CO Oxidation on supported single Pt atoms - Experimental and Ab Initio density functional studies of CO interaction with Pt atom on theta-alumina(010) surface
- ORNL
Although there are only a few known examples of supported single atoms, they are unique because they bridge the gap between homogenous and heterogeneous catalysis. The metal center is single supported atoms can be isoelectronic with their homogenous catalyst counterpart and may allow mechanistic pathways normally seen in homogenous catalysts. Here, we report CO oxidation activity of mono-disperse single Pt atoms supported on an inert substrate, -alumina (Al2O3), in the presence of stoichiometric oxygen. Since CO oxidation on single Pt atoms cannot occur via a conventional Langmuir-Hinshelwood scheme (L-H scheme) which requires at least one Pt-Pt bond, we have carried out a first principles density functional theoretical study of a proposed pathway which is a variation on the conventional L-H scheme and is inspired by organometallic chemistry of platinum. We find that a single supported Pt atom prefers to bond to O2 over CO. The CO then bonds with the oxygenated Pt atom and forms a carbonate which dissociates to liberate CO2, leaving an oxygen atom on Pt. A subsequent reaction with another CO molecule regenerates the single atom catalyst. An in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared study of CO adsorption on the catalyst s supported single atoms has been carried out to infer information on CO absorption modes and compare the observed spectra with calculated ones for intermediates in the proposed CO oxidation pathway. Our results clearly show that supported Pt single atoms are catalytically active and that this catalytic activity can occur without involving the substrate. Characterization by electron microscopy and X-ray absorption studies of the mono-disperse Pt/ -Al2O3, synthesized by solution methods, are also presented.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1090489
- Journal Information:
- Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 135, Issue 34
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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