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Perovskites are interesting oxidation catalysts due to their chemical flexibility enabling the tuning of several properties. In this work, we synthesized LaFe1−xCoxO3 catalysts by co-precipitation and thermal decomposition, characterized them thoroughly and studied their 2-propanol oxidation activity under dry and wet conditions to bridge the knowledge gap between gas and liquid phase reactions. Transient tests showed a highly active, unstable low-temperature (LT) reaction channel in conversion profiles and a stable, less-active high-temperature (HT) channel. Cobalt incorporation had a positive effect on the activity. The effect of water was negative on the LT channel, whereas the HT channel activity was boosted for x > 0.15. The boost may originate from a slower deactivation rate of the Co3+ sites under wet conditions and a higher amount of hydroxide species on the surface comparing wet to dry feeds. Water addition resulted in a slower deactivation for Co-rich catalysts and higher activity in the HT channel state.

ChemCatChem : the European Society Journal for Catalysis 14(19), e202200300 (2022). doi:10.1002/cctc.202200300 special issue: "Catalysts and Reactors under Dynamic Conditions for Energy Storage and Conversion", Published by Wiley-VCH, Weinheim

The variation in the morphology and electronic structure of copper during the electroreduction of CO2 into valuable hydrocarbons and alcohols was revealed by combining in situ surface- and bulk-sensitive X-ray spectroscopies with electrochemical scanning electron microscopy. These experiments proved that the electrified interface surface and near-surface are dominated by reduced copper. The selectivity to the formation of the key C–C bond is enhanced at higher cathodic potentials as a consequence of increased copper metallicity. In addition, the reduction of the copper oxide electrode and oxygen loss in the lattice reconstructs the electrode to yield a rougher surface with more uncoordinated sites, which controls the dissociation barrier of water and CO2. Thus, according to these results, copper oxide species can only be stabilized kinetically under CO2 reduction reaction conditions.

Investigating the interfaces between electrolytes and electrocatalysts during electrochemical water oxidation is of great importance for an understanding of the factors influencing catalytic activity and stability. Here, the interaction of a well-established, nanocrystalline and mesoporous Ca-birnessite catalyst material (initial composition K0.2Ca0.21MnO2.21·1.4H2O, initial Mn-oxidation state ∼+3.8) with an aqueous potassium phosphate buffer electrolyte at pH 7 was studied mainly by using various electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy techniques. In comparison to electrolyte solutions not containing phosphate, the investigated Ca-birnessite electrodes show especially high and stable oxygen evolution activity in phosphate buffer. During electrolysis, partial ion substitutions of Ca2+ by K+ and OH−/O2− by HnPO4(3−n)− were observed, leading to the formation of a stable, partially disordered Ca–K–Mn–HnPO4–H2O layer on the outer and the pore surfaces of the active electrocatalyst material. In this surface layer, Mn3+ ions are stabilized, which are often assumed to be of key importance for oxygen evolution catalysis. Furthermore, evidence for the formation of [Ca/PO4/H2O]− complexes located between the [MnO6] layers of the birnessite was found using the soft Ca 2p and Ca L-edge X-ray spectroscopy. A possible way to interpret the observed, obviously very favorable “special relationship” between (hydrogen)phosphates and Ca-birnessites in electrocatalytic water oxidation would be that HnPO4(3−n)− anions are incorporated into the catalyst material where they act as stabilizing units for Mn3+ highly active centers and also as “internal bases” for the protons released during the water-oxidation reaction.

We show atomic oxygen on an unreconstructed Ag(110) surface has a O 1s binding energy ≤ 528 eV and its stable at low coverages. Our findings point to the idea of multiple selective oxygen species in ethylene epoxidation on Ag., The nature of the oxygen species active in ethylene epoxidation is a long-standing question. While the structure of the oxygen species that participates in total oxidation (nucleophilic oxygen) is known the atomic structure of the selective species (electrophilic oxygen) is still debated. Here, we use both in situ and UHV X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) to study the interaction of oxygen with a silver surface. We show experimental evidence that the unreconstructed adsorbed atomic oxygen (Oads) often argued to be active in epoxidation has a binding energy (BE) ≤ 528 eV, showing a core-level shift to lower BE with respect to the O-reconstructions, as previously predicted by DFT. Thus, contrary to the frequent assignment, adsorbed atomic oxygen cannot account for the electrophilic oxygen species with an O 1s BE of 530–531 eV, thought to be the active species in ethylene epoxidation. Moreover, we show that Oads is present at very low O-coverages during in situ XPS measurements and that it can be obtained at slightly higher coverages in UHV at low temperature. DFT calculations support that only low coverages of Oads are stable. The highly reactive species is titrated by background gases even at low temperature in UHV conditions. Our findings suggest that at least two different species could participate in the partial oxidation of ethylene on silver.

Electrochemical oxidation has attracted vast interest as a promising alternative to traditional chemical processes in fine chemical synthesis owing to its fast and sustainable features. An electrocatalytic membrane reactor (ECMR) with a three-dimensional (3D) electrode has been successfully designed for the selective oxidation of alcohols with high current efficiency to the corresponding acids or ketones. The anode electrode was fabricated by the in situ loading of one-dimensional (1D) Co3O4 nanowires (NWs) on the conductive porous Ti membrane (Co3O4 NWs/Ti) via the combination of a facile hydrothermal synthesis and subsequent thermal treatment. The electrocatalytic oxidation (ECO) results of alcohols exhibited superior catalytic performance with a higher current efficiency on the Co3O4 NWs/Ti membrane compared with those of Co3O4 nanoparticles on the Ti membrane (Co3O4 NPs/Ti). Even under low reaction temperatures such as 0 °C, it still displayed a very high ECO activity for alcohol oxidation in the ECMR...

