1. |
- Cha, Gihoon, et al.
(författare)
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As a single atom Pd outperforms Pt as the most active co-catalyst for photocatalytic H-2 evolution
- 2021
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Ingår i: ISCIENCE. - : Elsevier BV. - 2589-0042. ; 24:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Here, we evaluate three different noble metal co-catalysts (Pd, Pt, and Au) that are present as single atoms (SAs) on the classic benchmark photocatalyst, TiO2. To trap the single atoms on the surface, we introduced controlled surface vacancies (Ti3+-Ov) on anatase TiO2 nanosheets by a thermal reduction treatment. After anchoring identical loadings of single atoms of Pd, Pt, and Au, we measure the photocatalytic H-2 generation rate and compare it to the classic nanoparticle co-catalysts on the nanosheets. While nanoparticles yield the well-established the hydrogen evolution reaction activity sequence (Pt > Pd > Au), for the single atom form, Pd radically outperforms Pt and Au. Based on density functional theory (DFT), we ascribe this unusual photocatalytic co-catalyst sequence to the nature of the charge localization on the noble metal SAs embedded in the TiO2 surface.
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2. |
- Dobrota, Ana S., et al.
(författare)
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What Is the Real State of Single-Atom Catalysts under Electrochemical Conditions-From Adsorption to Surface Pourbaix Plots?
- 2021
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Ingår i: Catalysts. - : MDPI AG. - 2073-4344. ; 11:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The interest in single-atom catalysts (SACs) is increasing, as these materials have the ultimate level of catalyst utilization, while novel reactions where SACs are used are constantly being discovered. However, to properly understand SACs and to further improve these materials, it is necessary to consider the nature of active sites under operating conditions. This is particularly important when SACs are used as electrocatalysts due to harsh experimental conditions, including extreme pH values or high anodic and cathodic potential. In this contribution, density functional theory-based thermodynamic modelling is used to address the nature of metal centers in SACs formed by embedding single metal atoms (Ru, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, and Au) into graphene monovacancy. Our results suggest that none of these SAC metal centers are clean at any potential or pH in the water thermodynamic stability region. Instead, metal centers are covered with H-ads, OHads, or O-ads, and in some cases, we observed the restructuring of the metal sites due to oxygen incorporation. Based on these findings, it is suggested that setting up theoretical models for SAC modelling and the interpretation of ex situ characterization results using ultra-high vacuum (UHV) techniques requires special care, as the nature of SAC active sites under operating conditions can significantly diverge from the basic models or the pictures set by the UHV measurements.
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