Anchoring PdO<sub>x</sub> clusters on defective alumina for improved catalytic methane oxidation.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39090117.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-50216-0 and PMC identifier 11294617.
- 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
Evolution of the Pd active centers in size and spatial distribution leads to an irreversible deactivation in many high-temperature catalytic processes. This research demonstrates the use of a defective alumina (Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3-x</sub>) as catalyst support to anchor Pd atoms and suppress the growth of Pd clusters in catalytic methane oxidation. A combination of operando spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide insights into the evolution of Pd species and reveals distinct catalytic methane oxidation mechanisms on Pd single atoms, clusters, and nanoparticles (NPs). Among these Pd species, the cluster active centers are found to be the most favorable participants in methane oxidation due to their high dispersion, high content of Pd<sup>2+</sup> oxidation state, and resistance to deactivation by carbonates, bicarbonates, and water. The Pd/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3-x</sub> catalyst shows increased stability with respect to a Pd/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> counterpart during simulated aging in alternating reducing and oxidizing conditions due to stronger interactions with the support. This study demonstrates that defect engineering of non-reducible supports can constrain the evolution of active centers, which holds promising potential for widespread utilization across diverse industrial catalytic processes, including various hydrogenation and oxidation reactions.