The electrodeposition nature of copper on a gold electrode in a 4.8 pH CuSO4 solution was inquired using X-ray absorption spectroscopy, electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance, and thermal desorption spectroscopy techniques. Our results point out that the electrodeposition of copper prompts the formation of stable oxi-hydroxide species with a formal oxidation state Cu+ without the evidence of metallic copper formation (Cu0). Moreover, the subsequent anodic polarization of Cu2Oaq yields the formation of CuO, in the formal oxidation state Cu2+, which is dissolved at higher anodic potential. It was found that the dissolution process needs less charge than that required for the electrodeposition indicating a nonreversible process most likely due to concomitant water splitting and formation of protons during the electrodeposition.

The cathodic behavior of a model solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) has been studied by means of nearambient pressure (NAP) X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS), aiming at shedding light on the specific role of the metallic component in a class of cermets used as electrodes. The focus is on the surface chemistry and catalytic role of Cu, the increasingly popular metallic component in electrodes used in CO2 electrolysis and CO2/H2O co-electrolysis. The NAPXPS and NEXAFS results, obtained in situ and operando conditions and under electrochemical control have provided important insights about the evolution of the Cu surface chemical composition. We have found that in dry CO2 ambient carbon deposits are scavenged at low cathodic potential by the oxidising action of nascent O, while at high cathodic polarisations C grows due to activation of the CO reduction. Instead, in CO2/H2O mixtures, surface deposit of C is steady over the whole investigated potential range. The presence of adsorbed CO has also been detected during electrolysis of CO2/H2O mixtures, while no CO is found in pure CO2 ambient.

The solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) technology has a huge potential for future mass production of hydrogen, mainly due to its high electrical-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency. However, the durability and the performance of SOEC devices are inferior to that of other competitive electrolysis technologies inhibiting the commercialization of SOECs. Despite the fact that Ni-based cermets are currently the most widely used cathode materials for SOEC, change of the nickel oxidation state has been accused as a major issue limiting the performance of these devices. In this work we provide operando experimental evidence of the active surface oxidation state and composition of nickel/doped-ceria cermets under water electrolysis conditions using ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopies, combined with quantitative spectra simulation. Remarkably under specific operational conditions, nickel is maintained in a partially oxidized state which, counterintuitive to the expected behavior, can be beneficial to the cell performance. This finding may initiate new improvement strategies for SOEC electrodes based on thorough optimization of the operational conditions, in order to engineer in situ the most propitious electrode configuration.

During the electrochemical reduction of oxygen, platinum catalysts are often (partially) oxidized. While these platinum oxides are thought to play a crucial role in fuel cell degradation, their nature remains unclear. Here, we studied the electrochemical oxidation of Pt nanoparticles using in situ XPS. When the particles were sandwiched between a graphene sheet and a proton exchange membrane that is wetted from the back, a confined electrolyte layer was formed, allowing us to probe the electrocatalyst under wet conditions. We show that the surface oxide formed at the onset of Pt oxidation has a mixed Ptδ+/Pt2+/Pt4+ composition. The formation of this surface oxide is suppressed when a Br-containing membrane is chosen due to adsorption of Br on Pt. Time-resolved measurements show that oxidation is fast for nanoparticles: even bulk PtO2·nH2O growth occurs on the subminute time scale. The fast formation of Pt4+ species in both surface and bulk oxide form suggests that Pt4+-oxides are likely formed (or reduced) even in the transient processes that dominate Pt electrode degradation.

Manganese oxide (MnOx) electrocatalysts are examined herein by in situ soft X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and resonant inelastic X‐ray scattering (RIXS) during the oxidation of water buffered by borate (pH 9.2) at potentials from 0.75 to 2.25 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode. Correlation of L‐edge XAS data with previous mechanistic studies indicates MnIV is the highest oxidation state involved in the catalytic mechanism. MnOx is transformed into birnessite at 1.45 V and does not undergo further structural phase changes. At potentials beyond this transformation, RIXS spectra show progressive enhancement of charge transfer transitions from oxygen to manganese. Theoretical analysis of these data indicates increased hybridization of the Mn−O orbitals and withdrawal of electron density from the O ligand shell. In situ XAS experiments at the O K‐edge provide complementary evidence for such a transition. This step is crucial for the formation of O2 from water.

DTA/TG/MS measurements were used to investigate the temperature-dependent and successive phase formation of different intermetallic In–Pd compounds by controlled reduction of PdO/In2O3 with hydrogen. Reduction procedures were developed to obtain supported intermetallic InPd and In3Pd2 particles by reactive metal–support interaction (RMSI) without detectable amounts of other compounds. In7Pd3 could only be obtained in admixture with elemental indium due to the direct reduction of the In2O3 support at temperatures above 350 °C. All materials exhibit catalytic activity for methanol steam reforming and exhibit high CO2 selectivities up to 98%. Long-term measurements proved the superior stability of the In–Pd/In2O3 materials in comparison with Cu-based systems over 100 h times on stream with high selectivity.

