Distribution of Pt single atom coordination environments on anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> supports controls reactivity.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 38307931.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-45367-z and PMC identifier 10837418.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Single-atom catalysts (SACs) offer efficient metal utilization and distinct reactivity compared to supported metal nanoparticles. Structure-function relationships for SACs often assume that active sites have uniform coordination environments at particular binding sites on support surfaces. Here, we investigate the distribution of coordination environments of Pt SAs dispersed on shape-controlled anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> supports specifically exposing (001) and (101) surfaces. Pt SAs on (101) are found on the surface, consistent with existing structural models, whereas those on (001) are beneath the surface after calcination. Pt SAs under (001) surfaces exhibit lower reactivity for CO oxidation than those on (101) surfaces due to their limited accessibility to gas phase species. Pt SAs deposited on commercial-TiO<sub>2</sub> are found both at the surface and in the bulk, posing challenges to structure-function relationship development. This study highlights heterogeneity in SA coordination environments on oxide supports, emphasizing a previously overlooked consideration in the design of SACs.