In-Situ Polarization-Dependent Total-Reflection Fluorescence XAFS Studies on the Structure Transformation of Pt Clusters on α-Al2O3(0001)

Synergistic Effects in the Activity of Nano-Transition-Metal Clusters Pt12M (M = Ir, Ru or Rh) for NO Dissociation

The dissociation of environmentally hazardous NO through dissociative adsorption on metallic clusters supported by oxides, is receiving growing attention. Building on previous research on monometallic M 13  clusters [J. Phys. Chem. C, 2019, 123(33), 20314-20318], this work considers bimetallic Pt 12 M (M = Rh, Ru or Ir) clusters. The adsorption energy and activation energy of NO dissociation on the clusters have been calculated in vacuum using Koh,-Sham DFT, while their trends were rationalized using reactivity indices such as molecular electrostatic potential and global Fermi softness. The results shown that doping of the Pt clusters lowered the adsorption energy as well as the activation energy for NO dissociation. Furthermore, reactivity indices were calculated as a first estimate of the performance of the clusters in realistic amorphous silica pores (MCM-41) through  ab initio  molecular dynamics simulations.

Bent crystal Laue analyser combined with total reflection fluorescence X-ray absorption fine structure (BCLA + TRF-XAFS) and its application to surface studies

A bent crystal Laue analyser (BCLA) is an X-ray energy analyser used for fluorescence X-ray absorption fine-structure (XAFS) spectroscopy to separate the fluorescence X-ray emission line of a target atom from the elastic scattering X-rays and other fluorescence emission lines. Here, the feasibility of the BCLA for total reflection fluorescence XAFS (TRF-XAFS), which has a long X-ray footprint on the substrate surface owing to grazing incidence, was tested. The focal line of the BCLA was adjusted on the X-ray footprint and the XAFS signal for one monolayer of Pt deposited on a 60 nm Au film with high sensitivity was obtained. Although range-extended XAFS was expected by the rejection of Au fluorescence arising from the Au substrate, a small glitch was found in the Au L₃ edge because of the sudden change of the complex refraction index of the Au substrate at the Au edge. This abnormal spectrum feature can be removed by reflectivity correction using Au foil absorption data. BCLA combined with TRF-XAFS spectroscopy (BCLA + TRF-XAFS) is a new technique for the in situ surface analysis of highly dispersed systems even in the presence of a liquid overlayer.

Tuning the Structure of Pt Nanoparticles through Support Interactions: An in Situ Polarized X-ray Absorption Study Coupled with Atomistic Simulations

Interactions of nanoparticles (NPs) with their environment may have a pronounced effect on their structure and shape as well as on their functionality in applications such as catalysis. It is therefore crucial to disentangle the particle-adsorbate and particle-support interaction effects on the particle shape, its local structure, atomic dynamics, and its possible anisotropies. In order to gain insight into the support effect, we carried out an X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (XAFS) investigation of adsorbate- and ligand-free size-selected Pt NPs deposited on two different supports in ultrahigh vacuum. Polarization-dependent XAFS measurements, neural network-based analysis of X-ray absorption near-edge structure data, and reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) simulations of extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) were used to resolve the 3D shape of the NPs and details of their local structure. A synergetic combination of advanced in situ XAFS analysis with atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging provides uniquely detailed information about the particle-support interactions and the NP/support buried interface, not accessible to any experimental technique, when considered alone. In particular, our combined approach reveals differences in the structure of Pt NPs deposited on TiO₂(110) and SiO₂/Si(111). Pt NPs on SiO₂ assume a spherical-like 3D shape and weakly interact with the support. In contrast, the effective shape of analogously synthesized Pt NPs on TiO₂(110) after annealing at 600 °C is found to be a truncated octahedron with (100) top and interfacial facets that are encapsulated by the TiO₂ support. Modeling disorder effects in these NPs using an RMC approach reveals differences in bond-length distributions for NPs on different supports and allows us to analyze their anisotropy, which may be crucial for the interpretation of support-dependent atomic dynamics and can have an impact on the understanding of the catalytic properties of these NPs.

Premodified Surface Method to Obtain Ultra-Highly Dispersed Metals and their 3D Structure Control on an Oxide Single-Crystal Surface

Precise control of the three-dimensional (3D) structure of highly dispersed metal species such as metal complexes and clusters attached to an oxide surface has been important for the development of next-generation high-performance heterogeneous catalysts. However, this is not easily achieved for the following reasons. (1) Metal species are easily aggregated on an oxide surface, which makes it difficult to control their size and orientation definitely. (2) Determination of the 3D structure of the metal species on an oxide powder surface is hardly possible. To overcome these difficulties, we have developed the premodified surface method, where prior to metal deposition, the oxide surface is premodified with a functional organic molecule that can strongly coordinate to a metal atom. This method has successfully provided a single metal dispersion on an oxide single-crystal surface with the 3D structure precisely determined by polarization-dependent total reflection fluorescence X-ray absorption fine structure (PTRF-XAFS). Here we describe our recent results on ultra-high dispersions of various metal atoms on TiO₂ (110) surfaces premodified with mercapto compounds, and show the possibility of fine tuning and orientation control of the surface metal 3D structures.

