Electronic and geometric structure of the copper-ceria interface on Cu/CeO2 catalysts

High-area alumina supported Cu-Ce atomic species for water-gas shift reaction

Atomically dispersed cerium species, anchored to high-area alumina by unsaturated penta-coordinated aluminum, strongly interact with atomically dispersed Cu species to provide active centers for water-gas shift reaction (WGSR). The alumina-anchored Ce3+ species stabilize atomically dispersed Cu+ to form Cu+-Ce3+ active complexes and they work synergistically to enhance low-temperature WGSR activity. This work offers alternative approaches to developing low-cost catalysts for the WGSR process.

The Surface/Interface Modulation of Platinum Group Metal (PGM)-Free Catalysts for VOCs and CO Catalytic Oxidation

Effective management of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide (CO) is critical to human health and the ecological environment. Catalytic oxidation is one of the most promising technologies for achieving efficient VOCs and CO emission control. Platinum group metal (PGM)-free catalysts are recently receiving sustainable attention in catalyzing VOCs and CO removal due to their low cost, superior catalytic activity, and excellent stability, but PGM-free catalysts face challenges in low-temperature catalytic efficiency. In this mini-review, starting with discussing the catalytic mechanism of VOCs and CO oxidation, we summarize the surface/interface modulation strategies of PGM-free catalysts to promote oxygen and VOCs/CO molecule activation for enhanced low-temperature oxidation activity, including oxygen vacancy engineering, heteroatom doping, surface acidity modification, and active interface construction. We highlight the currently remaining challenges and prospects of advanced PGM-free catalyst development for highly efficient VOCs and CO emission control in practical applications.

Interlayer Biatomic Pair Bridging the van der Waals Gap for 100% Activation of 2D Layered Material

2D layered materials are regarded as prospective catalyst candidates due to their advantageous atomic exposure ratio. Nevertheless, the predominant population of atoms residing on the basal plane with saturated coordination, exhibit inert behavior, while a mere fraction of atoms located at the periphery display reactivity. Here, a novel approach is reported to attain complete atom activation in 2D layered materials through the construction of an interlayer biatomic pair bridge. The atoms in question have been strategically optimized to achieve a highly favorable state for the adsorption of intermediates. This optimization results from the introduction of new gap states around the Fermi level. Moreover, the presence of the interlayer bridge facilitates the electron transfer across the van der Waals gap, thereby enhancing the reaction kinetics. The hydrogen evolution reaction exhibits an impressive ultrahigh current density of 2000 mA cm-2 at 397 mV, surpassing the pristine MoS2 by approximately two orders of magnitude (26 mA cm-2 at 397 mV). This study provides new insights for enhancing the efficacy of 2D layered catalysts.

Structured Catalysts and Catalytic Processes: Transport and Reaction Perspectives

The structure of catalysts determines the performance of catalytic processes. Intrinsically, the electronic and geometric structures influence the interaction between active species and the surface of the catalyst, which subsequently regulates the adsorption, reaction, and desorption behaviors. In recent decades, the development of catalysts with complex structures, including bulk, interfacial, encapsulated, and atomically dispersed structures, can potentially affect the electronic and geometric structures of catalysts and lead to further control of the transport and reaction of molecules. This review describes comprehensive understandings on the influence of electronic and geometric properties and complex catalyst structures on the performance of relevant heterogeneous catalytic processes, especially for the transport and reaction over structured catalysts for the conversions of light alkanes and small molecules. The recent research progress of the electronic and geometric properties over the active sites, specifically for theoretical descriptors developed in the recent decades, is discussed at the atomic level. The designs and properties of catalysts with specific structures are summarized. The transport phenomena and reactions over structured catalysts for the conversions of light alkanes and small molecules are analyzed. At the end of this review, we present our perspectives on the challenges for the further development of structured catalysts and heterogeneous catalytic processes.

Catalytic CO Oxidation on the Cu+-Ov-Ce3+ Interface Constructed by an Electrospinning Method for Enhanced CO Adsorption at Low Temperature

It is crucial to eliminate CO emissions using non-noble catalysts. Cu-based catalysts have been widely applied in CO oxidation, but their activity and stability at low temperatures are still challenging. This study reports the preparation and application of an efficient copper-doped ceria electrospun fiber catalyst prepared by a facile electrospinning method. The obtained 10Cu-Ce fiber catalyst achieved complete CO oxidation at a temperature as low as 90 °C. However, a reference 10Cu/Ce catalyst prepared by the impregnation method needed 110 °C to achieve complete CO oxidation under identical reaction conditions. Asymmetric oxygen vacancies (ASOV) at the interface between copper and cerium were constructed, to effectively absorb gas molecules involved in the reaction, leading to the enhanced oxidation of CO. The exceptional ability of the 10Cu-Ce catalyst to adsorb CO is attributed to its unique structure and surface interaction phase Cu+-Ov-Ce3+, as demonstrated by a series of characterizations and DFT calculations. This novel approach of using electrospinning offers a promising technique for developing low-temperature and non-noble metal-based catalysts.

