Photoinduced radical-mediated atomic dispersion of noble metal nanoparticles.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41832178.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-70742-3.
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Abstract
The transformation of noble metal nanoparticles into atomically dispersed catalysts has been a long-standing goal to enhance metal utilization and regenerate the activity of agglomerated catalysts. Traditional methods, however, often require high temperatures, specific atmospheres, or complex chemical processes. We present a novel photoinduced strategy for atomic dispersion of noble metal nanoparticles under ambient conditions. Experimental and density functional theory calculations reveal that chlorine radicals (•Cl), together with •O<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup>, promote Pd-Pd bond cleavage. The intermediate [PdCl<sub>4</sub>]<sup>2-</sup> species formed adsorbs onto TiO<sub>2</sub> via electrostatic interactions and, upon dechlorination, stabilizes into a single-atom Pd<sub>1</sub>-N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>1</sub> structure. This method is applicable to various noble metals (Pd, Pt, Rh) and different oxide supports (TiO<sub>2</sub> and WO<sub>3</sub>), and significantly enhances the catalytic activity of both commercial Pd/C and industrial waste Pd/C catalysts by 17.8-fold and 26-fold, respectively, in the hydrogenation of styrene. This approach offers a simple, green, and sustainable solution for advancing catalytic technologies.