(464f) Single Metal Atom Catalysts: A New Frontier in Heterogeneous Catalysis
AIChE Annual Meeting
2019
2019 AIChE Annual Meeting
Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Division
In Honor of the 2019 Practice Award Winner (Invited Talks)
Wednesday, November 13, 2019 - 9:30am to 9:50am
In this presentation, suitably stabilized catalytic sites as single metal atoms/cations on various supports will be showcased drawing examples from a variety of reactions, including the low-temperature water-gas shift reactions; methanol and ethanol dehydrogenation and steam reforming reactions; the direct methane conversion to oxygenates; and selective hydrogenation reactions on single-atom alloys. Reaction mechanisms involving single metal atoms/cations often transcend support structure and composition, thus allowing flexibility in the choice of the support. A unique âsignatureâ of the metal (Au, Pt, Pd, Ni, etc.) at the atomic state is preserved, distinct however from the corresponding extended metal catalyst. Single-atom alloys offer a unique approach towards rational catalyst design, one that combines surface science, catalysis and theory in a most efficient way. Model surfaces and nanoparticles that can host isolated atoms in the surface layers behave similarly in escaping the linear scaling relationships and allowing for rational fine-tuning of activity and selectivity. Good stability is imparted by the strong metal-metal bonds between the host and the minority metal, and atomic dispersion can be maintained at high temperatures. Resistance to CO poisoning and to coking are additional advantages of these promising materials, as will be shown in the presentation drawing examples from alkyne and alkadiene hydrogenation and alkane dehydrogenation. Novel synthesis methods and the stability of single-atom metal catalysts in various supports and reaction environments will be discussed.