The role of the nitrogen incorporation into titanium, its chemical nature, the location in the titanium lattice and its electrochemical performance were investigated by a combination of several spectroscopy and microscopy techniques using samples prepared by CVD of NH3 at different temperatures and successive electrochemically tested in 1 M of HClO4. We found that nitrogen is incorporated in either the interstitial or substitutional site of the lattice depending on the preparation temperature modifying strongly its corrosion resistance which was ascribed to the N 2p hybridization with the Ti 3d orbitals. It was found that at low temperature the N 2p orbitals were more likely to hybridize with Ti3d-t2g orbitals while higher temperature favors the hybridization with the Ti3d-eg orbitals. This is responsible for the corrosion resistance shown by the samples prepared at higher temperature.

The Cr and Cu promotion mechanisms of high temperature water–gas shift (HT-WGS) iron oxide catalysts, synthesized by coprecipitation, were investigated as a function of reaction conditions. XRD and in situ Raman characterization showed that the initial calcined catalysts consisted of the Fe2O3 (hematite) bulk phase and transformed to the Fe3O4 (magnetite) phase during the HT-WGS reactions. In situ NAP-XPS and HS-LEIS surface analysis revealed that Cr was surface enriched as Cr6+ for the initial catalyst and reduced to Cr3+ during the HT-WGS reactions, with the Cr3+ dissolving into the bulk iron oxide lattice forming a solid solution. In situ NAP-XPS, XANES, and HS-LEIS characterization indicated that Cu was initially present as Cu2+ cations dissolved in the Fe2O3 bulk lattice and reduced to metallic Cu0 nanoparticles (∼3 nm) on the external surface of the iron oxide support during the HT-WGS reactions. In situ HS-LEIS surface analysis also suggests that ∼1/3 of the surface of the Cu nanoparticles was cove...

The selective oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde and acetic acid over a monolayer V2O5/TiO2 catalyst has been studied in situ using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and near-ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) at temperatures ranging from 100 to 300 °C. The data were complemented with temperature-programmed reaction spectroscopy and kinetic measurements. It was found that under atmospheric pressure at low temperatures acetaldehyde is the major product formed with the selectivity of almost 100%. At higher temperatures, the reaction shifts toward acetic acid, and at 200 °C, its selectivity reaches 60%. Above 250 °C, unselective oxidation to CO and CO2 becomes the dominant reaction. Infrared spectroscopy indicated that during the reaction at 100 °C, nondissociatively adsorbed molecules of ethanol, ethoxide species, and adsorbed acetaldehyde are on the catalyst surface, while at higher temperatures the surface is mainly covered with acetate species. According to the XPS data, titanium cations remain in the Ti4+ state, whereas V5+ cations undergo reversible reduction under reaction conditions. The presented data agree with the assumption that the selective oxidation of ethanol over vanadium oxide catalysts occurs at the redox Vn+ sites via a redox mechanism involving the surface lattice oxygen species. A reaction scheme for the oxidation of ethanol over monolayer V2O5/TiO2 catalysts is suggested.

Platinum and iridium polycrystalline foils were oxidized electrochemically through anodization to create thin platinum and iridium hydrous oxide layers, which were analyzed through laboratory photoelectron spectroscopy during heating and time series (temperature-programmed spectroscopy). The films contain oxygen in the form of bound oxides, water, and hydroxides and were investigated by depth profiling with high-energy photoelectron spectroscopy. The Pt films are unstable and begin to degrade immediately after removal from the electrolyte to form core–shell structures with a metallic inner core and a hydrous oxide outer shell almost devoid of Pt. However, evidence was found for metastable intermediate states of degradation; therefore, it may be possible to manufacture PtOx phases with increased stability. Heating the film to even 100 °C causes accelerated degradation, which shows that stoichiometric oxides such as PtO2 or PtO are not the active species in the electrolyte. The Ir films exhibit increased stability and higher surface Ir content, and gentle heating at low temperatures leads to a decrease in defect density. Although both layers are based on noble metals, their surface structures are markedly different. The complexity of such hydrous oxide systems is discussed in detail with the goal of identifying the film composition more precisely.

The evolution of self-sustained reaction-rate oscillations in the catalytic oxidation of propane over a nickel foil has been studied in situ using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy coupled with online mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. Changes in the effective surface area and in the catalyst morphology under reaction conditions have been examined by scanning electron microscopy and a krypton adsorption technique. It is shown that the regular kinetic oscillations arise under oxygen-lean conditions. CO, CO2, H2, H2O, and propylene are detected as products. The conversion of propane oscillates in a range from 1% to 23%. During the half-periods with high activity, the main reaction pathway is the partial oxi- dation of propane: selectivity toward CO achieves 98%. In contrast, during the half-periods with low activity, the reaction proceeds through three competitive pathways: the partial oxidation of propane, the total oxidation of propane, and the dehydrogenation of propane to propylene. The driving force for the self-sustained kinetic oscillations is the periodic reoxidation of nickel. According to the Ni2p and O1s core-level spectra measured in situ, the high-active catalyst surface is represented by metallic nickel, whereas during the inactive half-periods the catalyst surface is covered with a thick layer of NiO. The intensity of O1s spectra follows the oscillations of O2 in the gas phase during the oxidation of propane. It is found that during the induction period before the regular oscillations appear, a rough and porous structure develops because of strong reconstruction of the catalyst surface. The thickness of the recon- structed layer is approximately 10–20 μm. This process is accompanied with at least an 80-fold increase in the effective surface area compared with a clean, non-treated nickel foil, which undoubtedly leads to a drastic increase in the number of active sites. We believe that it is the main reason for the induction period always being observed before the appearance of self-sustained oscillations in the catalytic oxidation of light hydrocarbons over catalysts with a low specific surface area (single crystals, foils, or wires). Moreover, without such reconstruction, the oscillations cannot arise due to low activity of such catalysts.

