In situ IR spectroscopic studies of Ni surface segregation induced by CO adsorption on Cu-Ni/SiO2 bimetallic catalysts.

It is of great importance to study the catalytic structures under real reaction conditions especially for the bimetallic catalysts, where facile surface restructure or surface segregation can be driven by adsorbate adsorption. Here, we report CO interaction with Cu-Ni/SiO2 bimetallic model catalysts studied by CO temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and in situ CO polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) under CO pressures varying from ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) to near ambient pressure. Under UHV conditions, Cu is enriched on the surface of Cu-Ni/SiO2 bimetallic catalysts. CO spillover from Cu to Ni on Cu-Ni/SiO2 bimetallic catalysts has been observed at about 200 K under UHV conditions. In situ CO PM-IRRAS shows surface segregation of Ni on the Cu-Ni/SiO2 bimetallic catalysts induced by CO adsorption at ambient pressure CO. The behavior of CO induced surface segregation can lead to severe errors in Ni active site measurements by the selective CO chemisorption on Cu-Ni/SiO2 bimetallic catalysts.

Pd-Au bimetallic catalysts: understanding alloy effects from planar models and (supported) nanoparticles.

Pd-Au bimetallic catalysts often display enhanced catalytic activities and selectivities compared with Pd-alone catalysts. This enhancement is often caused by two alloy effects, i.e., ensemble and ligand effects. The ensemble effect is a dilution of surface Pd by Au. With increasing surface Au coverage, contiguous Pd ensembles disappear and isolated Pd ensembles form. For certain reactions, for example vinyl acetate synthesis, this effect is responsible for reaction rate enhancement via the formation of highly active surface sites, e.g., isolated Pd pairs. The disappearance of contiguous Pd ensembles also switches off side reactions catalyzed by these sites. This explains the selectivity increase of certain reactions, for example direct H(2)O(2) synthesis. The ligand effects are electronic perturbation of Pd by Au. Via direct charge transfer or by affecting bond lengths, the ligand effects cause the Pd d band to be more filled, moving the d-band center away from the Fermi level. Both changes make Pd more "atomic like" therefore binding reactants and products more weakly. For certain reactions, this eliminates a so-called "self-poisoning" effect and enhances activity/selectivity.

CO oxidation over ruthenium: identification of the catalytically active phases at near-atmospheric pressures.

CO oxidation was carried out over Ru(0001) and RuO2(110) thin film grown on Ru(0001) at various O2/CO ratios near atmospheric pressures. Reaction kinetics, coupled with in situ polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRAS) and post-reaction Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) measurements, were used to identify the catalytically relevant phases under different reaction conditions. Under stoichiometric and reducing conditions at all reaction temperatures, as well as net-oxidizing reaction conditions below ∼475 K, a reduced metallic phase with chemisorbed oxygen is the thermodynamically stable and catalytically active phase. On this surface CO oxidation occurs at surface defect sites, for example step edges. Only under net-oxidizing reaction conditions and above ∼475 K is the RuO2 thin film grown on metallic Ru stable and active. However, RuO2 is not active itself without the existence of the metal substrate, suggesting the importance of a strong metal-substrate interaction (SMSI).

Model catalysts: simulating the complexities of heterogeneous catalysts.

Surface-science investigations have contributed significantly to heterogeneous catalysis in the past several decades. Fundamental studies of reactive systems on metal single crystals have aided researchers in understanding the effect of surface structure on catalyst reactivity and selectivity for a number of important reactions. Recently, model systems, consisting of metal clusters deposited on planar oxide surfaces, have facilitated the study of metal particle-size and support effects. These model systems not only are useful for carrying out kinetic investigations, but are also amenable to surface spectroscopic techniques, thus enabling investigations under realistic pressures and at working temperatures. By combining surface-science characterization methods with kinetic measurements under realistic working conditions, researchers are continuing to advance the molecular-level understanding of heterogeneous catalysis and are narrowing the pressure and material gap between model and real-world catalysts.

Exploring the structure and chemical activity of 2-D gold islands on graphene moiré/Ru(0001).

Au deposited on Ru(0001)-supported extended, continuous graphene moiré forms large 2-D islands at room temperature that are several nanometers in diameter but only 0.55 nm in height, in the apparent absence of typical binding sites such as defects and adsorbates. These Au islands conform to the corrugation of the underlying graphene and display commensurate moiré patterns. Several extended Au structure models on graphene/Ru(0001) are examined using density functional theory calculations. Close-packed Au overlayers are energetically more stable, but all interact weakly with the support. Preliminary tests found the Au islands/graphene/Ru(0001) surface to be active for CO oxidation at cryogenic temperature, which suggests that the Au itself is the locus of catalytic activity.

Reaction kinetics and polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy investigations of CO oxidation over planar Pt-group model catalysts.

