Ag–N–C single atom catalyst with resistance for Ag loss in acetylene hydrochlorination

Abstract

Abstract Ag–N–C catalyst was synthesized by the calcination process with AgNO3 as precursors, active carbon as support, and melamine as an N source. Series of characterizations showed that Ag was transferred into AgCl during the active phase by HCl, and pyridinic structure in the support was bonded with Ag components. Then, Ag–N–C single atom catalyst (SAC) was obtained by washing Ag–N–C with acid, aberration-correction high-angle-annular-dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy showed that Ag presented in single atoms form, and Ag coordinated with the nitrogen atom in the support. Ag loss rate for Ag–N–C SAC was only 0.09% after running 10 h in acetylene hydrochlorination process, which was much smaller than Ag–N–C (57%), indicating that the presence of the Ag–N bond could be inhibiting Ag species loss.