Understanding Catalysts at the Atomic Scale Using In Situ Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

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Heterogeneous catalysis is a cornerstone of the chemical industry and plays a vital role in improving energy efficiency and reducing unwanted pollutants for a wide range of industrially important chemical reactions. Consequently, the extensive beneficial reach of this process in industry also implicates it in influencing world-wide economic stability.Bimetallic catalysts often show enhanced performance over their monometallic equivalents in many aspects, such as activity, selectivity, and stability. The mechanism behind improved functionality with the addition of a secondary element is generally poorly understood and is further complicated by variations in particle morphologies demonstrating different activities for a given reaction.Working closely with BP Ltd in the development of supported metallic/bimetallic nanoparticle characterization under realistic environmental conditions (elevated temperatures and pressures; gaseous environments), initially, the project will focus on the cobalt oxide (Co-Mn/Ru/Re) for the 'fresh' catalyst and the catalyst after the reduction process (cobalt metal). Ideally, a series of analyses from the fresh catalyst from synthesis to operation (via reduction and reactor start-up steps) would provide a logical progression in understanding the transformation processes. With the use of cutting-edge analytical research methods in correlating the use of STEM with EDS, in situ FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray computation tomography and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, it is hoped that the dramatic improvement in the reaction conversion efficiency by alloying elementary nanoparticles with a secondary metal can be established.