Transforming ceria into 2D clusters enhances catalytic activity

Konstantin Khivantsev (), Hien Pham, Mark H. Engelhard, Hristiyan A. Aleksandrov (), Libor Kovarik, Mark Bowden, Xiaohong Shari Li, Jinshu Tian, Iskra Z. Koleva, Inhak Song, Wenda Hu, Xinyi Wei, Yipeng Sun, Pascaline Tran, Trent R. Graham, Dong Jiang, David P. Dean, Christian J. Breckner, Jeffrey T. Miller, Georgi N. Vayssilov, János Szanyi (), Abhaya Datye () and Yong Wang ()
Additional contact information
Konstantin Khivantsev: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Hien Pham: Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico
Mark H. Engelhard: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Hristiyan A. Aleksandrov: Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
Libor Kovarik: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Mark Bowden: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Xiaohong Shari Li: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Jinshu Tian: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Iskra Z. Koleva: Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
Inhak Song: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Wenda Hu: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Xinyi Wei: BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions
Yipeng Sun: BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions
Pascaline Tran: BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions
Trent R. Graham: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Dong Jiang: Washington State University
David P. Dean: Purdue University
Christian J. Breckner: Purdue University
Jeffrey T. Miller: Purdue University
Georgi N. Vayssilov: Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
János Szanyi: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Abhaya Datye: Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico
Yong Wang: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Nature, 2025, vol. 640, issue 8060, 947-953

Abstract: Abstract Ceria nanoparticles supported on alumina are widely used in various catalytic reactions, particularly in conjunction with platinum group metals (PGMs)1–9. Here we found that treating these catalysts at temperatures between 750 and about 1,000 °C in the presence of CO and NO in steam (reactive treatment under reducing atmosphere) leads to the dispersion of ceria nanoparticles into high-density 2D (roughly one atomic layer thin) CexOy domains, as confirmed by microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. These domains, which densely cover the alumina, exhibit substantially enhanced oxygen mobility and storage capacity, facilitating easier extraction of oxygen and the formation of Ce3+ sites and oxygen vacancies. As a result, these catalysts—whether with or without PGMs, such as Rh and Pt—show improved activity for several industrially important catalytic reactions, including NO and N2O reduction, as well as CO and NO oxidation, even after exposure to harsh ageing conditions. This study shows a catalyst architecture with superior redox properties under conditions that typically cause sintering, offering a pathway to more efficient metal–ceria catalysts for enhanced general catalysis.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08684-x

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