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Sun X, Wu D, Saidi WA, Zhu W, Yang WCD, House SD, Li M, Sharma R, Yang JC, Zhou G. Atomic Dynamics of Multi-Interfacial Migration and Transformations. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2305746. [PMID: 37941496 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202305746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Redox-induced interconversions of metal oxidation states typically result in multiple phase boundaries that separate chemically and structurally distinct oxides and suboxides. Directly probing such multi-interfacial reactions is challenging because of the difficulty in simultaneously resolving the multiple reaction fronts at the atomic scale. Using the example of CuO reduction in H2 gas, a reaction pathway of CuO → monoclinic m-Cu4 O3 → Cu2 O is demonstrated and identifies interfacial reaction fronts at the atomic scale, where the Cu2 O/m-Cu4 O3 interface shows a diffuse-type interfacial transformation; while the lateral flow of interfacial ledges appears to control the m-Cu4 O3 /CuO transformation. Together with atomistic modeling, it is shown that such a multi-interface transformation results from the surface-reaction-induced formation of oxygen vacancies that diffuse into deeper atomic layers, thereby resulting in the formation of the lower oxides of Cu2 O and m-Cu4 O3 , and activate the interfacial transformations. These results demonstrate the lively dynamics at the reaction fronts of the multiple interfaces and have substantial implications for controlling the microstructure and interphase boundaries by coupling the interplay between the surface reaction dynamics and the resulting mass transport and phase evolution in the subsurface and bulk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianhu Sun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Dongxiang Wu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Wissam A Saidi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15216, USA
| | - Wenhui Zhu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Wei-Chang D Yang
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA
| | - Stephen D House
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Renu Sharma
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA
| | - Judith C Yang
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Guangwen Zhou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
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2
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Hu J, Zheng H, Li L, Chen G, Li K, Qi M, Zhang Y, Zhao P, Meng W, Jia S, Wang J. Probing the Atomistic Reaction Pathways in CuO/C Catalysts. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:9367-9374. [PMID: 37807279 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c02651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
CuOx/C catalysts have been used in the selective catalytic reduction of NOx because of the exceptional low-temperature denitration (de-NOx) activity. A fundamental understanding of the reaction between CuO and C is critical for controlling the component of CuOx/C and thus optimizing the catalytic performance. In this study, a transmission electron microscope equipped with an in situ heating device was utilized to investigate the atomic-scale reaction between CuO and C. We report two reaction mechanisms relying on the volume ratio between C and CuO: (1) The reduction from CuO to Cu2O (when the ratio is < ∼31%); (2) the reduction of CuO into polycrystalline Cu (when the ratio is > ∼34%). The atomistic reduction pathway can be well interpreted by considering the diffusion of O vacancy through the first-principle calculations. The atomic-scale exploration of CuO/C offers ample prospects for the design of industrial de-NOx catalysts in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Hu
- School of Physics and Technology, Center for Electron Microscopy, MOE Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures, and Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - He Zheng
- School of Physics and Technology, Center for Electron Microscopy, MOE Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures, and Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Wuhan University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China
| | - Lei Li
- Core Facility of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Guoxujia Chen
- School of Physics and Technology, Center for Electron Microscopy, MOE Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures, and Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Kaixuan Li
- School of Physics and Technology, Center for Electron Microscopy, MOE Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures, and Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Meng Qi
- School of Physics and Technology, Center for Electron Microscopy, MOE Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures, and Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Core Facility of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Peili Zhao
- School of Physics and Technology, Center for Electron Microscopy, MOE Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures, and Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Weiwei Meng
- School of Physics and Technology, Center for Electron Microscopy, MOE Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures, and Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Shuangfeng Jia
- School of Physics and Technology, Center for Electron Microscopy, MOE Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures, and Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jianbo Wang
- School of Physics and Technology, Center for Electron Microscopy, MOE Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures, and Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Core Facility of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
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3
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Chen X, Wang J, Zhu Y, Xie Z, Ye S, Kisslinger K, Hwang S, Zakharov DN, Zhou G. Atomistic Origins of Reversible Noncatalytic Gas-Solid Interfacial Reactions. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:3961-3971. [PMID: 36763977 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c10083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Noncatalytic gas-solid reactions are a large group of heterogeneous reactions that are usually assumed to occur irreversibly because of the strong driving force to favor the forward direction toward the product formation. Using the example of Ni oxidation into NiO with CO2, herein, we demonstrate the existence of the reverse element that results in the NiO reduction from the countering effect of the gaseous product of CO. Using in situ electron microscopy observations and atomistic modeling, we show that the oxidation process occurs via preferential CO2 adsorption along step edges that results in step-flow growth of NiO layers, and the presence of Ni atoms on the flat NiO surface promotes the nucleation of NiO layers. Simultaneously, the NiO reduction happens via preferential step-edge adsorption of CO that leads to the receding motion of atomic steps, and the presence of Ni vacancies in the NiO surface facilitates the CO-adsorption-induced surface pitting. Temperature and CO2 pressure effect maps are constructed to illustrate the spatiotemporal dynamics of the competing NiO redox reactions. These results demonstrate the rich gas-solid surface reaction dynamics induced by the coexisting forward and reverse reaction elements and have practical applicability in manipulating gas-solid reactions via controlling the gas environment or atomic structure of the solid surface to steer the reaction toward the desired direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Jianyu Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Yaguang Zhu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Zhenhua Xie
- Chemical Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Shuonan Ye
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Kim Kisslinger
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Sooyeon Hwang
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Dmitri N Zakharov
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Guangwen Zhou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
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Lai TH, Tsao CW, Fang MJ, Wu JY, Chang YP, Chiu YH, Hsieh PY, Kuo MY, Chang KD, Hsu YJ. Au@Cu 2O Core-Shell and Au@Cu 2Se Yolk-Shell Nanocrystals as Promising Photocatalysts in Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting and Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:40771-40783. [PMID: 36040289 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c07145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we demonstrated the practical use of Au@Cu2O core-shell and Au@Cu2Se yolk-shell nanocrystals as photocatalysts in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting and photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) production. The samples were prepared by conducting a sequential ion-exchange reaction on a Au@Cu2O core-shell nanocrystal template. Au@Cu2O and Au@Cu2Se displayed enhanced charge separation as the Au core and yolk can attract photoexcited electrons from the Cu2O and Cu2Se shells. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of Au, on the other hand, can facilitate additional charge carrier generation for Cu2O and Cu2Se. Finite-difference time-domain simulations were carried out to explore the amplification of the localized electromagnetic field induced by the LSPR of Au. The charge transfer dynamics and band alignment of the samples were examined with time-resolved photoluminescence and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. As a result of the improved interfacial charge transfer, Au@Cu2O and Au@Cu2Se exhibited a substantially larger photocurrent of water reduction and higher photocatalytic activity of H2 production than the corresponding pure counterpart samples. Incident photon-to-current efficiency measurements were conducted to evaluate the contribution of the plasmonic effect of Au to the enhanced photoactivity. Relative to Au@Cu2O, Au@Cu2Se was more suited for PEC water splitting and photocatalytic H2 production by virtue of the structural advantages of yolk-shell architectures. The demonstrations from the present work may shed light on the rational design of sophisticated metal-semiconductor yolk-shell nanocrystals, especially those comprising metal selenides, for superior photocatalytic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Hsuan Lai
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Wen Tsao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Jing Fang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Jhen-Yang Wu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Peng Chang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsuan Chiu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Ping-Yen Hsieh
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Yu Kuo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Kao-Der Chang
- Mechanical and Systems Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu 31040, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Jung Hsu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
- Center for Emergent Functional Matter Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
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5
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Liu S, Cheng Z, Yu R. Nematic-type Structure of the SnO 2 (110) Surface at Room Temperature. Chemphyschem 2022; 23:e202200338. [PMID: 35920796 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202200338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The most exposed (110) surface of SnO2 plays an important role in practical applications like gas sensors and catalysts. It has previously been considered to be amorphous at room temperature. In this study, the structure of the (110) surface stabilized at room temperature is determined using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations. The (110) surface has local order and is made of Sn2 O2 strands that partially cover underlying unsaturated Sn rows. The results indicate that the Sn2 O2 strands assemble as building blocks on the surface to form a partially ordered structure, quite like the nematic liquid crystal. Partial occupation of the Sn2 O2 strands along the [ 1 1 ‾ 0] direction avoids the interaction between neighboring Sn2 O2 strands and therefore makes the surface more stable. The novel phenomenon of the surface provides insight for understanding and developing catalysts and gas sensors based on SnO2 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengsheng Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials of Ministry of Education of China, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Zhiying Cheng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials of Ministry of Education of China, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Rong Yu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials of Ministry of Education of China, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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6
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Wu D, Zhu Y, Shan W, Wang J, Liu Q, Zhou G. Revealing an Intermediate Cu-O/OH Superstructure on Cu(110). J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:2396-2403. [PMID: 35257576 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c04145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Identifying the atomic structure and formation mechanism of intermediates during chemical transformations is challenging because of their short-lived nature. With a combination of microscopic and spectroscopic measurements and first-principles calculations, herein we report the formation of a metastable intermediate Cu-O/OH superstructure during the reaction of hydrogen with oxygen-covered Cu(110). This superstructure resembles the parent c(6 × 2)-O phase and can be termed as c(6 × 2)-(4O+2OH) with OH groups occupying the missing Cu sites between isolated Cu atoms. Using atomistic calculations, we elucidate the reaction pathways leading to the c(6 × 2)-(4O+2OH) formation via both molecular and dissociative H2 adsorption. These results demonstrate the complex surface dynamics resulting from the parallel reaction pathways and may open up the possibility of directing the reaction dynamics by deliberately manipulating transient surface structure and composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongxiang Wu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Yaguang Zhu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Weitao Shan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Jianyu Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Qianqian Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Guangwen Zhou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
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