Microscopic and spectroscopic techniques at near-atmospheric pressures have been used in recent years to investigate CO oxidation over Pt-group metals. New insights have been obtained that allow broadening of the understanding of this reaction beyond the ultrahigh vacuum regime where it is well-understood. However, new issues also have arisen that need clarification. In this paper, we review recent work in our laboratory, using polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRAS) and reaction kinetics measurements from ultrahigh vacuum to near-atmospheric pressures. These studies reveal a continuity of this reaction with respect to pressure over Pt, Pd, and Rh; that is, Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetics is exhibited over a wide pressure range with no apparent "pressure gap". The difference between Ru(0001) and other noble metals is well-understood with respect to higher oxygen binding energies and reduced CO inhibition. It is concluded that for all Pt-group metals the most active phase is one saturated with chemisorbed oxygen and with low CO coverages. The significance of oxide phases under most industrially relevant catalytic conditions suggested recently in the literature is not consistent with the experimental data.

Synthesis of CuPt nanorod catalysts with tunable lengths.

Solution chemistry methods have been used to synthesize bimetallic CuPt alloy nanoparticle catalysts with controllable sizes and shapes. By variation of the relative ratios of the oleylamine and oleic acid stabilizers, solvent, and reduction rate, the nanoparticles could be tuned from approximately 2 nm spherical particles to nanorods with diameters of approximately 2.5 nm and aspect ratios tunable from 5:1 to 25:1. These mixed-metal nanoparticles show excellent catalytic properties for CO oxidation, with light-off temperatures that are nearly 200 K below those of conventional supported Pt catalysts.

CO oxidation over AuPd(100) from ultrahigh vacuum to near-atmospheric pressures: the critical role of contiguous Pd atoms.

It is demonstrated that gas-phase CO pressure higher than approximately 0.1 Torr is required to segregate a sufficient amount of Pd to the surface of a well-annealed AuPd(100) sample to form contiguous Pd sites. These contiguous sites are critical in dissociating O(2) for low-temperature CO oxidation, where CO chemisorbed on Au sites clearly participates in the reaction at temperatures below approximately 400 K. Measured reaction kinetics demonstrates that the higher reaction rate is achieved on a surface with higher coverages of contiguous Pd sites.

Catalytically active gold on ordered titania supports.

Almost two decades have passed since supported Au nanoparticles were found to be active for CO oxidation. This discovery inspired extensive research addressing the origin of the unique properties of supported Au nanoparticles, the design and synthesis of potentially technical Au catalysts, and the extension of Au catalysis to other reactions. This tutorial review summarises the current understanding of the origin of the unique properties of titania-supported Au catalysts for carbon monoxide oxidation. The key issues of catalysis by nanostructured Au, effects of oxide support and active site/structure, especially those provided from model studies are discussed in detail. The successful synthesis of a highly catalytically active gold bilayer may lead to the design and synthesis of practically active Au nanofilm catalysts.

Atomic-scale assembly of a heterogeneous catalytic site.

The distance between surface Pd atoms has been shown to control the catalytic formation of vinyl acetate from ethylene and acetic acid by AuPd catalysts. Here, we use the bulk alloy's thermodynamic properties, as well as the surface lattice spacing of a AuPd(100) alloy single-crystal model catalyst to control and optimize the concentration of the active site (Pd atom pairs at a specific Pd-Pd distance with Au nearest-neighbors). Scanning tunneling microscopy reveals that sample annealing has a direct effect on the surface Pd arrangements: short-range order preferentially forms Pd pairs located in the c(2 x 2) sites, which are known to be optimal for vinyl acetate synthesis. This effect could be harnessed for future industrial catalyst design.

Catalytically active gold: from nanoparticles to ultrathin films.

Ordered gold (Au) mono- and bilayer structures have been synthesized on a highly reduced titania surface. The Au bilayer exhibits a significantly higher catalytic activity for carbon monoxide oxidation than does the Au monolayer structure. This is the first report of Au completely wetting an oxide surface and demonstrates that ultrathin Au films on an oxide surface have exceptionally high catalytic activity, comparable to the activity observed for Au nanoparticles. This discovery is a key to understanding the nature of the active site of supported Au catalysts.

On the origin of the unique properties of supported Au nanoparticles.

The unique catalytic activity of supported Au nanoparticles has been ascribed to various effects including thickness/shape, the metal oxidation state, and support effects. Previously, we reported the synthesis of ordered Au monolayers and bilayers on TiO(x), with the latter being significantly more active for CO oxidation than the former. In the present study, the electronic and chemical properties of ordered monolayer and bilayer Au films have been characterized by infrared reflection adsorption spectroscopy using CO as a probe and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy. The Au overlayers are found to be electron-rich and to have significantly different electronic properties compared with bulk Au. The common structural features of ordered Au bilayers and Au bilayer nanoparticles on TiO2(110) are described, and the exceptionally high catalytic activity of the Au bilayer structure related to its unique electronic properties.