We address the question of the nature of Au NP activation and through a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques. In‐situ XPS measurements of Au/TiO₂ during CO oxidation show high catalytic activity can be associated with the formation of an ionic Au species. DFT calculations performed on Au/TiO₂ show that the formation of such ionic Au is due to a strong metal‐support interaction between Au and reduced and defective TiO₂. TEM supports these findings, indicating the formation of an overlayer of transition metal oxide support on Au NPs after CO oxidation. These results suggest TiO₂ lattice oxygen is involved directly in CO oxidation, which was confirmed with labeled ¹⁸O₂ experiments.

One of the key factors responsible for the poor cycleability of Li–O2 batteries is a formation of byproducts from irreversible reactions between electrolyte and discharge product Li2O2 and/or intermediate LiO2. Among many solvents that are used as electrolyte component for Li–O2 batteries, acetonitrile (MeCN) is believed to be relatively stable towards oxidation. Using near ambient pressure X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (NAP XPS), we characterized the reactivity of MeCN in the Li–O2 battery. For this purpose, we designed the model electrochemical cell assembled with solid electrolyte. We discharged it first in O2 and then exposed to MeCN vapor. Further, the discharge was carried out in O2 + MeCN mixture. We have demonstrated that being in contact with Li–O2 discharge products, MeCN oxidizes. This yields species that are weakly bonded to the surface and can be easily desorbed. That’s why they cannot be detected by the conventional XPS. Our results suggest that the respective chemical process most probably does not give rise to electrode passivation but can decrease considerably the Coulombic efficiency of the battery., This work of A.K-G., J.J.V-V. and D.M.I. was supported by the Russian Ministry of Science and Education (RFMEFI61614×0007) and Bundesministerium für Bildung and Forschung (Project No. 05K2014) in the framework of the joint Russian-German research project “SYnchrotron and NEutron STudies for Energy Storage (SYNESTESia)”. T.K.Z acknowledges Center for Electrochemical Energy of Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology for financial support. The work of O.O.K., A.I.B and L.V.Y. is performed within the joint project of the Russian Science Foundation (16-42-01093) and DFG (LA655-17/1). We are grateful to HZB for beamtime granted at ISISS and RGBL beamlines. T.K.Z. and A.S.F. thank to the Russian German laboratory at HZB for support provided. Authors are appreciated to Victor Vizgalov for solid electrolyte membrane preparation. Travelling of T.K.Z. was supported by German-Russian Interdisciplinary Science Center (G-RISC).

Rhenium substantially promotes the rate of Pt-catalyzed glycerol hydrogenolysis to propanediols and shifts the product selectivity from 1,2-propanediol to a mixture of 1,2 and 1,3-propanediols. This work presents experimental evidence for a tandem dehydration–hydrogenation mechanism that occurs over a bifunctional Pt–Re catalyst. Infrared spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine and the rate of aqueous-phase hydrolysis of propyl acetate were used to identify and quantify Bronsted acid sites associated with the Re component. Near-ambient-pressure XPS revealed a range of Re oxidation states on the Pt–Re catalysts after reduction in H2 at 393 and 493 K, which accounts for the presence of Bronsted acidity. A mechanism involving acid-catalyzed dehydration followed by Pt-catalyzed hydrogenation was consistent with the negative influence of added base, a primary kinetic isotope effect with deuterated glycerol, an inverse isotope effect with dideuterium gas, and the observed orders of reaction.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is a widely used technique for characterizing the chemical and electronic properties of highly ordered carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes and graphene. However, the analysis of XPS data—in particular the C 1s region—can be complex, impeding a straightforward evaluation of the data. In this work, an overview of extrinsic and intrinsic effects that influence the C 1s XPS spectra—for example, photon broadening or carbon–catalyst interaction—of various graphitic samples is presented. Controlled manipulation of such samples is performed by annealing, sputtering, and oxygen functionalization to identify different C[BOND]C bonding states and assess the impact of the manipulations on spectral line shapes and their binding energy positions. With high-resolution XPS and XPS depth profiling, the spectral components arising from disordered carbon and surface-defect states can be distinguished from aromatic sp-2 carbon. These findings illustrate that both spectral line shapes and binding energy components must be considered in the analysis of potentially defective surfaces of carbon materials. The sp-2 peak, characteristic of aromatic carbon, features a strong asymmetry that changes with the curvature of the sample surface and, thus, cannot be neglected in spectral analysis. The applied deconvolution strategy may provide a simple guideline to obtaining high-quality fits to experimental data on the basis of a careful evaluation of experimental conditions, sample properties, and the limits of the fit procedure.

The development of efficient energy conversion systems requires precise engineering of electrochemical interfaces and thus asks for in situ techniques to probe the structure and the composition of the dynamic electrode/electrolyte interfacial region. This work demonstrates the potential of the near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAPXPS) for in situ studies of processes occurring at the interface between a metal electrode and a liquid electrolyte. By using a model membrane-electrode assembly of a high temperature phosphoric acid-imbibed proton exchange membrane fuel cell, and combining NAPXPS measurements with the density functional theory, it was possible to monitor such fundamental processes as dissociation and migration of the phosphoric acid within a nanostructured Pt electrode under polarization.