Boosting CO Catalytic Oxidation Performance via Highly Dispersed Copper Atomic Clusters: Regulated Electron Interaction and Reaction Pathways

Copper-loaded ceria (Cu/CeO₂) catalysts have become promising for the catalytic oxidation of industrial CO emissions. Since their superior redox property mainly arises from the synergistic effect between Cu and the CeO₂ support, the dispersion state of Cu species may dominate the catalytic performance of Cu/CeO₂ catalysts: the extremely high or low dispersity is disadvantageous for the catalytic performance. The nanoparticle catalysts usually present few contact sites, while the single-atom catalysts tend to be passivated due to their relatively single valence state. To achieve a suitable dispersion state, we synthesized a superior Cu/CeO₂ catalyst with Cu atomic clusters, realizing high atomic exposure and unit atomic activity simultaneously via favorable electron interaction and an anchoring effect. The catalyst reaches a 90% CO conversion at 130 °C, comparable to noble-metal catalysts. According to combined in situ spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations, the superior CO oxidation performance of the Cu atomic cluster catalyst results from the joint efforts of effective adsorption of CO at the electrophilic sites, the CO spillover phenomenon, and the efficient bicarbonate pathway triggered by hydroxyl. By providing a superior atomic cluster catalyst and uncovering the catalytic oxidation mechanism of Cu-Ce dual-active sites, our work may enlighten future research on industrial gaseous pollutant removal.

Understanding and application of metal-support interactions in catalysts for CO-PROX

Preferential oxidation of carbon monoxide (CO-PROX) plays a vital role in H₂ purification in the upstream systems of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) for its high efficiency, low cost and practicability. The key to the application of CO-PROX is the design and preparation of catalysts, and the supported metal catalysts have been the mainstay after decades of development. The metal-support interaction (MSI), which acts as a bridge between the design of supported catalysts and atomic-level theoretical research, has triggered increasing attention. There is a growing body of literature that recognizes the importance of the MSI in heterogeneous catalysis. In this review, the impacts of the MSI including strong metal-support interactions and electronic metal-support interactions on the essential characteristics of supported single atom, nanocluster and nanoparticle catalysts, and therefore, on catalytic behaviors were discussed, respectively, primarily focusing on electron transfer, chemical bonding and the encapsulation of active sites induced by the MSI. We also presented an overview of how the MSI can be utilized to rationally design catalysts to meet target requirements such as high activity, selectivity or stability via appropriate selection and modification of support and active species. The perspectives of the future development for comprehensive understanding of the MSI were also proposed.

Reduction-Driven 3D to 2D Transformation of Cu Nanoparticles

The interaction between metal and metal oxides at the nanoscale is of uttermost importance in several fields, thus its enhancement is highly desirable. In catalysis, the performance of the nanoparticles is dependent on a wide range of properties, including its shape that is commonly considered stable during the catalytic reaction. In this study, highly reducible CeO_2-x nanoparticles are synthesized aiming to provide Cu/CeO_2-x nanoparticles, which are classically active catalysts for the CO oxidation reaction. It is observed that the Cu nanoparticles shape changes during reduction treatment (prior to the CO oxidation reaction) from a nearly spherical 3D to a planar 2D shape, then enhances the Cu-CeO_2-x interaction. The spread of the Cu nanoparticles over the CeO_2-x surface during the reduction treatment occurs due to the minimization of the total system energy. The shape change is accompanied by migration of O atoms from CeO₂ surface to the border of the Cu nanoparticles and the change from the Cu⁰ to Cu⁺¹ state. The spreading of the Cu nanoparticles influences on the reactivity results toward the CO oxidation reaction since it changes the local atomic order around Cu atoms. The results show a timely contribution for enhancing the interaction between metal and metal oxide.

In Situ Generation of the Surface Oxygen Vacancies in a Copper-Ceria Catalyst for the Water-Gas Shift Reaction

The dissociation of H₂O is a crucial aspect for the water-gas shift reaction, which often occurs on the vacancies of a reducible oxide support. However, the vacancies sometimes run off, thus inhibiting H₂O dissociation. After high-temperature treatment, the ceria supports were lacking vacancies because of sintering. Unexpectedly, the in situ generation of surface oxygen vacancies was observed, ensuring the efficient dissociation of H₂O. Due to the surface reconstruction of ceria nanorods, the copper species sustained were highly dispersed on the sintered support, on which CO was adsorbed efficiently to react with hydroxyls from H₂O dissociation. In contrast, no surface reconstruction occurred in ceria nanoparticles, leading to the sintering of copper species. The sintered copper species were averse to adsorb CO, so the copper-ceria nanoparticle catalyst had poor reactivity even when surface oxygen vacancies could be generated in situ.

