Scientists create ultra-stable Cu-based catalysts

The improvement of Cu-based catalysts is restricted on account of their poor thermal stability attributable to the low Tammann temperature of Cu.

Recently, a analysis group led by Prof. Yu Jiafeng and Prof. Sun Jian from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) constructed an ultra-highly steady Cu-based heterogeneous catalyst at high temperatures by developing classical robust metal-support interactions (SMSIs).

This research was printed in Nature Communications on Dec. 10. Prof. Noritatsu Tsubaki from Japan’s Toyama University and Prof. Liu Yuefeng from DICP have been additionally concerned on this research.

The researchers mixed two distinctive applied sciences, magnetron sputtering (SP) and flame spray pyrolysis (FSP), to reconstruct the electronic structure of metallic Cu and the reducibility of the TiO₂ help, respectively.

They created the traditional SMSI on non-noble metallic Cu-based catalyst at gentle discount temperatures for the primary time, and realized controllable preparation of ultra-highly steady Cu-based catalyst. This catalyst exhibited ultra-stable efficiency for greater than 500 hours at 600 levels Celsius. The sintering of Cu nanoparticles was successfully suppressed even at 800 levels Celsius.

Moreover, the power of SMSI may very well be successfully managed not solely by lowering temperatures as earlier than but additionally by tailored Cu by way of sputtering energy regulation or embellished helps for rational catalyst design on calls for.

“We expect that our new findings will serve as a general guide to design a highly stable heterogeneous catalyst at a wider range of temperatures,” stated Prof. Sun.