Supported platinum group metal catalysts are essential and are not readily substituted for many industrially important catalytic processes. Enhancement in the thermal stability of small-sized precious metal nanoparticles would be crucial to prolonging the catalyst life and minimizing the cost. We have developed a general strategy for preparing thermally stable nano, sub-nano, and even atomically dispersed precious metals by selecting spinel oxides with matching interfacial structure. Thermally stable precious metal catalysts are widely used in the fields of chemical conversion, environmental catalysis. For example, catalytic conversion of methane, catalytic combustion, automotive exhaust purification, and catalytic hydrazine decomposition, and etc. We’ll optimize the stable Rh, Ir and Pt catalysts for a specific reaction with high reactivity, selectivity, stability and low cost as well.

2. Structure-function relationship of model catalysts for probe reactions

Unlike homogenous catalysts with uniform molecular structure, supported solid catalysts usually have multiple microstructures, which together provide catalytic reactivity. Such integrated structure and reactivity information makes it difficult to establish accurate structure-function relationship in practice. We are trying to synthesize model catalyst with distinct active structures and quantities, and then test probe reactions with well-established mechanism and reaction rate equation for obtaining kinetic data. Furthermore, we want to get each kinetic parameter among the rate equation by simulating the real kinetic data. We can also obtain the activation energy for rate determining step and the heat of adsorption of reactants on active sites from the respective temperature dependence. Thus, it is possible to establish the structure-function relationship accurately in some model catalytic systems. We are interesting in supported transition metal oxide catalysts for selective oxidation of alcohols, supported precious metal catalysts for CO oxidation or water-gas shift reactions.