Identification of active sites on supported metal catalysts with carbon nanotube hydrogen highways

Journal Article · Thu Sep 20 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Nature Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06100-9· OSTI ID:1470788

Briggs, Nicholas M.; Barrett, Lawrence; Wegener, Evan C.; Herrera, Leidy V.; Gomez, Laura A.; Miller, Jeffrey T.; Crossley, Steven P.

Catalysts consisting of metal particles supported on reducible oxides exhibit promising activity and selectivity for a variety of current and emerging industrial processes. Enhanced catalytic activity can arise from direct contact between the support and the metal or from metal-induced promoter effects on the oxide. Discovering the source of enhanced catalytic activity and selectivity is challenging, with conflicting arguments often presented based on indirect evidence. Here, we separate the metal from the support by a controlled distance while maintaining the ability to promote defects via the use of carbon nanotube hydrogen highways. As illustrative cases, we use this approach to show that the selective transformation of furfural to methylfuran over Pd/TiO₂ occurs at the Pd-TiO₂ interface while anisole conversion to phenol and cresol over Cu/TiO₂ is facilitated by exposed Ti³⁺ cations on the support. This approach can be used to clarify many conflicting arguments in the literature.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; National Science Foundation (NSF)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1470788
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1601877
• Journal Information: Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Vol. 9 Journal Issue: 1; ISSN 2041-1723
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Country of Publication: United Kingdom
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY