Dynamic interplay between metal nanoparticles and oxide support under redox conditions

The dynamic interactions between noble metal particles and reducible metal-oxide supports can depend on redox reactions with ambient gases. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the strong metal-support interaction (SMSI)-induced encapsulation of platinum particles on titania observed under reducing conditions is lost once the system is exposed to a redox-reactive environment containing oxygen and hydrogen at a total pressure of ~1 bar. Destabilization of the metal-oxide interface and redox-mediated reconstructions of titania lead to particle dynamics and directed particle migration that depend on nanoparticle orientation. A static encapsulated SMSI state was reestablished when switching back to purely oxidizing conditions. This work highlights the difference between reactive and nonreactive states and demonstrates that manifestations of the metal-support interaction strongly depend on the chemical environment.