Shape Effects of Ceria Nanoparticles on the Water‒Gas Shift Performance of CuOx/CeO2 Catalysts

The copper–ceria (CuOx/CeO2) system has been extensively investigated in several catalytic processes, given its distinctive properties and considerable low cost compared to noble metal-based catalysts. The fine-tuning of key parameters, e.g., the particle size and shape of individual counterparts, can significantly affect the physicochemical properties and subsequently the catalytic performance of the binary oxide. To this end, the present work focuses on the morphology effects of ceria nanoparticles, i.e., nanopolyhedra (P), nanocubes (C), and nanorods (R), on the water–gas shift (WGS) performance of CuOx/CeO2 catalysts. Various characterization techniques were employed to unveil the effect of shape on the structural, redox and surface properties. According to the acquired results, the support morphology affects to a different extent the reducibility and mobility of oxygen species, following the trend: R > P > C. This consequently influences copper–ceria interactions and the stabilization of partially reduced copper species (Cu+) through the Cu2+/Cu+ and Ce4+/Ce3+ redox cycles. Regarding the WGS performance, bare ceria supports exhibit no activity, while the addition of copper to the different ceria nanostructures alters significantly this behaviour. The CuOx/CeO2 sample of rod-like morphology demonstrates the best catalytic activity and stability, approaching the thermodynamic equilibrium conversion at 350 °C. The greater abundance in loosely bound oxygen species, oxygen vacancies and highly dispersed Cu+ species can be mainly accounted for its superior catalytic performance.

Lattice oxygen self-spillover on reducible oxide supported metal cluster: the water-gas shift reaction on Cu/CeO2 catalyst

In this work we have tackled one of the most challenging problems in nanocatalysis namely understanding the role of reducible oxide supports in metal catalyzed reactions. As a prototypical example, the very well-studied water gas shift reaction catalyzed by CeO2 supported Cu nanoclusters is chosen to probe how the reducible oxide support modifies the catalyst structures, catalytically active sites and even the reaction mechanisms. By employing density functional theory calculations in conjunction with a genetic algorithm and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, we have identified an unprecedented spillover of the surface lattice oxygen from the ceria support to the Cu cluster, which is rarely considered previously but may widely exist in oxide supported metal catalysts under realistic conditions. The oxygen spillover causes a highly energetic preference of the monolayered configuration of the supported Cu nanocluster, compared to multilayered configurations. Due to the strong metal-oxide interaction, after the O spillover the monolayered cluster is highly oxidized by transferring electrons to the Ce 4f orbitals. The water-gas-shift reaction is further found to more favorably take place on the supported copper monolayer than the copper-ceria periphery, where the on-site oxygen and the adjacent oxidized Cu sites account for the catalytically active sites, synergistically facilitating the water dissociation and the carboxyl formation. The present work provides mechanistic insights into the strong metal-support interaction and its role in catalytic reactions, which may pave a way towards the rational design of metal-oxide catalysts with promising stability, dispersion and catalytic activity.

Insight into the Contributions of Surface Oxygen Vacancies on the Promoted Photocatalytic Property of Nanoceria

Oxygen vacancies (OVs) have critical effects on the photoelectric characterizations and photocatalytic activity of nanoceria, but the contributions of surface OVs on the promoted photocatalytic properties are not clear yet. In this work, we synthesized ceria nanopolyhedron (P-CeO₂), ceria nanocube (C-CeO₂) and ceria nanorod (R-CeO₂), respectively, and annealed them at 600 °C in air, 30%, 60% or pure H₂. After annealing, the surface OVs concentration of ceria elevates with the rising of H₂ concentration. Photocatalytic activity of annealed ceria is promoted with the increasing of surface OVs, the methylene blue photodegradation ratio with pure hydrogen annealed of P-CeO₂, C-CeO₂ or R-CeO₂ is 93.82%, 85.15% and 90.09%, respectively. Band gap of annealed ceria expands first and then tends to narrow slightly with the rising of surface OVs, while the valence band (VB) and conductive band (CB) of annealed ceria changed slightly. Both of photoluminescence spectra and photocurrent results indicate that the separation efficiency of photoinduced electron-hole pairs is significantly enhanced with the increasing of the surface OVs concentration. The notable weakened recombination of photogenerated carrier is suggested to attribute a momentous contribution on the enhanced photocatalytic activity of ceria which contains surface OVs.

NO reduction with CO over CuOx/CeO2 nanocomposites: influence of oxygen vacancies and lattice strain

The morphology-dependent population of oxygen vacancies in CuOx/CeO2 nanocomposites used for NO reduction with CO and its pivotal role in the reaction mechanism are examined in this combined experimental and first-principles study.

High-heat treatment enhanced catalytic activity of CuO/CeO2 catalysts with low CuO content for CO oxidation

CuO/CeO₂ catalysts with low CuO content and calcined at 800 °C exhibited better catalytic performance than those calcined at 500 °C. The coordinatively unsaturated copper atoms were proved to be the main active sites in the CuO/CeO₂ catalysts.