Activity of CeOx and TiOx Nanoparticles Grown on Au(111) in the Water-Gas Shift Reaction

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2007 · Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1150038· OSTI ID:959855

Rodriguez, J; Ma, S; Liu, P; Hrbek, J; Evans, J; Perez, M

The high performance of Au-CeO2 and Au-TiO2 catalysts in the water-gas shift (WGS) reaction (H2O + CO->H2 + CO2) relies heavily on the direct participation of the oxide in the catalytic process. Although clean Au(111) is not catalytically active for the WGS, gold surfaces that are 20 to 30% covered by ceria or titania nanoparticles have activities comparable to those of good WGS catalysts such as Cu(111) or Cu(100). In TiO2-x/Au(111) and CeO2-x/Au(111), water dissociates on O vacancies of the oxide nanoparticles, CO adsorbs on Au sites located nearby, and subsequent reaction steps take place at the metal-oxide interface. In these inverse catalysts, the moderate chemical activity of bulk gold is coupled to that of a more reactive oxide.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) National Synchrotron Light Source
• Sponsoring Organization: Doe - Office Of Science
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-98CH10886
• OSTI ID: 959855
• Report Number(s): BNL--82841-2009-JA
• Journal Information: Science, Journal Name: Science Vol. 318; ISSN 0193-4511; ISSN SCEHDK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
CATALYSTS
GOLD
OXIDES
PERFORMANCE
SURFACES
THERMODYNAMIC ACTIVITY
VACANCIES
WATER
WATER GAS
national synchrotron light source