The most active Cu facet for low-temperature water gas shift reaction

Zhenhua Zhang, Sha-Sha Wang, Rui Song, Tian Cao, Liangfeng Luo, Xuanye Chen, Yuxian Gao, Jiqing Lu, Wei-Xue Li and Weixin Huang ()
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Zhenhua Zhang: University of Science and Technology of China
Sha-Sha Wang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Rui Song: University of Science and Technology of China
Tian Cao: University of Science and Technology of China
Liangfeng Luo: University of Science and Technology of China
Xuanye Chen: Zhejiang Normal University
Yuxian Gao: University of Science and Technology of China
Jiqing Lu: Zhejiang Normal University
Wei-Xue Li: University of Science and Technology of China
Weixin Huang: University of Science and Technology of China

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Identification of the active site is important in developing rational design strategies for solid catalysts but is seriously blocked by their structural complexity. Here, we use uniform Cu nanocrystals synthesized by a morphology-preserved reduction of corresponding uniform Cu2O nanocrystals in order to identify the most active Cu facet for low-temperature water gas shift (WGS) reaction. Cu cubes enclosed with {100} facets are very active in catalyzing the WGS reaction up to 548 K while Cu octahedra enclosed with {111} facets are inactive. The Cu–Cu suboxide (CuxO, x ≥ 10) interface of Cu(100) surface is the active site on which all elementary surface reactions within the catalytic cycle proceed smoothly. However, the formate intermediate was found stable at the Cu–CuxO interface of Cu(111) surface with consequent accumulation and poisoning of the surface at low temperatures. Thereafter, Cu cubes-supported ZnO catalysts are successfully developed with extremely high activity in low-temperature WGS reaction.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00620-6

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