Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Synthesis and Testing of Supported Pt-Cu Solid Solution Nanoparticle Catalysts for Propane Dehydrogenation
Published on: July 18, 2017
Soft-Landing Deposition of Superatomic Cu9+/Ag9+ Clusters for Catalytic Hydrogenation of Acetylene
Benben Huang1, Ran Cheng1, Wenqiang Ren2
1Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100190, China.
Abstract:
Efficient preparation, isolation, and soft-landing deposition of stable clusters with atomic precision are important for developing new catalysts. However, small metal clusters are often highly susceptible to oxidation and prone to structural deformation on supports, which poses substantial challenges to experimental catalysis and theoretical calculations. In this study, we prepared pure Agn+ and Cun+ clusters and screened out superatomic clusters Ag9+ and Cu9+ by gas-phase reactions of sufficient collisions. We then deposited the two clusters onto different substrates using soft landing techniques. Characterization by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verified successful deposition and revealed that these superatomic clusters preserve unoxidized states at exposure to air, highlighting their unique stability rooted in superatomic eight-electron shell closure. We tested the catalysis of Ag9+ and Cu9+ clusters for acetylene hydrogenation and related hydrogen-deuterium exchange reactions. The results revealed that the Cu9+ clusters on TiO2 exhibit superior catalytic activity, which is associated with the enhanced cluster-support interactions and favorable H2 activation behavior. This study validates the applicability of superatom clusters for designing new catalysts, with enhanced stability and tailorable active sites.
More Related Videos
08:40Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
10:22In Situ SIMS and IR Spectroscopy of Well-defined Surfaces Prepared by Soft Landing of Mass-selected Ions
Published on: June 16, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Catalysis
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the surface of...
Heterogeneous Catalysis
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation