Enhanced catalytic activity on atomically dispersed PtSe₂ two-dimensional layers.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Catalysis
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Designing efficient heterogeneous catalysts with high surface density and preventing metal agglomeration is crucial.
• Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), like platinum diselenide (PtSe2), show promise due to their unique properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and investigate a catalyst design using atomically dispersed transition metals on TMDs.
• To elucidate the role of surface-exposed platinum species on PtSe2 as catalytic sites.

Main Methods:

• Operando ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to study surface Pt species.
• Density functional theory (DFT) calculations to confirm electronic structure and O2 coverage.
• Investigating CO oxidation performance under varying conditions.

Main Results:

• Confirmed substantial surface-exposed Pt species on PtSe2 acting as catalytic sites.
• Achieved high O2 coverage on PtSe2 by mitigating CO adsorption, leading to enhanced CO oxidation.
• DFT calculations verified the d-band structure and high O2 coverage.

Conclusions:

• Atomically dispersed transition metals on TMDs offer a viable strategy for catalyst design.
• PtSe2 exhibits potential for high catalytic activity due to electronic metal-chalcogen interactions and favorable O2 adsorption.
• This approach enables diverse reaction mechanisms and improved catalytic performance.