Recent advances in transmission electron microscopy techniques for heterogeneous catalysis.

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State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, The Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM-2011), Dalian 116023, China.

Published: July 2023


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Article Abstract

The process of heterogeneous catalytic reaction under working conditions has long been considered a "black box", which is mainly because of the difficulties in directly characterizing the structural changes of catalysts at the atomic level during catalytic reactions. The development of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques offers opportunities for introducing a realistic chemical reaction environment in TEM, making it possible to uncover the mystery of catalytic reactions. In this article, we present a comprehensive overview of the application of TEM techniques in heterogeneous catalysis, highlighting its utility for observing gas-solid and liquid-solid reactions during thermal catalysis, electrocatalysis, and photocatalysis. TEM has a unique advantage in revealing the complex structural changes of catalysts during chemical reactions. Revealing the real-time dynamic structure during reaction processes is crucial for understanding the intricate relationship between catalyst structure and its catalytic performance. Finally, we present a perspective on the future challenges and opportunities of TEM in heterogeneous catalysis.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10391733PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.107072DOI Listing

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