Single Supported Atoms Participate in Catalytic Processes

Researchers recently predicted and demonstrated that single supported Pt atoms are highly active for NO oxidation. This work will impact determining the optimum loading of noble metals on emissions-treatment catalysts and design of low-temperature catalysts.

NO oxidation proceeds on supported noble metal catalysts whose efficiency decreases with decreased catalyst particle size. This unusual behavior has been attributed to oxidized metal-clusters which are high in small particles and are not considered to be good NO oxidation catalysts. This reasoning implies that single supported atoms, which are fully oxidized, should be inactive for NO oxidation.

However, two years ago researchers employed density-functional theory calculations to predict that single supported atoms on alumina substrates would be catalytically active. Current first-principles studies predicted that NO oxidation on single supported Pt atoms can proceed via a modified Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism, which describes the reaction of adsorbed molecules. Experimental work showed that catalyst turnover frequency (a measure of performance) for single supported Pt is comparable to that of fully formed particles.

Remarkable NO oxidation on single supported platinum atoms, Chaitanya K. Narula, Lawrence F. Allard, G. M. Stocks & Melanie Moses-DeBusk, Scientific Reports, 4:7238, doi:10.1038/srep07238

For more information: Chaitanya Narula ([email protected])