Highly Dense Isolated Metal Atom Catalytic Sites: Dynamic Formation and In Situ Observations |
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| Authors: | Yaxin Chen Takeshi Kasama Dr Zhiwei Huang Pingping Hu Prof Jianmin Chen Dr Xi Liu Prof Xingfu Tang |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution & Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, 200433 Shanghai (P. R. China);2. Center for Electron Nanoscopy, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark) |
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| Abstract: | Atomically dispersed noble‐metal catalysts with highly dense active sites are promising materials with which to maximise metal efficiency and to enhance catalytic performance; however, their fabrication remains challenging because metal atoms are prone to sintering, especially at a high metal loading. A dynamic process of formation of isolated metal atom catalytic sites on the surface of the support, which was achieved starting from silver nanoparticles by using a thermal surface‐mediated diffusion method, was observed directly by using in situ electron microscopy and in situ synchrotron X‐ray diffraction. A combination of electron microscopy images with X‐ray absorption spectra demonstrated that the silver atoms were anchored on five‐fold oxygen‐terminated cavities on the surface of the support to form highly dense isolated metal active sites, leading to excellent reactivity in catalytic oxidation at low temperature. This work provides a general strategy for designing atomically dispersed noble‐metal catalysts with highly dense active sites. |
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| Keywords: | electron microscopy heterogeneous catalysis surface analysis surface chemistry X‐ray diffraction |
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