Catalysis at the Rim: A Mechanism for Low Temperature CO Oxidation over Pt3Sn

Design of PtSn Nanocatalysts for Fuel Cell Applications

The challenges in the fuel cell industry lie in the cost, performance, and durability of the electrode components, especially the platinum-based catalysts. Alloying has been identified as an effective strategy to reduce the cost of the catalyst and increase its efficiency and durability. So far, most studies focused on the design of PtM bimetallic nanocatalyst, where M is a transition metal. The resulting PtM materials show higher catalytic activity, but their stability remained challenging. In addition, most of the transition metals M are expensive or low abundant. Tin (Sn) has gained attention as alloying element due to its versatility in manufacturing both anode and cathode electrodes. If used as anode catalyst, it is able to overcome poisoning from CO and related intermediates. As cathode catalyst, it improves the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Additionally, Sn is an abundant and cheap element. The current contribution outlines the state of the art on the alloy and shape effect on PtSn activity and stability, demonstrating its high potential to develop cheaper, more efficient and durable catalysts for fuel-cell electrodes. Additionally, in situ analytical and spectroscopic studies can shed light on the elementary steps involved in the use of PtSn catalytic systems. Finally, this intriguing material can be used as a parent system for the synthesis of high-entropy-alloys and intermetallics materials.

Nanocatalytic Interface to Decode the Phytovolatile Language for Latent Crop Diagnosis in Future Farms

Crop diseases cause the release of volatiles. Here, the use of an SnO₂-based chemoresistive sensor for early diagnosis has been attempted. Ionone is one of the signature volatiles released by the enzymatic and nonenzymatic cleavage of carotene at the latent stage of some biotic stresses. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt at sensing volatiles with multiple oxidation sites, i.e., ionone (4 oxidation sites), from the phytovolatile library, to derive stronger signals at minimum concentrations. Further, the sensitivity was enhanced on an interdigitated electrode by the addition of platinum as the dopant for a favorable space charge layer and for surface island formation for reactive interface sites. The mechanistic influence of oxygen vacancy formation was studied through detailed density functional theory (DFT) calculations and reactive oxygen-assisted enhanced binding through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis.

Moderate Surface Segregation Promotes Selective Ethanol Production in CO2 Hydrogenation Reaction over CoCu Catalysts

Cobalt-copper (CoCu) catalysts have industrial potential in CO/CO₂ hydrogenation reactions, and CoCu alloy has been elucidated as a major active phase during reactions. However, due to elemental surface segregation and dealloying phenomena, the actual surface morphology of CoCu alloy is still unclear. Combining theory and experiment, the dual effect of surface segregation and varied CO coverage over the CoCu(111) surface on the reactivity in CO₂ hydrogenation reactions is explored. The relationship between C-O bond scission and further hydrogenation of intermediate *CH₂ O was discovered to be a key step to promote ethanol production. The theoretical investigation suggests that moderate Co segregation provides a suitable surface Co ensemble with lateral interactions of co-adsorbed *CO, leading to promoted selectivity to ethanol, in agreement with theory-inspired experiments.

Insight into the Crystal Structures and Surface Property of Manganese Oxide on CO Catalytic Oxidation Performance

α-MnO₂ nanorods and flower-like γ-MnO₂ microspheres were synthesized by facile and mild methods to illustrate the effect of crystal structures and surface features on catalytic performance with the help of carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation. It is revealed that the flower-like γ-MnO₂ microspheres possess better catalytic oxidation performance (CO complete conversion temperature at 120 °C and long-time stability for 50 h) than α-MnO₂ nanorods, which can be attributed to the obvious differences in the chemical bonds and linking modes of [MnO₆] octahedra due to the different crystal structures. γ-MnO₂ possesses lower Mn-O bond strength that enables γ-MnO₂ to present a large amount of surface lattice oxygen and superior oxygen mobility. The disordered random intergrowth tunnel structure can adsorb effectively CO molecules, resulting in excellent catalytic performance for CO catalytic oxidation. In addition, the MnO₂ catalyst probably occurred via a Mars-van Krevelen mechanism for CO oxidation. This work provides an insight into the effect of crystal structures and surface property of manganese oxide on catalytic oxidation performance, which presents help for the future design of promising catalysts with excellent catalytic performance.

Predicting an optimal oxide/metal catalytic interface for hydrodeoxygenation chemistry of biomass derivatives

Complex reaction paths, such as hydrodeoxygenation of multi-oxygenated reactants like furfuryl alcohol, can benefit from a close connection between multi-component (oxide–metal) catalytic sites.

