EMOCAT – Electrifying Model Catalysis: A knowledge based approach to new oxide-stabilized electrocatalysts

电催化是我们向可再生能源系统过渡的关键。随着来自可再生能源的廉价电能的日益普及，电催化将不仅在储能方面发挥重要作用，而且在电力驱动的新的化工生产过程中也将发挥重要作用。在这个项目中，我们解决了与开发用于这种新的能源储存和化学生产路线的电催化材料相关的三个主要挑战：(1)贵金属效率，(2)稳定性和(3)选择性。作为一种新的设计理念，我们的目标是氧化物稳定的电催化剂，即材料中的活性成分被具有足够导电性的额外氧化物稳定。氧化物稳定的电催化剂具有通过锚定来稳定贵金属在高分散度中的潜力，减少贵金属的负载量，并通过载体相互作用来调节选择性。我们将从表面科学的角度出发，遵循知识驱动的方法来探索氧化物稳定的电催化剂的潜力。在超高真空中制备了复合氧化物模型电极，并对其几何和电子性质、吸附行为和反应活性进行了表征。然后，这些模型被转移到电化学(EC)环境中，同时保持其表面结构。在EC环境中，我们研究了模型电极在电位控制下的稳定性、活性和选择性。在这个项目中，我们将重点关注选择性部分氧化醇，这是一类与化工生产和能源技术密切相关的高要求反应。我们将针对三个关键挑战：(1)首先，我们将研究通过锚定到氧化物载体来增强稳定性的基本机理、潜力和限制。(2)其次，我们将探讨通过载体相互作用提高贵金属电催化活性的基本机理。(3)探讨了活性贵金属与氧化物载体相互作用引起的选择性控制。在我们的项目中，我们将结合最先进的UHV和EC表征方法组合来探索这两种环境下的结构和反应性。该项目将极大地受益于特高压和欧共体环境之间新转让技术的开发，以及与伙伴小组商定的合作，带来独特的表征方法和理论模型。遵循这一根本驱动的研究战略，我们将评估这种创新材料方法在开发具有更高贵金属效率、稳定性和选择性的新型电催化材料方面的潜力。

Electrocatalysis is the key to our transition to a renewable energy system. With increasing availability of cheap electrical energy from renewables, electrocatalysis will play a vital role not only for energy storage but also for new chemical production processes driven by electrical power. In this project, we address three major challenges associated with the development of electrocatalytic materials for such new energy storage and chemical production routes: (1) the noble metal efficiency, (2) the stability, and (3) the selectivity. As a new design concept, we target oxide-stabilized electrocatalysts, i.e. materials in which the active component is stabilized by an additional oxide with sufficient conductivity. Oxide-stabilized electrocatalysts hold the potential to stabilize the noble metal in high dispersion by anchoring, reduce the noble metal loading and tune the selectivity through support interaction.We will explore the potential of oxide-stabilized electrocatalysts following a knowledge-driven approach starting from a surface science perspective. Complex oxide-based model electrodes are prepared in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) and characterized with respect to their geometric and electronic properties, adsorption behavior and reactivity. Then these models are transferred into the electrochemical (EC) environment while preserving their surface structure. In the EC environment, we study the stability, activity and selectivity of the model electrodes under potential control. In this project, we will focus on the selective partial oxidation alcohols, a highly demanding class of reactions with outstanding relevance for chemical production and energy technology.We will target three key challenges of fundamental importance: (1) First, we will investigate the fundamental mechanisms, the potential and the limits of stability enhancement by anchoring to oxide supports. (2) Secondly, we will examine the fundamental mechanisms that improve the electrocatalytic activity of noble metals through support interactions. (3) Finally, we will explore selectivity control induced by the interaction of the active noble metal with the oxide support. We will seek to understand the underlying mechanisms and exploit the effects to steer the electrocatalytic transformation.In our project, we will combine a state-of-the-art portfolio of UHV and EC characterization methods to explore the structure and reactivity in both environments. The project will greatly benefit from the development of new transfer technologies between UHV and the EC environment and from agreed cooperation with partner groups that bring in unique characterization methods and theoretical modelling. Following this fundamentally driven research strategy, we will evaluate the potential of this innovative materials approach towards new electrocatalytic materials with enhanced noble metal efficiency, stability and selectivity.