The activation and catalytic performance of two representative Zr-containing intermetallic systems, namely Cu-Zr and Pd-Zr, have been comparatively studied operando using methanol steam reforming (MSR) as test reaction. Using an inverse surface science and bulk model catalyst approach, we monitored the transition of the initial metal/intermetallic compound structures into the eventual active and CO2-selective states upon contact to the methanol steam reforming mixture. For Cu-Zr, selected nominal stoichiometries ranging from Cu:Zr = 9:2 over 2:1 to 1:2 have been prepared by mixing the respective amounts of metallic Cu and Zr to yield different Cu-Zr bulk phases as initial catalyst structures. In addition, the methanol steam reforming performance of two Pd-Zr systems, that is, a bulk system with a nominal Pd:Zr = 2:1 stoichiometry and an inverse model system consisting of CVD-grown ZrOxHy layers on a polycrystalline Pd foil, has been comparatively assessed. While the CO2-selectivity and the overall catalytic performance of the Cu-Zr system is promising due to operando formation of a catalytically beneficial Cu-ZrO2 interface, the case for Pd-Zr is different. For both Pd-Zr systems, the low-temperature coking tendency, the high water-activation temperature and the CO2-selectivity spoiling inverse WGS reaction limit the use of the Pd-Zr systems for selective MSR applications, although alloying of Pd with Zr opens water activation channels to increase the CO2 selectivity.

Water splitting performed in acidic media relies on the exceptional performance of iridium-based materials to catalyze the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In the present work, we use in situ X-ray photoemission and absorption spectroscopy to resolve the long-standing debate about surface species present in iridium-based catalysts during the OER. We find that the surface of an initially metallic iridium model electrode converts into a mixed-valent, conductive iridium oxide matrix during the OER, which contains OII− and electrophilic OI− species. We observe a positive correlation between the OI− concentration and the evolved oxygen, suggesting that these electrophilic oxygen sites may be involved in catalyzing the OER. We can understand this observation by analogy with photosystem II; their electrophilicity renders the OI− species active in O–O bond formation, i.e. the likely potential- and rate-determining step of the OER. The ability of amorphous iridium oxyhydroxides to easily host such reactive, electrophilic species can explain their superior performance when compared to plain iridium metal or crystalline rutile-type IrO2.

In order to close the pressure gap in the investigation of catalyst surfaces under real operation conditions we have developed a variable-pressure soft X-ray (hν ≤1.5 keV) absorption cell coupled to a gas analysis system to study the pressure dependency of the electronic and catalytic properties of catalyst surfaces in reactive atmospheres at elevated temperatures. With this setup we investigated the vanadium L3-edge and catalytic performance of polycrystalline vanadyl pyrophosphate in the selective oxidation of n-butane to maleic anhydride between 10 and 1000 mbar at 400 °C. As a result, major gas phase and pressure dependent spectral changes are observed at energies attributed to V 2p-3dz2 excitations assigned to vanadium atoms square-pyramidally coordinated to oxygen atoms. This can be interpreted in terms of a shortened vanadyl bond (V═O) and an increased vanadium oxidation state with higher pressures. Since this is accompanied by an increasing catalytic activity and selectivity, it indicates that van...

The immobilization of a water-soluble rhenium complex in metallic silver matrices has resulted in a highly efficient catalyst for epoxidation, which has better epoxidation catalytic activity than the individual components. This unprecedented synergism could be obtained only by using the novel immobilization methodology, and not by using the standard adsorption process. The composite catalyst has been fully characterized (by using XRD, TEM, SEM, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and atomic X-ray mapping), and the synergism has originated as a result of the proximity of the two components. Photoemission spectroscopic studies confirm the presence of +6 and +7 oxidation states of rhenium in metallic silver in the active catalyst.

Studying catalysts in situ is of high interest for understanding their surface structure and electronic states in operation. Herein, we present a study of epitaxial manganite perovskite thin films (Pr1-xCax MnO3) active for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) from electro-catalytic water splitting. X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) at the Mn L- and O K-edges, as well as X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) of the O 1s and Ca 2p states have been performed in ultra-high vacuum and in water vapor under positive applied bias at room temperature. It is shown that under the oxidizing conditions of the OER a reduced Mn2+ species is generated at the catalyst surface. The Mn valence shift is accompanied by the formation of surface oxygen vacancies. Annealing of the catalysts in O2 atmosphere at 120 °C restores the virgin surfaces.

Intercalation of oxygen at the interface of graphene grown by chemical vapour deposition and its polycrystalline copper catalyst can have a strong impact on the electronic, chemical and structural properties of both the graphene and the Cu. This can affect the oxidation resistance of the metal as well as subsequent graphene transfer. Here, we show, using near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS), X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and (environmental) scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) that both the oxygen intercalation and de-intercalation are kinetically driven and can be clearly distinguished from carbon etching. The obtained results reveal that a charge transfer between as grown graphene and Cu can be annulled by intercalating oxygen creating quasi-free-standing graphene. This effect is found to be reversible on vacuum annealing proceeding via graphene grain boundaries and defects within the graphene but not without loss of graphene by oxidative etching for repeated (de-)intercalation cycles.

