Temperature-Dependent Local Structural Properties of Redox Pt Nanoparticles on TiO2 and ZrO2 Supports

Quantitative analysis of EXAFS data sets using deep reinforcement learning

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) serves as a unique tool for accurately characterizing the local structural properties surrounding specific atoms. However, the quantitative analysis of EXAFS data demands significant effort. Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, including deep reinforcement learning (RL) methods, present a promising avenue for the rapid and precise analysis of EXAFS data sets. Unlike other AI approaches, a deep RL method utilizing reward values does not necessitate a large volume of pre-prepared data sets for training the neural networks of the AI system. We explored the application of a deep RL method for the quantitative analysis of EXAFS data sets, utilizing the reciprocal of the R-factor of a fit as the reward metric. The deep RL method effectively determined the local structural properties of PtOx and Zn-O complexes by fitting a series of EXAFS data sets to theoretical EXAFS calculations without imposing specific constraints. Looking ahead, AI has the potential to independently analyze any EXAFS data, although there are still challenges to overcome.

Dispersion and stability mechanism of Pt nanoparticles on transition-metal oxides

The heterogeneous catalysts of Pt/transition-metal oxides are typically synthesized through calcination at 500 °C, and Pt nanoparticles are uniformly and highly dispersed when hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is applied before calcination. The influence of H₂O₂ on the dispersion and the stability of Pt nanoparticles on titania-incorporated fumed silica (Pt/Ti-FS) supports was examined using X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements at the Pt L₃ and Ti K edges as well as density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The local structural and chemical properties around Pt and Ti atoms of Pt/Ti-FS with and without H₂O₂ treatment were monitored using in-situ XAFS during heating from room temperature to 500 °C. XAFS revealed that the Pt nanoparticles of H₂O₂-Pt/Ti-FS are highly stable and that the Ti atoms of H₂O₂-Pt/Ti-FS support form into a distorted-anatase TiO₂. DFT calculations showed that Pt atoms bond more stably to oxidized-TiO₂ surfaces than they do to bare- and reduced-TiO₂ surfaces. XAFS measurements and DFT calculations clarified that the presence of extra oxygen atoms due to the H₂O₂ treatment plays a critical role in the strong bonding of Pt atoms to TiO₂ surfaces.

Reduction of Transition-Metal Columbite-Tantalite as a Highly Efficient Electrocatalyst for Water Splitting

We successfully report a liquid-liquid chemical reduction and hydrothermal synthesis of a highly stable columbite-tantalite electrocatalyst with remarkable hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance in acidic media. The reduced Fe_0.79Mn_0.21Nb_0.16Ta_0.84O₆ (CTr) electrocatalyst shows a low overpotential of 84.23 mV at 10 mA cm^-2 and 103.7 achieved at 20 mA cm^-2 current density in situ for the HER and OER, respectively. The electrocatalyst also exhibited low Tafel slopes of 104.97 mV/dec for the HER and 57.67 mV/dec for the OER, verifying their rapid catalytic kinetics. The electrolyzer maintained a cell voltage of 1.5 V and potential-time stability close to that of Pt/C and RuO₂. Complementary first-principles density functional theory calculations identify the Mn sites as most active sites on the Fe_0.75Mn_0.25Ta_1.875Nb_0.125O₆ (100) surface, predicting a moderate Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption (ΔG_H* ≈ 0.08 eV) and a low overpotential of η = 0.47 V. The |ΔGMn_H*| = 0.08 eV on the Fe_0.75Mn_0.25Ta_1.875Nb_0.125O₆ (100) surface is similar to that of the well-known and highly efficient Pt catalyst (|ΔGPt_H*| ≈ 0.09 eV).

