Molten Sn solvent expands liquid metal catalysis.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Catalysis
• Physical Chemistry

Background:

• Controlling metallic atom arrangements in liquid states is crucial for developing efficient catalysts.
• Low-cost metallic solvents with unique properties are needed to create novel fluidic atomic structures for catalysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the use of a low-cost tin (Sn) solvent to form unique atomic assemblies at liquid alloy interfaces.
• To investigate the selectivity and efficiency of these assemblies for hydrogen (H2) synthesis from hydrocarbons.

Main Methods:

• Utilized atomistic simulations to understand the adsorption patterns of hydrocarbons at the liquid alloy interface.
• Conducted experimental synthesis of H2 using a molten SnIn0.1034Cu0.0094 catalyst with a natural oil feedstock at 260 °C.

Main Results:

• Atomistic simulations revealed specific adsorption patterns driven by transient copper (Cu) at the interface, facilitating energy-favorable H2 generation.
• Experimental results showed high selectivity (~93.0%) for H2 production, yielding 1.2 × 10^-4 mol/min of H2 per 5.0 g of catalyst.
• The liquid metal catalyst demonstrated reliable scalability and durability.

Conclusions:

• Molten Sn-based alloys can support unique fluidic atomic structures for selective H2 synthesis.
• This work presents a cost-effective and efficient alternative for tuning liquid metal catalysts for hydrocarbon conversion.
• The findings broaden the application scope of liquid metals in catalysis and chemical synthesis.