An inverse Pd–Zr model catalyst was prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using zirconium-t-butoxide (ZTB) as an organometallic precursor. Pd–Zr interaction was then investigated with focus on the correlation of reforming performance with the oxidation state of Zr. As test reactions, dry reforming of methane (DRM) and methanol steam reforming (MSR) were chosen. Depending on treatments, either ZrOxHy or ZrO2 overlayers or Zr as sub-nanometer clusters could be obtained. Following the adsorption of ZTB on Pd(111), a partially hydroxylated Zr4+-containing layer was formed, which can be reduced to metallic Zr by thermal annealing in ultrahigh vacuum, leading to redox-active Zr0 sub-nanometer clusters. Complementary density functional theoretical (DFT) calculations showed that a single layer of ZrO2 on Pd(111) can be more easily reduced toward the metallic state than a double- and triple layer. Also, the initial and resulting layer compositions greatly depend on gas environment. The lower the water background partial pressure, the faster and more complete the reduction of Zr4+ species to Zr0 on Pd takes place. Under methanol steam reforming conditions, water activation by hydroxylation of Zr occurs. In excess of methanol, strong coking is induced by the Pd/ZrOxHy interface. In contrast, dry reforming of methane is effectively promoted if these initially metallic Zr species are present in the pre-catalyst, leading to a Pd/ZrOxHy phase boundary by oxidative activation under reaction conditions. These reaction-induced active sites for DRM are stable with respect to carbon blocking or coking. In essence, Zr doping of Pd opens specific CO2 activation channels, which are absent on pure metallic Pd.

The reducibility of iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) supported over few-layer thick graphite upon annealing in hydrogen is investigated by near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). It is found that the stability of the iron oxide NPs toward reduction is enhanced by the interaction with the graphene nanosheets as compared to the bulk iron oxide. Postannealing TEM micrographs reveal the existence of both core/shell and homogeneous iron oxide NPs with the latter forming irregular trenches into the graphene sheets. EELS analysis and TEM images clearly demonstrate that the reducibility of iron oxide particles depends on the specific graphene site on which they are attached. Furthermore, we show that graphene etching can be mediated by iron oxide NPs at relatively mild reduction conditions.

Chasing down the active state: Near-ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to study the surface of a Pt electrode during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). A hydrated Pt metal phase with dissolved oxygen in the near-surface region is OER-active and considered to be the precursor of the analytically detected PtO2 , which is in fact the deactivation product of the electrode.

Unfortunately, the practical applications of Li-O2 batteries are impeded by poor rechargeability. Here, for the first time we show that superoxide radicals generated at the cathode during discharge react with carbon that contains activated double bonds or aromatics to form epoxy groups and carbonates, which limits the rechargeability of Li-O2 cells. Carbon materials with a low amount of functional groups and defects demonstrate better stability thus keeping the carbon will-o'-the-wisp lit for lithium-air batteries.

Palladium oxidation was studied by ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in the mbar pressure range on the Pd(111) and Pd(110) surfaces. The oxidation kinetics on both surfaces show an induction period when the oxidation rate was low at the beginning and then accelerated. The slow initial oxidation is governed by (a) the rate of nucleus formation, and (b) the rate of oxide nucleus growth. Depth profiling varying photon energy/kinetic photoelectron energy pointed to a 3D oxidation. It is remarkable that the oxidation of Pd(110) proceeds at similar to 100 K lower temperatures than on Pd(111). We suggest that at the high temperature required on Pd(111) nucleation is thermodynamically controlled, and therefore, the nucleation rate decreases with temperature. On Pd(110), nucleation is predominantly kinetically controlled and thus the oxidation rate increases with temperature.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have grown in recognition as a viable technology able to convert chemical energy directly into electricity, with higher effi ciencies than conventional thermal engines. Direct feeding of the SOFCs anode with hydrocarbons from fossil or renewable sources, appears more attractive compared to the use of hydrogen as a fuel. The addition of mixed oxide-ion/electron conductors, like gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC), to commonly used nickel-based anodes is a well‐known strategy that signifi cantly enhances the performance of the SOFCs. Here we provide in situ experimental evidence of the active surface oxidation state and composition of Ni/GDC anodes during methane electroxidation using realistic solid oxide electrode assemblies. Ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron and near edge X-ray absorption fi ne structure spectroscopies (APPES and NEXAFS respectively) combined with on line electrical and gas phase measurements, were used to directly associate the surface state and the electrocatalytic performance of Ni/GDC anodes working at intermediate temperatures (700°C). A reduced anode surface (Ce 3+ and Ni), with an optimum Ni to Ce surface composition, were found to be the most favorable confi guration for maximum cell currents. Experimental results are rationalized on the basis of fiprinciples calculations, proposing a detailed mechanism of the cell function.

Graphical abstract PdIn intermetallic phases can be switched in methanol steam reforming between a CO2-selective multilayer and an In-diluted phase by annealing at 453 K or 623 K. Highlights ► A multilayer Pd1In1 phase in MSR is highly CO2-selective between 493 and 623 K. ► An In-diluted PdIn intermetallic phase yields CO formation via full methanol dehydrogenation. ► Higher reaction temperatures are needed for comparable CO2-TOF values as on supported PdIn/In2O3. ► A bimetal-oxide synergism for efficient CO2 formation is operative., In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (in situ XPS) was used to study the structural and catalytic properties of Pd–In near-surface intermetallic phases in correlation with previously studied PdZn and PdGa. Room temperature deposition of ∼4 monolayer equivalents (MLEs) of In metal on Pd foil and subsequent annealing to 453 K in vacuum yields a ∼1:1 Pd/In near-surface multilayer intermetallic phase. This Pd1In1 phase exhibits a similar “Cu-like” electronic structure and indium depth distribution as its methanol steam reforming (MSR)-selective multilayer Pd1Zn1 counterpart. Catalytic characterization of the multilayer Pd1In1 phase in MSR yielded a CO2-selectivity of almost 100% between 493 and 550 K. In contrast to previously studied In2O3-supported PdIn nanoparticles and pure In2O3, intermediate formaldehyde is only partially converted to CO2 using this Pd1In1 phase. Strongly correlated with PdZn, on an In-diluted PdIn intermetallic phase with “Pd-like” electronic structure, prepared by thermal annealing at 623 K, methanol steam reforming is suppressed and enhanced CO formation via full methanol dehydrogenation is observed. To achieve CO2-TOF values on the isolated Pd1In1 intermetallic phase as high as on supported PdIn/In2O3, at least 593 K reaction temperature is required. A bimetal-oxide synergism, with both bimetallic and oxide synergistically contributing to the observed catalytic activity and selectivity, manifests itself by accelerated formaldehyde-to-CO2 conversion at markedly lowered temperatures as compared to separate oxide and bimetal. Combination of suppression of full methanol dehydrogenation to CO on Pd1In1 inhibited inverse water–gas-shift reaction on In2O3 and fast water activation/conversion of formaldehyde is the key to the low-temperature activity and high CO2-selectivity of the supported catalyst.

