Towards stable single-atom catalysts: Strong binding of atomically dispersed transition metals on the surface of nanostructured ceria

The interaction of a series of different transition metal atoms with nanoparticulate CeO2 has been studied by means of density-functional calculations. Recently, we demonstrated the ability of sites exposed on {100} nanofacets of CeO2 to very strongly anchor atomic Pt, making the formed species exce...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Figueroba Sánchez, Alberto, Kovács, Gábor, Bruix Fusté, Albert, Neyman, Konstantin M.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2016
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2445/112695
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/112695
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Teoria del funcional de densitat
Nanopartícules
Platí
Catàlisi
Density functionals
Nanoparticles
Platinum
Catalysis
Descripción
Sumario:The interaction of a series of different transition metal atoms with nanoparticulate CeO2 has been studied by means of density-functional calculations. Recently, we demonstrated the ability of sites exposed on {100} nanofacets of CeO2 to very strongly anchor atomic Pt, making the formed species exceptionally efficient single-atom anode catalysts for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. Herein, we analyzed the capacity of these surface sites to accommodate all other group VIII-XI transition metal atoms M = Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Cu, Ag, and Au. The interaction of the M atoms with {100} nanofacets of ceria leads to oxidation of the former and such interaction is calculated to be stronger than the binding of the atoms in the corresponding metal nanoparticles. Comparing the stability of metal-metal and metal-oxide bonds allows one to establish which metals would more strongly resist agglomeration and hence allows the proposal of promising candidates for the design of single-atom catalysts. Indeed, the remarkable stability of these adsorption complexes (particularly for Pt, Pd, Ni, Fe, Co, and Os) strongly suggests that atomically dispersed transition metals anchored as cations on {100} facets of nanostructured ceria are stable against agglomeration into metal particles. Therefore, these sites appear to be of immediate relevance to the preparation of stable catalysts featuring the highest possible metal efficiency in nanocatalysis.