Bimetallic Au-Pd alloy catalysts for N 2O decomposition: Effects of surface structures on catalytic activity

Xing Wei, Xiao Feng Yang, Ai Qin Wang, Lin Li, Xiao Yan Liu, Tao Zhang, Chung Yuan Mou, Jun Li

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

138 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Highly dispersed and well-homogenized Au-Pd alloy nanoparticles with average particle sizes of ∼2 nm and tunable Au/Pd ratios were prepared by an adsorption-reduction method on the amine-functionalized SBA-15 support. The chemisorptions of H 2 and CO as well as the IR spectra of CO adsorption show that with increase of the Au/Pd ratios the surface Pd atoms are separated by gold atoms gradually until totally isolated at Au/Pd ≥ 0.95, which indicates the formation of Pd single atoms at higher Au/Pd ratios. The chemisorption of O 2 shows that both the adsorption heat and the saturation uptake decrease with an increase of Au/Pd ratio, suggesting alloying Pd with gold will facilitate the desorption of oxygen adatoms as O 2, which is generally the rate-determining step for N 2O decomposition reaction. Theoretical investigations using periodic DFT methods confirm the tunable O 2 desorption ability by alloying Pd with Au and indicate that contiguously located Pd sites are indispensable for N 2O decomposition because they function as the active sites for the elementary step of N 2O decomposition into N 2 and oxygen adatom, which becomes the rate-determining step over the Au-Pd alloy catalysts.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)6222-6232
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Physical Chemistry C
Volume116
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 15 2012
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • General Energy
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Surfaces, Coatings and Films

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