a monolithic three-dimensional macroporous nickel (Ni) foam substrate for use in high-efficiency CO oxidation. The monolithic Co₃O₄ NAs catalysts were obtained through a generic hydrothermal synthesis route with subsequent calcination. By controlling the reaction time, solvent polarity and deposition agent, these Co₃O₄ NAs catalysts exhibited various novel morphologies (single or hybrid arrays), whose physicochemical properties were further characterized by using several analytical techniques. Based on the catalytic and characterization analyses, it was found that the Co₃O₄ NAs-6 catalyst with nanobrush and nanomace arrays displayed enhanced catalytic activity for CO oxidation, achieving an efficient 100% CO oxidation conversion at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) 10,000hr^-1 and 150°C with long-term stability. Compared with the other Co₃O₄ NAs catalysts, it had the highest abundance of surface-adsorbed oxygen species, excellent low-temperature reducibility and was rich in surface-active sites (Co³⁺/Co²⁺=1.26).

Engineering TiO2 supported Pt sub-nanoclusters via introducing variable valence Co ion in high-temperature flame for CO oxidation

As a typical catalytic reaction model, CO catalytic oxidation has many practical applications in gas purification. TiO2 supported Pt sub-nanoclusters have been prepared by introducing variable valence Co ions into a one step flame spray pyrolysis process. Co2+ was oxidized to Co3+ in the high-temperature flame, and the released electrons were transferred to the surface of Pt and suppressed the aggregation of Pt nanoclusters supported on TiO2. As a result, the average size of Pt nanoclusters reduced from 2.47 nm to 0.72 nm with only 1% Co2+ ion doping. Moreover, due to the presence of Co, surface oxygen species were also affected, and these changes also led to a significant increase in the catalytic activity of CO oxidation. The temperature at 100% conversion was decreased from 120 °C to 70 °C, and the TOF increased by an order of magnitude. In addition, in situ DRIFTS was also used to investigate the cause of the significant increase in activity, and it was shown that adsorbed CO species on Pt could be desorbed more easily because of the electron transfer between Pt and Co species.