Atomic-Scale Observation of the Metal–Promoter Interaction in Rh-Based Syngas-Upgrading Catalysts

Xing Huang, Detre Teschner, Maria Dimitrakopoulou, Alexey Fedorov, Benjamin Frank, Ralph Kraehnert, Frank Rosowski, Harry Kaiser, Stephan Schunk, Christiane Kuretschka, Robert Schlögl, Marc Georg Willinger, Annette Trunschke

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

50 Scopus citations

Abstract

The direct conversion of syngas to ethanol, typically using promoted Rh catalysts, is a cornerstone reaction in CO2 utilization and hydrogen storage technologies. A rational catalyst development requires a detailed structural understanding of the activated catalyst and the role of promoters in driving chemoselectivity. Herein, we report a comprehensive atomic-scale study of metal–promoter interactions in silica-supported Rh, Rh–Mn, and Rh–Mn–Fe catalysts by aberration-corrected (AC) TEM. While the catalytic reaction leads to the formation of a Rh carbide phase in the Rh–Mn/SiO2 catalyst, the addition of Fe results in the formation of bimetallic Rh–Fe alloys, which further improves the selectivity and prevents the carbide formation. In all promoted catalysts, Mn is present as an oxide decorating the metal particles. Based on the atomic insight obtained, structural and electronic modifications induced by promoters are revealed and a basis for refined theoretical models is provided.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)8709-8713
Number of pages5
JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition in English
Volume58
Issue number26
DOIs
StatePublished - 24 Jun 2019
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Rh-based catalysts
  • atomic-scale imaging
  • heterogeneous catalysis
  • metal–promoter interaction
  • syngas-to-ethanol conversion

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