Catalysis of Alloys: Classification, Principles, and Design for a Variety of Materials and Reactions

Alloying has long been used as a promising methodology to improve the catalytic performance of metallic materials. In recent years, the field of alloy catalysis has made remarkable progress with the emergence of a variety of novel alloy materials and their functions. Therefore, a comprehensive disciplinary framework for catalytic chemistry of alloys that provides a cross-sectional understanding of the broad research field is in high demand. In this review, we provide a comprehensive classification of various alloy materials based on metallurgy, thermodynamics, and inorganic chemistry and summarize the roles of alloying in catalysis and its principles with a brief introduction of the historical background of this research field. Furthermore, we explain how each type of alloy can be used as a catalyst material and how to design a functional catalyst for the target reaction by introducing representative case studies. This review includes two approaches, namely, from materials and reactions, to provide a better understanding of the catalytic chemistry of alloys. Our review offers a perspective on this research field and can be used encyclopedically according to the readers' individual interests.

Development of advanced materials for cleaner energy generation through fuel cells

The use of fuel cells in the transportation sector holds promise as a sustainable option for the generation of cleaner energy along with cumulative lesser GHG emissions.

Recent advances in synergistic effect promoted catalysts for preferential oxidation of carbon monoxide

We reviewed recent advances in catalysts for PROX with emphasis on synergistic effects that contribute to enhanced catalytic performance.

Laser-Assisted Production of Carbon-Encapsulated Pt-Co Alloy Nanoparticles for Preferential Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide

C-encapsulated highly pure Pt_xCo_y alloy nanoparticles have been synthesized by an innovative one-step in-situ laser pyrolysis. The obtained X-ray diffraction pattern and transmission electron microscopy images correspond to Pt_xCo_y alloy nanoparticles with average diameters of 2.4 nm and well-established crystalline structure. The synthesized Pt_xCo_y/C catalyst containing 1.5 wt% of Pt_xCo_y nanoparticles can achieve complete CO conversion in the temperature range 125–175°C working at weight hourly space velocities (WHSV) of 30 L h⁻¹g⁻¹. This study shows the first example of bimetallic nanoalloys synthesized by laser pyrolysis and paves the way for a wide variety of potential applications and metal combinations.

Interface engineering for a rational design of poison-free bimetallic CO oxidation catalysts

We use density functional theory calculations of Pt@Cu core@shell nanoparticles (NPs) to design bifunctional poison-free CO oxidation catalysts. By calculating the adsorption chemistry under CO oxidation conditions, we find that the Pt@Cu NPs will be active for CO oxidation with resistance to CO-poisoning. The CO oxidation pathway at the Pt-Cu interface is determined on the Pt NP covered with a full- and partial-shell of Cu. The exposed portion of the Pt core preferentially binds CO and the Cu shell binds O₂, supplying oxygen for the reaction. The Pt-Cu interface provides CO-oxidation sites that are not poisoned by either CO or O₂. Additional computational screening shows that this separation of reactant binding sites is possible for several other core@shell NPs. Our results indicate that the metal-metal interface within a single NP can be optimized for design of bifunctional catalytic systems with improved performance.