γ-Alumina-supported Pt17 cluster: controlled loading, geometrical structure, and size-specific catalytic activity for carbon monoxide and propylene oxidation
Yuichi Negishi, Nobuyuki Shimizu, Kanako Funai, Ryo Kaneko, Kosuke Wakamatsu, Atsuya Harasawa, Sakiat Hossain, Manfred E. Schuster, Dogan Ozkaya, Wataru Kurashige, Tokuhisa Kawawaki, Seiji Yamazoe, Shuhei Nagaoka
Nanoscale Advances, 2, 669 (2020)
Although Pt is extensively used as a catalyst to purify automotive exhaust gas, it is desirable to reduce Pt consumption through size reduction because Pt is a rare element and an expensive noble metal. In this study, we successfully loaded a Pt17 cluster on g-alumina (g-Al2O3) (Pt17/g-Al2O3) using [Pt17(CO)12(PPh3)8]Cln (n ¼ 1, 2) as a precursor. In addition, we demonstrated that Pt is not present in the form of an oxide in Pt17/γ-Al2O3 but instead has a framework structure as a metal cluster. Moreover, we revealed that Pt17/g-Al2O3 exhibits higher catalytic activity for carbon monoxide and propylene oxidation than g-Al2O3-supported larger Pt nanoparticles (PtNP/g-Al2O3) prepared using the conventional impregnation method. Recently, our group discovered a simple method for synthesizing the precursor [Pt17(CO)12(PPh3)8]Cln. Furthermore, Pt17 is a Pt cluster within the size range associated with high catalytic activity. By combining our established synthesis and loading methods, other groups can conduct further
research on Pt17/g-Al2O3 to explore its catalytic activities in greater depth.