Unlocking the Secrets of Efficient Syngas Conversion: Researchers Discover Dual Active Sites on Bimetallic Oxide Catalyst

Catalytic syngas conversion is the key route to bridge the gap between various carbon resources and essential chemicals.Oxide-zeolite (OXZEO)bifunctional catalysis is a new platform for this conversion,showing great potential for further industrialization.

However, the in-depth understanding of the structure-activity relationship of the catalysts-reaction,especially on oxide component is still unclear.

Recently, a research team led by Prof.HOU Guangjin from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics(DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has revealed the synergistic interplay mechanism of dual active sites on bimetallic oxide for efficient syngas conversion at atomic level.

This study was published inChemon February 8.

The researchers investigated syngas conversion over a representative spinel ZnAl2O4oxide with combined advanced solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)technologies.They utilized in-situ NMR method to observe the full process of syngas conversion to methanol over ZnAl2O4catalyst, during which the formate and methoxy species were identified as the key intermediates.

Through a series of double resonance and multidimensional correlation NMR experiments, they identified the dual active sites with structure of -AlIV-OH···ZnIII-.Thus, they proposed the synergistic catalytic mechanism of the dual active sites on ZnAl2O4catalyst for syngas conversion reaction.

Moreover, they elaborated the dynamic evolution of the reaction intermediates and active sites during the reaction process at atomic level.

“On one hand, our work exemplifies the increasing capability of solid-state NMR spectroscopy in the study of surface/interface catalysis,”said Prof.HOU.“On the other hand, the current understanding of the active sites and reaction mechanism can bring inspiration to study syngas conversion and CO2hydrogenation on other bimetallic oxide systems, providing important guidance for the rational design and modulation of high-efficiency oxide catalysts.”