The intermetallic compound InPd2 was prepared as single-phase material and used in an unsupported state as catalyst in the semi-hydrogenation of ethyne in a large excess of ethene. InPd2 showed high activity and selectivity (up to 93%) toward ethene in the temperature range from 478 to 508 K. In addition, the compound revealed high stability during 20 h time on stream at 473 K at 80% selectivity and >90% conversion. Investigations by differential thermal analysis combined with thermogravimetry (DTA/TG) in H2 and near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS) exclude the formation of intermetallic hydrides, phase transitions, decomposition, and the presence of elemental palladium. The stability of InPd2 under reaction conditions allows addressing the influence of electronic factors on the catalytic properties by comparison with Ga–Pd intermetallic compounds. From the joint results of experiments and first-principles calculations, the electronic influence on the catalytic selectivity is found to be minor; selectivity seems to be largely governed by geometric effects – as suggested earlier by the site-isolation concept – as well as the absence of hydridic hydrogen.

One of the key problems hindering practical implementation of lithium–air batteries is caused by carbon cathode chemical instability leading to low energy efficiency and short cycle life. Titanium carbide (TiC) nanopowders are considered as an alternative cathode material; however, they are intrinsically reactive toward oxygen, and its stability is controlled totally by a surface overlayers. Using photoemission spectroscopy, we show that lithium–air battery discharge product, lithium peroxide (Li2O2), easily oxidizes clean TiC surface. At the same time, TiC surface, which was treated by molecular oxygen under ambient conditions, shows much better stability in contact with Li2O2 that can be explained by the presence of a surface layer containing a significant amount of elemental carbon in addition to oxides and oxycarbides. Nevertheless, such protective coatings produced by room temperature oxidation are not practically useful as one of its components, elemental carbon, is oxidized in the presence of lithium–air battery discharge intermediates. These results are of critical importance in understanding of TiC surface chemistry and in design of stable lithium–air battery electrodes. We postulate that dense, uniform, carbon-free titanium dioxide surface layers of 2–3 nm thickness on TiC will be a promising solution, and thus further efforts should be taken for developing synthetic protocols enabling preparation of TiO2/TiC core–shell structures., This work was financially supported by the Russian Ministry of Science and Education (RFMEFI61614X0007) and Bundesministerium für Bildung and Forschung (project no. 05K2014) in the framework of the joint Russian-German research project “SYnchrotron and NEutron STudies for Energy Storage (SYNESTESia)”.

Functionalized carbon nanotubes were used to produce Pd-based hydrogenation catalysts. Pd/CNT with small (1–2 nm) Pd particles showed classical catalytic behavior in propyne hydrogenation, with high propene selectivity at moderate conversion levels and propane formation near full conversion. Pd/CNT with larger (∼15 nm) nanoparticles, however, was selective (88%) toward propene even at practically full propyne conversion. An additionally prepared Pd2Ga/CNT catalyst exhibited even higher propene selectivity at full conversion. All of these materials were studied in situ by X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Pd K-edge. Pd2Ga/CNT was stable under all conditions examined without variation in XANES or in the derived EXAFS parameters. Both Pd/CNT samples formed β-hydride under hydrogen, as assessed from the calculated lattice expansion and the characteristic red shift of the XANES maxima. The minor spectroscopic difference between the monometallic catalysts observed at high propyne conversion suggests the deci...

Pd/Ga2O3 methanol steam reforming (MSR) catalysts were characterized in detail by utilizing a range of in situ techniques of varying surface sensitivity. Correlating the nature of the intermetallic Pd-Ga compound (IMC; formed upon reduction) with the corresponding activity/selectivity revealed pronounced differences. Generally, a dynamic response of the catalyst surface to the surrounding gas environment was observed. Special attention was paid to the bulk and surface stability of the Pd-Ga IMCs. Whereas the bulk was stable in O2, decomposition of the surface occurred resulting in a partial coverage by GaxOy islands. In addition, we focused on the formation mechanism of undesired CO and were able to identify the reasons limiting the selectivity to MSR. We observed a detrimental effect of CO on the selective Pd-Ga intermetallic compound, causing partial decomposition of the IMC to metallic Pd at the surface. Consequently, patches of Pd metal are present under reaction conditions, catalyzing the unwanted parallel methanol decocomposition reaction.

