Dynamic Evolution of Catalyst Structure for Tuned Catalytic Performance in CO2 Hydrogenation
Xiangze Du1,2, Yamei Fan1,2, Jun Fan1
1State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China.
JACS Au
|May 1, 2026
Summary
Catalyst structures dynamically change during carbon dioxide (CO2) hydrogenation. Controlling these structural evolutions, like alloying and interface formation, optimizes catalyst performance for C1 conversion.
Area of Science:
- Catalysis
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Dynamic structural evolution of catalysts is crucial for optimizing performance in reactions like CO2 hydrogenation.
- The coexistence of oxidizing and reducing atmospheres during CO2 hydrogenation drives significant catalyst structural changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the dynamic structural evolution processes of catalysts during CO2 hydrogenation.
- To demonstrate how controlling these evolutions can optimize catalytic performance and enable rational catalyst design for C1 conversion.
Main Methods:
- Highlighting various evolution processes including alloying/dealloying, interface formation (metal-support and oxide-support), redispersion, and phase transformations.
- Analyzing the influence of redox potential and microenvironment confinement on these dynamic structural changes.
Main Results:
- Identified key dynamic structural evolution mechanisms: alloying/dealloying, oxide/metal and oxide/oxide interface formation, redispersion, and chemical phase transformations.
- Demonstrated that controlling these evolutions, influenced by reaction atmosphere and confinement, modulates catalyst activity, selectivity, and stability.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic structural evolution is a key factor in CO2 hydrogenation catalysis.
- Controlling these evolutions offers a pathway for designing highly active and stable catalysts for C1 conversion using in situ synthesis methods.
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