NO dimer and dinitrosyl formation on Pd(111): from ultra-high-vacuum to elevated pressure conditions.

Using in situ polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRAS) and conventional IRAS techniques, the adsorption of NO on Pd(111) was studied from ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) conditions to 400 mbar. New monomeric and non-monomeric high-coverage NO adsorption states were observed at 400 mbar. Initial NO adsorption at 600 K and subsequent cooling in the presence of 400 mbar NO lead to a new high-coverage monomeric adsorption state. For NO adsorption at room temperature, the formation of NO dimer as well as dinitrosyl states was observed, which upon heating transformed into the high-coverage monomeric adsorption state. In contrast, under UHV conditions, NO dimers were stable only at low temperatures up to 60 K, above which they transformed into a monomeric NO adsorption state with a (2x2)-3NO structure. Our results demonstrate that stable NO dimeric and dinitrosyl species can be formed on Pd(111) at elevated pressure conditions, emphasizing their potential role in catalysis.

The promotional effect of gold in catalysis by palladium-gold.

Acetoxylation of ethylene to vinyl acetate (VA) was used to investigate the mechanism of the promotional effect of gold (Au) in a palladium (Pd)-Au alloy catalyst. The enhanced rates of VA formation for low Pd coverages relative to high Pd coverages on Au single-crystal surfaces demonstrate that the critical reaction site for VA synthesis consists of two noncontiguous, suitably spaced, Pd monomers. The role of Au is to isolate single Pd sites that facilitate the coupling of critical surface species to product, while inhibiting the formation of undesirable reaction by-products.

Titania-supported PdAu bimetallic catalysts prepared from dendrimer-encapsulated nanoparticle precursors.

We report the synthesis, characterization, and catalytic activity of titania-supported bimetallic PdAu particles prepared using dendrimer-encapsulated nanoparticle (DEN) precursors. Single-particle energy-dispersive spectroscopy indicates a homogeneous distribution of bimetallic nanoparticles having compositions closely related to the metal-ion ratios used to prepare the DEN precursors. The catalytic activity of the supported PdAu catalysts was compared to that of supported Pd-only and Au-only catalysts; the enhanced CO oxidation activity of the PdAu catalysts is indicative of a synergetic bimetallic interaction.

The role of F-centers in catalysis by Au supported on MgO.

A correlation is found between the activity of Au clusters for the catalytic oxidation of CO and the concentration of F-centers in the surface of a MgO support. These results are consistent with recent theoretical results showing that F-centers in MgO serve to anchor Au clusters and control their charge state by partial transfer of charge from the substrate F-center to the Au cluster.

Formation of a high coverage (3 x 3) NO phase on Pd(111) at elevated pressures: interplay between kinetic and thermodynamic accessibility.

Using in situ polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations, a new high-coverage monomeric NO adsorption state on Pd(111) was observed and proposed to have a (3 x 3)-7NO structure. Formation of this high coverage NO phase was found to take place only at elevated pressure and temperature conditions showing that some of the accessible thermodynamic equilibrium states at elevated temperatures and pressures are thermodynamically unfavorable or kinetically hindered at lower temperatures and pressures. Our results emphasize the danger of extrapolating results from traditional surface science experiments performed under ultrahigh vacuum to elevated temperature and pressure conditions encountered in heterogeneous catalysis.

The influence of metal cluster size on adsorption energies: CO adsorbed on Au clusters supported on TiO2.

Infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) has been used to study CO adsorption on Au clusters ranging in size from 1.8 to 3.1 nm, supported on TiO(2). The adsorbed CO vibrational frequency blue-shifts slightly (approximately 4 cm(-)(1)) compared to that adsorbed on bulk Au, whereas the heats of adsorption (-DeltaH(ads)) increase sharply with decreasing cluster size, from 12.5 to 18.3 kcal/mol.

Isocyanate formation in the catalytic reaction of CO + NO on Pd(111): an in situ infrared spectroscopic study at elevated pressures.

The catalytic CO + NO reaction to form CO2, N2, and N2O has been studied on a Pd(111) surface at pressures up to 240 mbar using in situ polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRAS). At 240 mbar, for a pressure ratio of PCO:PNO = 3:2 and under reaction conditions, besides adsorbed CO, the formation of isocyanate (-NCO) was observed. Once produced at 500-625 K, the isocyanate species was stable within the entire temperature range studied (300-625 K). On the other hand, its formation required a total CO + NO pressure of at least 0.6 mbar, illustrating the importance of in situ infrared experiments under high-pressure conditions. The significance of the isocyanate formation for the CO + NO reaction on Pd(111) is discussed.