Understanding the surface structure-catalytic properties relationship of bimetallic catalysts is crucial for the rational design of superior catalysts and development of efficient chemical transformation processes. However, characterizing the surface structure of random alloys is very challenging due to their surface reconstruction under different reaction conditions, which makes it difficult to build the structure-property correlation. Unlike random alloys, intermetallic compounds (IMCs) present atomically-ordered structures, which could be used as an ideal platform for catalytic mechanism studies. Since the formation of the ordered structure is driven by thermodynamic, IMCs are structurally more stable than random alloys and could maintain their bulk and surface structure under catalytic reaction conditions. The ordered surface of IMCs can alter the adsorption energy and geometry of reactants and intermediates that could deviate the catalytic pathways from those on the pure metal surfaces. IMCs consist of precious and cheap metals could also reduce the consumption of precious metal in heterogeneous catalysis. Some IMCs made only with cheap metals are also found active and selective for important industrial catalytic processes, which has promising potential to completely replace precious metals that are heavily used in heterogeneous catalysis. We have discovered that bulk intermetallic NaAu<sub>2</sub> is a room temperature CO oxidation catalysts. Using colloidal synthesis methods, we have synthesized uniform intermetallic nanoparticles (iNPs) of different compositions. These iNPs show enhanced activity, selectivity, and stability in both selective hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions. We will discuss our current understanding of the enhanced catalytic properties of iNPs and their structure-property relationship.

Enhanced activity and selectivity on the surface of ordered bimetallic catalysts

255th National Meeting (2018)

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