Hanne Falsig

Catalytic activity of Au nanoparticles

Au is usually viewed as an inert metal, but surprisingly it has been found that Au nanoparticles less than 3–5 nm in diameter are catalytically active for several chemical reactions. We discuss the origin of this effect, focusing on the way in which the chemical activity of Au may change with particle size. We find that the fraction of low-coordinated Au atoms scales approximately with the catalytic activity, suggesting that atoms on the corners and edges of Au nanoparticles are the active sites. This effect is explained using density functional calculations.

Trends in the Catalytic CO Oxidation Activity of Nanoparticles

Introduction While extended gold surfaces are generally considered chemically inert [1], nanosized (<5 nm) gold particles can be very effective catalysts for a number of oxidation reactions [2-5]. There are reports of similar size effects for silver catalysts [6]. The origin of the nano-effects in the catalytic properties of these metals is widely debated [5], and no consensus has been reached yet. Based on a set of density functional theory calculations we compare the catalytic activity for the CO oxidation reaction over extended surfaces and small nano-particles of a number of metals.

The Cu-CHA deNOx Catalyst in Action: Temperature-Dependent NH3-Assisted Selective Catalytic Reduction Monitored by Operando XAS and XES

The small-pore Cu-CHA zeolite is today the object of intensive research efforts to rationalize its outstanding performance in the NH3-assisted selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of harmful nitrogen oxides and to unveil the SCR mechanism. Herein we exploit operando X-ray spectroscopies to monitor the Cu-CHA catalyst in action during NH3-SCR in the 150-400 °C range, targeting Cu oxidation state, mobility, and preferential N or O ligation as a function of reaction temperature. By combining operando XANES, EXAFS, and vtc-XES, we unambiguously identify two distinct regimes for the atomic-scale behavior of Cu active-sites. Low-temperature SCR, up to ∼200 °C, is characterized by balanced populations of Cu(I)/Cu(II) sites and dominated by mobile NH3-solvated Cu-species. From 250 °C upward, in correspondence to the steep increase in catalytic activity, the largely dominant Cu-species are framework-coordinated Cu(II) sites, likely representing the active sites for high-temperature SCR.

Search Directions for Direct H2O2 Synthesis Catalysts Starting from Au12 Nanoclusters

We present density functional theory calculations on the direct synthesis of H2O2 from H2 and O2 over an Au12 corner model of a gold nanoparticle. We first show a simple route for the direct formation of H2O2 over a gold nanocatalyst, by studying the energetics of 20 possible elementary reactions involved in the oxidation of H2 by O2. The unwanted side reaction to H2O is also considered. Next we evaluate the degree of catalyst control and address the factors controlling the activity and the selectivity. By combining well-known energy scaling relations with microkinetic modeling, we show that the rate of H2O2 and H2O formation can be determined from a single descriptor, namely, the binding energy of oxygen (EO). Our model predicts the search direction starting from an Au12 nanocluster for an optimal catalyst in terms of activity and selectivity for direct H2O2 synthesis. Taking also stability considerations into account, we find that binary Au–Pd and Au–Ag alloys are most suited for this reaction.

Nitrate–nitrite equilibrium in the reaction of NO with a Cu-CHA catalyst for NH3-SCR

The equilibrium reaction between NO and Cu-nitrate, Cu(II)-NO3− + NO(g) ⇌ Cu(II)-NO2− + NO2(g), has been proposed to be a key step in the selective catalytic reduction of NO by ammonia (NH3-SCR) over Cu-CHA catalysts and points to the presence of Cu-nitrites. Whereas the formation of gaseous NO2 has been observed, a direct observation of Cu-nitrite groups under conditions relevant to NH3-SCR has been so far unsuccessful. In an effort to identify and characterize Cu-nitrites, the reaction between Cu-nitrates hosted in the CHA zeolite and NO is investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). We find that NO reacts with Cu-nitrates and that about half of the Cu-nitrate species are converted. After the reaction, the Cu(II) state is different from the original oxidized state. Analysis of XAS data indicates that the final state of the Cu-CHA catalyst is consistent with the partial conversion of the Cu-nitrate species to a bidentate Cu-nitrite configuration.

Direct NO decomposition over stepped transition-metal surfaces

We establish the full potential energy diagram for the direct NO decomposition reaction over stepped transition-metal surfaces by combining a database of adsorption energies on stepped metal surfaces with known Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi (BEP) relations for the activation barriers of dissociation of diatomic molecules over stepped transition- and noble-metal surfaces. The potential energy diagram directly points to why Pd and Pt are the best direct NO decomposition catalysts among the 3d, 4d, and 5d metals. We analyze the NO decomposition reaction in terms of a Sabatier-Gibbs-type analysis, and we demonstrate that this type of analysis yields results that to within a surprisingly small margin of error are directly proportional to the measured direct NO decomposition over Ru, Rh, Pt, Pd, Ag, and Au. We suggest that Pd, which is a better catalyst than Pt under the employed reaction conditions, is a better catalyst only because it binds O slightly weaker compared to N than the other metals in the study.

Exploring scaling relations for chemisorption energies on transition-metal-exchanged zeolites ZSM-22 and ZSM-5

Copper exchange on all the different T sites of ZSM‐22 and ZSM‐5 is considered and the chemisorption energies of dioxygen, OH, and O species are studied. We show that for different T sites the adsorption energies vary significantly. The oxygen adsorption energy on copper‐exchanged zeolites is quite similar to those of the most selective catalysts for oxidation reactions, that is, Ag and Au surfaces. The chemisorption energies of oxygen, carbon‐, and nitrogen‐containing species on different transition metals exchanged in ZSM‐22 are also investigated. The study covers three different oxidation states, that is, 1+, 2+, and 3+ for the transition‐metal exchanges. Scaling relations are presented for the corresponding species. Chemisorption of O scales with chemisorption of OH for all three considered exchanges, whereas there are essentially rough correlations for NH2 and N as well as CH3 and C.

Trends in the Hydrodeoxygenation Activity and Selectivity of Transition Metal Surfaces

This paper reports the use of a combination of density functional theory and microkinetic modelling to establish trends in the hydrodeoxygenation rates and selectivites of transition metal surfaces. Biomass and biomass-derived chemicals often contain large fractions of oxygenates. Removal of the oxygen through hydrotreating represents one strategy for producing commodity chemicals from these renewable materials. Using the model developed in this paper, we predict ethylene glycol hydrodeoxygenation selectivities for transition metals that are consistent with those reported in the literature. Furthermore, the insights discussed in this paper present a framework for designing catalytic materials for facilitating these conversions efficiently.Graphical Abstract