Sub Nanometer Sized Clusters for Heterogeneous Catalysis
EMSL Project ID
48427
Abstract
Providing sustainable sources of energy, chemicals, and materials is one of the most important long-term issues facing society. Catalysis plays a central role in creating sustainable sources of energy through efficient transformations of hydrocarbon resources. Our quality of life depends on myriad products that involve a catalytic step at some point in their manufacture. It is widely accepted that chemical catalysis is a major economic driver in both the U.S. and world economies, with estimates as high as ~35% of the world's gross domestic product arising via catalytic processes. With significant commercial impact, there is a heavy demand for rare and expensive transition metals whose availability is at risk due to increasing geopolitical pressures. As our resource base shifts to alternative, unconventional energy sources such as shale gas or biomass, there will be a need to develop new catalysts for converting these materials. The proposed research focuses on sub-nm clusters, of size < 30 atoms, which provide unusual reactivity and selectivity for catalytic reactions. We focus on the stabilization of single atoms on supports, as a first step towards the synthesis and stabilization of sub-nm clusters. This objective will be accomplished by developing methods to tailor surfaces of high surface area supports for anchoring platinum group metals (PGM). Heterogeneous catalysis using nanoparticles of PGMs is highly developed, but the science of using ionic forms of these metals as heterogeneous catalysts is still in its infancy. New methods only recently available allow us to study these atomically dispersed metals. Catalysis using single isolated atoms provides the highest atom efficiency for conducting catalytic reactions. As we learn how to obtain desired catalytic properties in these tailored catalysts, we will develop a fundamental understanding of how catalyst activity and selectivity can be manipulated. This will allow us to create more selective and energy efficient processes for catalytic transformations.
Project Details
Project type
Large-Scale EMSL Research
Start Date
2014-10-01
End Date
2016-09-30
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Related Publications
Kunwar D., S. Zhou, A. DelaRiva, E.J. Peterson, H. Xiong, X.I. Pereira Hernandez, and S.C. Purdy, et al. 2019. "Stabilizing High Metal Loadings of Thermally Stable Platinum Single Atoms on an Industrial Catalyst Support." ACS Catalysis 9, no. 5:3978-3990. PNNL-SA-141231. doi:10.1021/acscatal.8b04885
Xiong H, S Lin, JG Goetze, P Pletcher, H Guo, L Kovarik, K Artyushkova, BM Weckhuysen, and AK Datye. 2017. "Thermally Stable and Regenerable Platinum–Tin Clusters for Propane Dehydrogenation Prepared by Atom Trapping on Ceria." Angewandte Chemie International Edition 56(31):8986-8991. doi:10.1002/anie.201701115