Engineering Dendrimer-Templated, Metal-Organic Framework-Confined Zero-Valent, Transition-Metal Catalysts

We describe and experimentally illustrate a strategy for synthesizing reactant-accessible, supported arrays of well-confined, sub-nanometer to 2 nm, metal(0) clusters and particles-here, copper, palladium, and platinum. The synthesis entails (a) solution-phase binding of metal ions by a generation-2 poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer, (b) electrostatic uptake of metalated, solution-dissolved, and positively charged dendrimers by the negatively charged pores of a zirconium-based metal-organic framework (MOF), NU-1000, and (c) chemical reduction of the incorporated metal ions. The pH of the unbuffered solution is known to control the overall charges of both the dendrimer guests and the hierarchically porous MOF. The combined results of electron microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, and other measurements indicate the formation and microscopically uniform spatial distributions of zero-valent, monometallic Cu, Pd, and Pt species, with sizes depending strongly on the conditions and methods used for reduction of incorporated metal ions. Access to sub-nanometer clusters is ascribed to the stabilization effects imposed by the two templates (i.e., NU-1000 and dendrimer), which significantly limit the extent to which the metal atoms aggregate; as the thermal input increases, the dendrimer template gradually decomposes, allowing a further aggregation of metal clusters inside the hexagonal mesoporous channel of the MOF template, which ultimately self-limits at 3 nm (i.e., the mesopore width of NU-1000). Using CO oxidation and n-hexene hydrogenation as model reactions in the gas and condensed phases, we show that the dual-templated metal species can act as stable, efficient heterogeneous catalysts.

Operando Study of Thermal Oxidation of Monolayer MoS2

Monolayer MoS2 is a promising semiconductor to overcome the physical dimension limits of microelectronic devices. Understanding the thermochemical stability of MoS2 is essential since these devices generate heat and are susceptible to oxidative environments. Herein, the promoting effect of molybdenum oxides (MoO x ) particles on the thermal oxidation of MoS2 monolayers is shown by employing operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy, ex situ scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The study demonstrates that chemical vapor deposition-grown MoS2 monolayers contain intrinsic MoO x and are quickly oxidized at 100 °C (3 vol% O2/He), in contrast to previously reported oxidation thresholds (e.g., 250 °C, t ≤ 1 h in the air). Otherwise, removing MoO x increases the thermal oxidation onset temperature of monolayer MoS2 to 300 °C. These results indicate that MoO x promote oxidation. An oxide-free lattice is critical to the long-term stability of monolayer MoS2 in state-of-the-art 2D electronic, optical, and catalytic applications.

Crystallization of Transition-Metal Oxides in Aqueous Solution beyond Ostwald Ripening

The crystallization mechanism of transition-metal oxides (TMOs) in a solution was examined based on ZnO crystallization using in-situ x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements at the Zn K edge and semi-empirical quantum chemistry (SEQC) simulations. The XAFS results quantitatively determine the local structural and chemical properties around a zinc atom at successive stages from Zn(NO₃)₂ to ZnO in an aqueous solution. The results also show that a zinc atom in Zn(NO₃)₂ ions dissolves in a solution and bonds with approximately three oxygen atoms at room temperature (RT). When hexamethylenetetramine (C₆H₁₂N₄) is added to the solution at RT, a stable Zn-O complex consisting of six Zn(OH)₂s is formed, which is a seed of ZnO crystals. The Zn-O complexes partially and fully form into a wurtzite ZnO at 60 and 80 °C, respectively. Based on the structural properties of Zn-O complexes determined by extended-XAFS (EXAFS), SEQC simulations clarify that Zn-O complexes consecutively develop from a linear structure to a polyhedral complex structure under the assistance of hydroxyls (OH^-s) in an aqueous solution. In a solution with a sufficient concentration of OH^-s, ZnO spontaneously grows through the merging of ZnO seeds (6Zn(OH)₂s), reducing the total energy by the reactions of OH^-s. ZnO crystallization suggests that the crystal growth of TMO can only be ascribed to Ostwald ripening when it exactly corresponds to the size growth of TMO particles.