Topological self-template directed synthesis of multi-shelled intermetallic Ni3Ga hollow microspheres for the selective hydrogenation of alkyne

Multi-shelled hollow structured materials featuring large void volumes and high specific surface areas are very promising for a variety of applications. However, controllable synthesis of multi-shelled hollow structured intermetallic compounds remains a formidable challenge due to the high annealing temperature commonly required for the formation of intermetallic phases. Here, a topological self-template strategy was developed to solve this problem. Using this strategy, we prepared well-defined multi-shelled intermetallic Ni3Ga hollow microspheres (Ni3Ga-MIHMs) as disclosed by the HAADF-STEM, HRTEM, and EDS characterizations, and the BET specific surface areas of them measured as much as 153.4 m2 g-1. XRD and EXAFS spectral characterizations revealed the atomically ordered intermetallic phase nature of the Ni3Ga-MIHMs. The selective hydrogenation of acetylene catalytic evaluation results further demonstrated excellent catalytic properties of the Ni3Ga-MIHMs, which results from the more energetically facile reaction pathway for acetylene hydrogenation and ethylene desorption over it as revealed by DFT calculations. Besides, this strategy is also extendable to synthesize other multi-shelled intermetallic Ni3Sn4 hollow microspheres, and is expected to open up new opportunities for rational design and preparation of novel structured and highly efficient intermetallics.

A dimer path for CO dissociation on PtSn

Density functional theory calculations are used to investigate CO adsorption, dissociation and SnO_X formation on Pt₃Sn.

Towards operando computational modeling in heterogeneous catalysis

An increased synergy between experimental and theoretical investigations in heterogeneous catalysis has become apparent during the last decade. Experimental work has extended from ultra-high vacuum and low temperature towards operando conditions. These developments have motivated the computational community to move from standard descriptive computational models, based on inspection of the potential energy surface at 0 K and low reactant concentrations (0 K/UHV model), to more realistic conditions. The transition from 0 K/UHV to operando models has been backed by significant developments in computer hardware and software over the past few decades. New methodological developments, designed to overcome part of the gap between 0 K/UHV and operando conditions, include (i) global optimization techniques, (ii) ab initio constrained thermodynamics, (iii) biased molecular dynamics, (iv) microkinetic models of reaction networks and (v) machine learning approaches. The importance of the transition is highlighted by discussing how the molecular level picture of catalytic sites and the associated reaction mechanisms changes when the chemical environment, pressure and temperature effects are correctly accounted for in molecular simulations. It is the purpose of this review to discuss each method on an equal footing, and to draw connections between methods, particularly where they may be applied in combination.

Ultrathin Metallic Nanowire-Based Architectures as High-Performing Electrocatalysts

Fuel cells (FCs) convert chemical energy into electricity through electrochemical reactions. They maintain desirable functional advantages that render them as attractive candidates for renewable energy alternatives. However, the high cost and general scarcity of conventional FC catalysts largely limit the ubiquitous application of this device configuration. For example, under current consumption requirements, there is an insufficient global reserve of Pt to provide for the needs of an effective FC for every car produced. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary in the future to replace Pt either completely or in part with far more plentiful, abundant, cheaper, and potentially less toxic first row transition metals, because the high cost-to-benefit ratio of conventional catalysts is and will continue to be a major limiting factor preventing mass commercialization. We and other groups have explored a number of nanowire-based catalytic architectures, which are either Pt-free or with reduced Pt content, as an energy efficient solution with improved performance metrics versus conventional, currently commercially available Pt nanoparticles that are already well established in the community. Specifically, in this Perspective, we highlight strategies aimed at the rational modification of not only the physical structure but also the chemical composition as a means of developing superior electrocatalysts for a number of small-molecule-based anodic oxidation and cathodic reduction reactions, which underlie the overall FC behavior. In particular, we focus on efforts to precisely, synergistically, and simultaneously tune not only the size, morphology, architectural motif, surface chemistry, and chemical composition of the as-generated catalysts but also the nature of the underlying support so as to controllably improve performance metrics of the hydrogen oxidation reaction, the methanol oxidation reaction, the ethanol oxidation reaction, and the formic acid oxidation reaction, in addition to the oxygen reduction reaction.

Effects of heat treatment atmosphere on the structure and activity of Pt3Sn nanoparticle electrocatalysts: a characterisation case study

In this work, a variation in heat treatment atmosphere approach is taken to provide a series of related PtSn catalysts with the same nominal composition of Pt₃Sn, but with different surface compositions.

A Ni-based catalyst with enhanced Ni–support interaction for highly efficient CO methanation

A Ni/NiAl₂O₄ catalyst with an enhanced Ni–support interaction was successfully fabricated for highly efficient CO methanation.

Unravelling the mechanisms of CO2 hydrogenation to methanol on Cu-based catalysts using first-principles multiscale modelling and experiments

Multi-scale modelling of various copper-based catalysts showed how and why different catalysts perform in methanol synthesis via carbon dioxide hydrogenation.