Development of Surface Fluorescence X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy Using a Laue-Type Monochromator

Surface fluorescence X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy using a Laue-type monochromator has been developed to acquire structural information about metals with a very low concentrate on a flat highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface in the presence of electrolytes. Generally, surface fluorescence XAFS spectroscopy is hindered by strong scattering from the bulk, which often chokes the pulse counting detector. In this work, we show that a bent crystal Laue analyzer (BCLA) can efficiently remove the scattered X-rays from the bulk even in the presence of solution. We applied the technique to submonolayer (∼10¹⁴  atoms cm^-2 ) Pt on HOPG and successfully obtained high signal/noise in situ XAFS data in combination with back-illuminated fluorescence XAFS (BI-FXAFS) spectroscopy. This technique allows in situ XAFS measurements of flat electrode surfaces to be performed in the presence of electrolytes.

Polarization-dependent total reflection fluorescence extended X-ray absorption fine structure and its application to supported catalysis

Polarization-dependent total reflection fluorescence-extended X-ray absorption fine structure (PTRF-EXAFS) is a powerful tool to investigate the structures of highly dispersed metal clusters on oxide surfaces that provide a model system for supported metal catalysts. PTRF-EXAFS provides three-dimensional structural information of the dispersed metal clusters, in addition to the metal-support interface structure in the presence of a gas phase. Results from PTRF-EXAFS have revealed that the metal species interacts strongly with surface anions. Finally the future of PTRF-EXAFS is discussed in combination with the next generation light sources, such as X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) and energy recovery linac (ERL).

Shear Instabilities in Metallic Nanoparticles: Hydrogen-Stabilized Structure of Pt37 on Carbon

Using density functional theory calculations, we have studied the morphology of a Pt37 nanoparticle supported on carbon with and without hydrogen (H) passivation that arises with postprocessing of nanoparticles before characterization. Upon heating in an anneal cycle, we find that without H (e.g., in a helium atmosphere or evacuation at high temperature), the morphology change of a truncated cuboctahedral Pt37 is driven by the shearing of (100) to (111) facets to lower the surface energy, a remnant shear instability that drives surface reconstruction in semi-infinite Pt(100). With H passivation from a postprocessing anneal, we show that the sheared structure automatically reverts to the observed truncated cuboctahedral structure and the average first nearest-neighbor Pt-Pt bond length increases by 3%, agreeing well with experiment. We explain the stabilization of the truncated cuboctahedral structure due to H passivation via adsorption energetics of hydrogen on Pt(100) and (111) facets, specifically, the preference for H adsorption at bridge sites on (100) facets, which should be considered in a realistic model for H adsorption on Pt nanoparticles. We find that dramatic morphological change of a nanoparticle can occur even with small changes to first-shell Pt-Pt coordination number. The implications of our findings when comparing to experimental data are discussed.

Effects of Adsorbates on Supported Platinum and Iridium Clusters: Characterization in Reactive Atmospheres and during Alkene Hydrogenation Catalysis by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

MgO-, SiO2-, and gamma-Al2O3-supported platinum clusters and particles (with average diameters ranging from 11 to 45 A) and zeolite-supported Ir4 clusters (approximately 6 A in diameter) were characterized by extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy in the presence of H2, O2, ethene, propene, and ethane, as well as under conditions of alkene hydrogenation catalysis. The results indicate that under various atmospheres, the presence of adsorbates affects the smaller platinum clusters (11 A) on gamma-Al2O3 more substantially than the larger platinum particles (i.e., those greater than approximately 21 A in average diameter) on MgO or SiO2. When Pt/gamma-Al2O3 was exposed to H2, the platinum morphology did not change, although the Pt-Pt bond distance increased. In contrast, when the same sample was exposed to O2, complete oxidative fragmentation took place. This processes was reversed following subsequent treatment with H2. Exposure to alkenes changed both the morphology and electron density (as indicated by X-ray absorption near-edge spectra) of the gamma-Al2O3-supported platinum clusters. Under conditions of alkene hydrogenation catalysis at room temperature, the electronic properties and the structure of the platinum clusters were found to depend on the reactant composition and the nature of molecules involved in the reaction process. The effects of the reactant gases on the smaller iridium clusters (Ir4) were substantially less pronounced, apparently as a consequence of the extremely small number of atoms in each iridium cluster.