A descriptor guiding the selection of catalyst supports for ammonia synthesis.

ABSTRACT: The efforts to increase the active surface area of catalysts led to reduction of metal particle size, down to single metal atoms. This results in increasing importance of support-metal interactions. We demonstrate the mechanisms through which the support influences catalytic activity of nanoclusters: the support electronics, described by the O 2p energy level, and the support surface chemistry, determined by the density of Lewis base sites. Using Ru nanoclusters, our study shows that these parameters can be effectively captured within a single catalyst support descriptor (CSD). The apparent activation energy and turnover frequency (TOF) for the ammonia synthesis correlates strongly with CSD measured for the series Ru/MgO, Ru/Sc₂O₃, Ru/CeO₂, Ru/La₂

SUBMITTER: Weilhard A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11808563 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature