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Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Imine Metathesis by Silica-Supported Catalysts Using the Methodology of Surface Organometallic Chemistry
Published on: October 18, 2019
Resolving Interparticle Heterogeneities in Composition and Hydrogenation Performance between Individual Supported
Eva Plessers1, Ivo Stassen1, Sreeprasanth Pulinthanathu Sree1
1Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, KU Leuven , Kasteelpark Arenberg 23, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
Abstract:
Supported metal nanoparticle catalysts are commonly obtained through deposition of metal precursors onto the support using incipient wetness impregnation. Typically, empirical relations between metal nanoparticle structure and catalytic performance are inferred from ensemble averaged data in combination with high-resolution electron microscopy. This approach clearly underestimates the importance of heterogeneities present in a supported metal catalyst batch. Here we show for the first time how incipient wetness impregnation leads to 10-fold variations in silver loading between individual submillimeter-sized silica support granules. This heterogeneity has a profound impact on the catalytic performance, with 100-fold variations in hydrogenation performance at the same level. In a straightforward fashion, optical microscopy interlinks single support particle level catalytic measurements to structural and compositional information. These detailed correlations reveal the optimal silver loading. A thorough consideration of catalyst heterogeneity and the impact thereof on the catalytic performance is indispensable in the development of catalysts.
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