The electronic properties of Ni and Pt nanoparticles deposited on CeO2(111) have been examined using core and valence photoemission. The results of valence photoemission point to a new type of metal-support interaction which produces large electronic perturbations for small Ni and Pt particles in contact with ceria. The Ni/CeO2(111) and Pt/CeO2(111) systems exhibited a density of  metal d states near the Fermi level that was much smaller than that expected for bulk metallic Ni or Pt. The electronic perturbations induced by ceria on Ni made this metal a very poor catalyst for CO methanation, but transformed Ni into an excellent catalyst for the production of hydrogen through the water-gas shift.  Furthermore, the large electronic perturbations seen for small Pt particles in contact with ceria significantly enhanced the ability of the admetal to adsorb and dissociate water making it a highly active catalyst for the water-gas shift. The behaviour seen for the Ni/CeO2(111) and Pt/CeO2(111) systems illustrates the positive effects derived from electronic metal-oxide support interactions and points to a promising approach for improving or optimizing the performance of metal/oxide catalysts.

Electronic metal-oxide support interactions and the production of hydrogen through the water-gas shift reaction

246th National Meeting (2013)

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