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

多相催化是化学工业的基石，在提高能源效率和减少大量工业上重要的化学反应中的有害污染物方面发挥着至关重要的作用。因此，这一过程在工业上的广泛应用也意味着它影响了世界范围内的经济稳定。双金属催化剂通常在活性、选择性和稳定性等方面比单金属催化剂表现出更好的性能。通过添加二次元素改善功能性背后的机制通常还不太清楚，而且由于粒子形态的变化显示出给定反应的不同活性而变得更加复杂。该项目与BP有限公司密切合作，开发在现实环境条件下(高温和压力升高；气体环境)下的负载型金属/双金属纳米粒子表征，该项目最初将重点放在“新鲜”催化剂和还原过程(钴金属)后催化剂的钴氧化物(Co-Mn/Ru/Re)上。理想情况下，从新鲜催化剂从合成到运行(通过还原和反应器启动步骤)的一系列分析将为理解转化过程提供一个合乎逻辑的进程。通过使用前沿的分析研究方法，将STEM与EDS、原位FTIR光谱、X射线计算层析和X射线吸收光谱相关联，有望通过将基本纳米粒子与二次金属合金化来显著提高反应转化效率。

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.