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High-spatial-resolution mapping of catalytic reactions on single particles
Chung-Yeh Wu1,2, William J Wolf1,2, Yehonatan Levartovsky3,4
1Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
Nature
|January 10, 2017
Summary
Metal atoms with low coordination numbers are crucial for catalysis. Using advanced infrared nanospectroscopy, researchers mapped chemical reactions on catalytic particles, revealing higher activity at particle peripheries.
Area of Science:
- Heterogeneous catalysis
- Surface science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Low-coordination metal atoms at surface steps/defects are vital for catalysis.
- Directly observing reactions at these sites is challenging.
- Existing methods lack combined spatial resolution and chemical tracking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To directly map chemical conversion on catalytic particles with high spatial resolution.
- To identify reactive sites on catalytic surfaces.
- To understand the role of low-coordination metal atoms in catalysis.
Main Methods:
- Synchrotron-radiation-based infrared nanospectroscopy (SR-IRns).
- Achieved 25-nanometer spatial resolution.
- Mapped chemical conversion of surface-anchored N-heterocyclic carbene molecules.
Main Results:
- Distinguished varying reactivity across different particle regions.
- Demonstrated higher catalytic activity at particle peripheries compared to flat top regions.
- Linked increased activity to the presence of low-coordination metal atoms at peripheries.
Conclusions:
- SR-IRns enables direct visualization of reactions at catalytically active sites.
- Particle peripheries, rich in low-coordination metal atoms, exhibit enhanced catalytic activity.
- This work provides a new tool for studying heterogeneous catalysis at the nanoscale.
