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Advances in the Determination of the Architecture of Active Sites in Solid Catalysts

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Catalysis by Unique Metal Ion Structures in Solid Matrices

Part of the book series: NATO Science Series ((NAII,volume 13))

Abstract

We review some of the advances in the determination of the atomic architecture of solid catalysts, in particular using X-ray, neutron scattering and spectroscopic techniques. The aim, wherever possible, is to arrive at such structures under operating (catalytic) conditions. It is essential to retrieve such information in situ, because it then can serve as a realistic platform for the construction of new (and, if possible, superior) catalysts. High-flux X-ray sources (from synchrotron as well as rotating anode laboratory sources) may be used both in an energy-dispersive and wavelength-dispersive manner to track the structural changes that occur during catalyst activation and catalytic turnover. The X-ray diffractograms, by Rietveld profile analysis (in the wavelength-dispersive mode), then yield the atomic architecture of the active sites. This approach has proved particularly helpful in probing the nature of Ni, Na-ion-substituted zeolite Y catalysts for the trimerisation of acetylene to benzene. Computational studies support this fact, which is also in line with very recent neutron scattering studies carried out with catalyst samples in which the 62Ni isotope replaces natural Ni. In addition, a summarizing account is given of our work on the determination of the architecture of the active sites of nanoparticle bimetallic carbided hydrogenation catalysts, metal ion (Mn, Fe or Co) substituted aluminophosphate molecular sieves catalysts and titanium-centred epoxidation catalysts grafted onto mesoporous silica.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Davy Faraday Research Laboratory, The Royal Institution of Great Britain, 21 Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4BS, UK

    G. Sankar, R. Raja, J. M. Thomas & D. Gleeson

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  1. G. Sankar
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  2. R. Raja
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  3. J. M. Thomas
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  4. D. Gleeson
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    Gabriele Centi

  2. Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic

    Blanka Wichterlová

  3. University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA

    Alexis T. Bell

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Sankar, G., Raja, R., Thomas, J.M., Gleeson, D. (2001). Advances in the Determination of the Architecture of Active Sites in Solid Catalysts. In: Centi, G., Wichterlová, B., Bell, A.T. (eds) Catalysis by Unique Metal Ion Structures in Solid Matrices. NATO Science Series, vol 13. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0782-5_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0782-5_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-6875-5

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