Structural Changes of Ni and Ni-Pt Methane Steam Reforming Catalysts During Activation, Reaction, and Deactivation Under Dynamic Reaction Conditions.

Ni-based catalysts are the most widely used materials to produce H2 in large-scale methane steam reformers under stationary conditions. For domestic applications such as fuel cells, H2 production involves the exposure of the catalysts to more dynamic conditions due to the daily startup and shutdown operation mode, making Ni-based catalysts susceptible to oxidation and deactivation. In this context, we report a systematic investigation of the structural changes occurring for monometallic Ni/MgAlOx and bimetallic NiPt/MgAlOx catalysts during methane steam reforming under transient conditions, comprising catalyst activation, operation, and deactivation processes. Besides extensive catalytic tests, the samples prepared by incipient wetness impregnation were characterized by complementary methods, including N2-physisorption, X-ray diffraction, H2-temperature-programmed reduction, and electron microscopy. Next, the structure of the Ni and Pt species was monitored under reaction conditions using time and spatially resolved in situ/operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The results obtained show that before catalyst activation by H2-reduction, nickel diffuses into the support lattice and forms mixed oxides with magnesium. In the activated catalysts, Ni is present in the metallic state or alloyed with Pt. A clear beneficial effect of the noble metal addition was identified on both the activity and stability of the bimetallic NiPt/MgAlOx catalyst. In contrast, the pronounced oxidation and reincorporation of Ni into the support lattice were observed for the monometallic sample, and these catalyst deactivation effects are hindered in the bimetallic Ni-Pt catalyst. Overall, the outcome of our study not only helps in understanding the catalyst activation/deactivation processes at an atomic level but also provides the basis for the rational development of improved methane steam reforming catalysts.

Are Operando Measurements of Rechargeable Batteries Always Reliable? An Example of Beam Effect with a Mg Battery.

Operando and in situ techniques are becoming mandatory to study Li-ion, post Li-ion, and solid-state batteries. They are essential for monitoring the (electro)chemical and dynamic processes in the battery environment and for providing understanding at different spatial and temporal scales. While operando measurements are becoming more and more routine, scientists have to keep in mind that such experiments are not always harmless for the battery operation, especially when using synchrotron techniques. This is the case in the example described herein with Mg batteries. We show that the electrode reactivity in a InSb/organohaluminate electrolyte/Mg cell is strongly retarded during operando synchrotron X-ray absorption acquisition. Through comparison of ex situ, operando, and in situ data, we demonstrate that this effect occurred only on the samples' volumes exposed to the X-ray radiation. This study illustrates how incorrect conclusions might be drawn from operando measurements, especially when looking at new battery chemistries, and calls for extreme caution when designing and interpreting operando data.

Capturing dynamic ligand-to-metal charge transfer with a long-lived cationic intermediate for anionic redox.

Reversible anionic redox reactions represent a transformational change for creating advanced high-energy-density positive-electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The activation mechanism of these reactions is frequently linked to ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) processes, which have not been fully validated experimentally due to the lack of suitable model materials. Here we show that the activation of anionic redox in cation-disordered rock-salt Li1.17Ti0.58Ni0.25O2 involves a long-lived intermediate Ni3+/4+ species, which can fully evolve to Ni2+ during relaxation. Combining electrochemical analysis and spectroscopic techniques, we quantitatively identified that the reduction of this Ni3+/4+ species goes through a dynamic LMCT process (Ni3+/4+-O2- → Ni2+-On-). Our findings provide experimental validation of previous theoretical hypotheses and help to rationalize several peculiarities associated with anionic redox, such as cationic-anionic redox inversion and voltage hysteresis. This work also provides additional guidance for designing high-capacity electrodes by screening appropriate cationic species for mediating LMCT.

Spectroscopies and Electron Microscopies Unravel the Origin of the First Colour Photographs.

The first colour photographs were created by a process introduced by Edmond Becquerel in 1848. The nature of these photochromatic images colours motivated a debate between scientists during the XIXth century, which is still not settled. We present the results of chemical analysis (EDX, HAXPES and EXAFS) and morphology studies (SEM, STEM) aiming at explaining the optical properties of the photochromatic images (UV-visible spectroscopy and low loss EELS). We rule out the two hypotheses (pigment and interferences) that have prevailed since 1848, respectively based on variations in the oxidation degree of the compound forming the sensitized layer and periodically spaced photolytic silver planes. A study of the silver nanoparticles dispersions contained in the coloured layers showed specific localizations and sizes distributions of the nanoparticles for each colour. These results allow us to formulate a plasmonic hypothesis on the origin of the photochromatic images colours.

Monitoring the Crystal Structure and the Electrochemical Properties of Na3(VO)2(PO4)2F through Fe3+ Substitution.

We here present the synthesis of a new material, Na3(VO)Fe(PO4)2F2, by the sol-gel method. Its atomic and electronic structural descriptions are determined by a combination of several diffraction and spectroscopy techniques such as synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy at V and Fe K edges, 57Fe Mössbauer, and 31P solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The crystal structure of this newly obtained phase is similar to that of Na3(VO)2(PO4)2F, with a random distribution of Fe3+ ions over vanadium sites. Even though Fe3+ and V4+ ions situate on the same crystallographic position, their local environment can be studied separately using 57Fe Mössbauer and X-ray absorption spectroscopy at Fe and V K edges, respectively. The Fe3+ ion resides in a symmetric octahedral environment, while the octahedral site of V4+ is greatly distorted due to the presence of the vanadyl bond. No electrochemical activity of the Fe4+/Fe3+ redox couple is detected, at least up to 5 V, whereas the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ has been observed at ∼1.5 V versus Na+/Na through the insertion of 0.5 Na+ into Na3(VO)Fe(PO4)2F2. Comparing to Na3(VO)2(PO4)2F, the electrochemical profile of Na3(VO)Fe(PO4)2F2 in the same cycling condition shows a smaller polarization which could be due to a slight improvement in Na+ diffusion process thanks to the presence of Fe3+ in the framework. Furthermore, the desodiation mechanism occurring upon charging is investigated by operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction and operando synchrotron X-ray absorption at V K edge.