Single-atom Zr promoter boosts oxygen activation on ceria-supported Pt catalysts

Huang, Weixin; Xu, Hao; Deng, Yang; Lin, Shih-Wei; Pham, Hien N.; Zhang, Rui; Jiang, Dong; Zhang, Zihao; DeLaRiva, Andrew; Feng, Shuxuan; Li, Yixiao; Zhang, Xinrui; Datye, Abhaya K.; Chen, Chih-Jung; Wang, Yong

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-62447-w

Single-atom Zr promoter boosts oxygen activation on ceria-supported Pt catalysts

Journal Article · Thu Aug 07 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Nature Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62447-w· OSTI ID:3009545

^[1]; ^[2]; Deng, Yang ^[3]; Lin, Shih-Wei ^[4]; Pham, Hien N. ^[5]; ^[2]; ^[2]; ^[6]; DeLaRiva, Andrew ^[5]; Feng, Shuxuan ^[3]; Li, Yixiao ^[2]; Zhang, Xinrui ^[7]; ^[5]; ^[4]; ^[6]

Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States); Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)
Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States)
Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)
National Taiwan Univ., Taipei (Taiwan)
Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)

Activation of surface lattice oxygen and chemisorbed oxygen on catalyst surfaces constitutes a pivotal step in heterogeneous oxidative catalysis. Herein, we report a strategy for enhancing oxygen activation by rational design of catalysts with single-atom promoters. Single-site Zr species in CeO₂ (Zr₁-CeO₂) are synthesized using the atom-trapping method. The Zr₁-CeO₂-supported Pt catalyst exhibits enhanced catalytic performance over the CeO₂-supported Pt catalyst in the oxidation of CO, C₃H₈, and C₃H₆, achieving significantly lower T₅₀ values (temperature required to reach 50% conversion). This enhanced catalytic activity is attributed to the formation of an asymmetric Zr₁-O-Pt₁ structure, which favors the activation of the adjacent surface lattice oxygen and chemisorbed molecular oxygen. This work exemplifies that incorporating single-site atoms into oxide support facilitates oxygen activation, providing new insights into the role of atomically dispersed promoters in heterogeneous catalysis.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division (CSGB)

Grant/Contract Number:: FG02-05ER15712

OSTI ID:: 3009545

Journal Information:: Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 16; ISSN 2041-1723

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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