98%
921
2 minutes
20
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.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10391733 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.107072 | DOI Listing |
Langmuir
September 2025
Product & Process Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands.
Noble metal nanoparticles (NPs), particularly platinum (Pt), are widely used in heterogeneous catalysis due to their exceptional activity. However, controlling their size and preventing sintering during synthesis remains a major challenge, especially when aiming for high dispersion and stability on supports such as graphene. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has emerged as a promising method to address these issues, yet conventional processes often lead to broad particle size distributions (PSDs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Am Chem Soc
September 2025
Kathleen Lonsdale Materials Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, U.K.
The exceptional performance of ceria (CeO) in catalysis and energy conversion is fundamentally governed by its defect chemistry, particularly oxygen vacancies. The formation of each oxygen vacancy (V) is assumed to be compensated by two localized electrons on cations (Ce). Here, we show by combining theory with experiment that while this 1 V: 2Ce ratio accounts for the global charge compensation, it does not apply at the local scale, particularly in nanoparticles.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChemistry
September 2025
Department of Molecular Theory and Spectroscopy, Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, 45470, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
In this study, we seek to deepen the understanding of the Fe effect in Ni-oxyhydroxide-mediated oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysis in alkaline conditions, where extremely small amounts of Fe can have a dramatic impact on catalytic performance. For this purpose, Density Functional Theory (DFT) electronic structure calculations with implicit solvation description is employed in a constant pH/potential simulation framework. Nanoparticle models are considered for the nickel-based oxyhydroxide material with different degrees of Fe incorporation, and the pH/U-dependent interface structure is studied.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Nano
September 2025
State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Traditional electrochemical redox assessments offer insights into material properties for charge storage and catalytic kinetics but often fail to link these to specific surfaces, obscuring the structure-performance relationship. Here, we reveal the facet-dependent electrochemical redox behaviors and their connection to oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysis using Co(OH) nanosheets and nanorods as models. By correlating redox charge storage capacity and kinetics with distinct exposed surfaces, we uncover diffusion-controlled redox processes on the basal surface and non-diffusion-controlled behavior on the lateral surface and further utilize the distinct redox charging kinetics to differentiate the two.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdv Mater
September 2025
College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, 100 Science Road, Zhengzhou, 450001, P. R. China.
Formic acid (FA) has attracted significant interest as a renewable liquid-phase hydrogen carrier. Hydrogen generation from FA decomposition is essential for the development of hydrogen economy. Designing highly efficient catalysts with different coordination environments for FA dehydrogenation is crucial for fuel-cell applications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF