Descrizione del progetto
Una vista su scala atomica della dinamica dei catalizzatori
I catalizzatori sono sostanze che aumentano la velocità della reazione chimica. Il progetto TACCAMA, finanziato dall’UE, mira a studiare la correlazione tra la dinamica e l’attività di catalizzatori modello su scala atomica. A tal fine, i ricercatori inseriranno un microscopio a scansione a effetto tunnel ad alta risoluzione temporale e spaziale direttamente nelle miscele di gas reattive. Ciò consentirà di capire come si modificano la struttura delle particelle catalizzatrici e i substrati a determinate condizioni di reazione. Usando piccoli agglomerati con un numero ben preciso di atomi, i ricercatori approfondiranno come le strutture di particelle reattive appaiono e scompaiono, come è possibile controllare questo processo e come esso influenza la funzione catalitica. Queste conoscenze potrebbero portare allo sviluppo di alternative più efficienti in termini di costi per i catalizzatori a metalli preziosi comunemente utilizzati oggigiorno.
Obiettivo
From fine chemical synthesis over combustion control to electrode design – the majority of chemical reactions rely on catalysts to improve energy and material efficiency. Yet, the atomic-scale processes underlying a catalytic reaction at elevated pressures are far less well-understood than one might expect. Indeed, the successful optimization of industrial catalysts is typically achieved by ‘trial and error’. If we precisely understood the correlation between catalyst dynamics and activity, we could instead design stable, yet intrinsically dynamic (i.e. structurally fluxional) catalysts, drastically reduce our waste of noble metals by using only the most active particles and replace rare and toxic materials.
This project constitutes a fundamental and systematic investigation of heterogeneous catalysis in action. My aim is to map the pressure and temperature range in which supported particle catalysts are stable, and correlate particle size and support morphology with dynamics and stability. To do so, I will combine my experience with surface dynamics studies, video-rate scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), ambient pressure (AP) surface science and cluster research. State-of-the-art video-rate APSTM will enable me to observe catalyst dynamics such as sintering, adsorbate spillover onto the support, dynamic structural fluxionality of clusters and support roughening as a function of reactant partial pressure and temperature. The novelty of this project lies in the direct observation of catalyst particles, defined to the exact number of atoms, under realistic reaction conditions in order to tune reactivity by controlling their dynamics and stability on structurally and electronically optimized oxide supports. AP X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (APXPS) will supply complementary information about chemical changes occurring in cluster and support. The knowledge gained will contribute to the targeted design of more active and efficient catalysts for specific applications.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
ERC-STG - Starting GrantIstituzione ospitante
80333 Muenchen
Germania