Patterning the consecutive Pd 3 to Pd 1 on Pd 2 Ga surface via temperature-promoted reactive metal-support interaction

Abstract

Atom-by-atom control of a catalyst surface is a central yet challenging topic in heterogeneous catalysis, which enables precisely confined adsorption and oriented approach of reactant molecules. Here, exposed surfaces with either consecutive Pd trimers (Pd 3 ) or isolated Pd atoms (Pd 1 ) are architected for Pd 2 Ga intermetallic nanoparticles (NPs) using reactive metal-support interaction (RMSI). At elevated temperatures under hydrogen, in situ atomic-scale transmission electron microscopy directly visualizes the refacetting of Pd 2 Ga NPs from energetically favorable (013)/(020) facets to (011)/(002). Infrared spectroscopy and acetylene hydrogenation reaction complementarily confirm the evolution from consecutive Pd 3 to Pd 1 sites of Pd 2 Ga catalysts with the concurrent fingerprinting CO adsorption and featured reactivities. Through theoretical calculations and modeling, we reveal that the restructured Pd 2 Ga surface results from the preferential arrangement of additionally reduced Ga atoms on the surface. Our work provides previously unidentified mechanistic insight into temperature-promoted RMSI and possible solutions to control and rearrange the surface atoms of supported intermetallic catalyst.