Dynamically Confined Active Silver Nanoclusters with Ultrawide Operating Temperature Window in CO oxidation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Catalysis
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Supported metal nanoclusters offer high catalytic activity but suffer from poor stability under harsh conditions.
• The activity-stability trade-off limits the practical application of nanocatalysts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To overcome the activity-stability limitations of supported nanocatalysts.
• To demonstrate a rational design strategy for enhancing nanocatalyst performance and durability.

Main Methods:

• Investigated the role of the surrounding microenvironment, including gas adsorbate overlayers and support surface chemistry.
• Utilized dynamic confinement effects arising from gas-catalyst-support interactions.

Main Results:

• Achieved stabilization of highly active silver (Ag) nanoclusters through dynamic confinement.
• Demonstrated complete catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide (CO) over a wide temperature range (25–500 °C dry, 200–800 °C wet).
• Exhibited remarkable stability of Ag nanoclusters at 300 °C for over 1000 hours.

Conclusions:

• Rational design of the nanocatalyst microenvironment effectively breaks the activity-stability trade-off.
• Dynamic confinement is a key strategy for stabilizing active nanoclusters and enhancing catalytic performance.
• The developed approach offers a pathway for creating robust and efficient nanocatalysts for demanding applications.