Single-phase samples of the intermetallic compound ZnPd, all possessing the CuAu type of crystal structure, were prepared with different bulk compositions and characterized by ICP-OES and XRD. Catalytic experiments in methanol steam reforming in a flow reactor on the unsupported intermetallic compounds proved that Pd-rich catalysts showed limited activity and very low selectivity to CO 2 , while Zn-rich catalysts possessed good activity and CO 2 selectivity up to 99.4%. XP spectra of the near-surface region were recorded on as-prepared and reduced samples, showing significant variations in Zn/Pd surface ratios, Pd3d binding energies and the amount of oxidized Zn species on the surface. These properties were correlated with the Pd content of the bulk compounds. In situ XPS studies revealed that only Zn-rich samples exhibited oxidized Zn species and intermetallic ZnPd on the surface. The catalytic properties correlate strongly with the electronic structure, i.e., the valence band which is determined by the bulk composition. All ZnPd samples still revealed a partially intermetallic near-surface region under MSR conditions.

The preparation of model silver catalysts supported on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite is described, and the effect of the Ag particle size on the catalytic ethylene oxidation into ethylene oxide, studied by in situ XPS and mass spectrometry, is considered. For a mean particle diameter of 8 nm, the adsorbed oxygen species characterized by an O 1s binding energy of 530.8 ± 0.2 eV (electrophilic oxygen) forms on the silver surface exposed to the ethylene-oxygen reaction mixture. Larger silver particles with a mean diameter of 40 nm additionally contain the adsorbed oxygen species characterized by an O 1s binding energy of 529.2 ± 0.2 eV (nucleophilic oxygen). The presence of both oxygen species on the surface of the larger particles ensures the formation of ethylene oxide, while the sample with the smaller silver particles is inactive in the epoxidation reaction. The O 1s signal at 530.8 eV is partly due to oxygen dissolved in the subsurface layers of silver.

In the present study the oxidation state and the surface composition of a ternary PtRuCo catalyst were investigated under methanol steam reforming (SRM) and water gas shift (WGS) reaction conditions at 570 K. Ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (APPES) was applied in situ at 0.5 mbar, while simultaneously monitoring the catalytic activity of the sample by on-line mass spectrometry. Non-destructive depth profile measurements performed under SRM reaction conditions over a polycrystalline PtCo foil, were also used to obtain detailed depth-resolved information. The results showed that surface segregation of cobalt and modification of its oxidation state occurs when switching from SRM to WGS reaction conditions. Evidence of ionic Pt was found only during WGS reaction, while Ru was mainly present in the metallic state. The results clearly demonstrate the dynamic response of the PtRuCo catalytic surface to the reaction atmosphere.

The surface chemical properties and the electronic properties of vapor grown carbon nanofibers (VGCNFs) have been modified by treatment of the oxidized CNFs with NH(3). The effect of treatment temperature on the types of nitrogen functionalities introduced was evaluated by synchrotron based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), while the impact of the preparation methods on the surface acid-base properties was investigated by potentiometric titration, microcalorimetry, and zeta potential measurements. The impact of the N-functionalization on the electronic properties was measured by THz-Time Domain spectroscopy. The samples functionalized via amination are characterized by the coexistence of acidic and basic O and N sites. The population of O and N species is temperature dependent. In particular, at 873 K nitrogen is stabilized in substitutional positions within the graphitic structure, as heterocyclic-like moieties. The surface presents heterogeneously distributed and energetically different basic sites. A small amount of strong basic sites gives rise to a differential heat of CO(2) adsorption of 150 kJ mol(-1). However, when functionalization is carried out at 473 K, nitrogen moieties with basic character are introduced and the maximum heat of adsorption is significantly lower, at approximately 90 kJ mol(-1). In the latter sample, energetically different basic sites coexist with acidic oxygen groups introduced during the oxidative step. Under these conditions, a bifunctional acidic and basic surface is obtained with high hydrophilic character. N-functionalization carried out at higher temperature changes the electronic properties of the CNFs as evaluated by THz-TDS. The functionalization procedure presented in this work allows high versatility and flexibility in tailoring the surface chemistry of nanocarbon material to specific needs. This work shows the potential of the N-containing nanocarbon materials obtained via amination in catalysis as well as electronic device materials.

The catalytic dehydrogenation (DH) and oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of light alkanes are of significant industrial importance. In this work both carbonaceous materials deposited on VOx/Al2O3 catalysts during reaction and unsupported carbon nanofibres (CNFs) are shown to be active for the dehydrogenation of butane in the absence of gas-phase oxygen. Their activity in these reactions is shown to be dependent upon their structure, with different reaction temperatures yielding structurally different coke deposits. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS), among other techniques, has been applied to the characterisation of these deposits – the first time this technique has been employed in coke studies. TEM and other techniques show that coke encapsulates the catalyst, preventing access to VOx sites, without a loss of activity. Studies on CNFs confirm that carbonaceous materials act as catalysts in this reaction. Carbon-based catalysts represent an important new class of potential catalysts for DH and ODH reactions.

X-ray photoelectron and absorption spectroscopies (XPS and XAS) combined with on-line mass spectrometry were applied under working catalytic conditions to investigate the methanol oxidation on cobalt. Two cobalt oxidation states (Co3O4 and CoO) were prepared and investigated as regards their influence on the catalytic activity and selectivity. In addition adsorbed species were monitored in the transition of the catalyst from the non-active to the active state. It was unequivocally shown that the surface oxidation state of cobalt is readily adapted to the oxygen chemical potential in the CH3OH/O2 reaction mixture. In particular, even in rich to oxygen mixtures the Co3O4 surface is partially reduced, while the degree of surface reduction is higher as the methanol concentration in the mixture increases. The reaction selectivity depends on the cobalt oxidation state with the more reduced samples favouring the partial oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde. In the absence of oxygen, methanol is effectively reducing cobalt to the metallic state, promoting also hydrogen and CO production. Direct evidence of methoxy and formate species adsorbed on the surface upon reaction was found by analysing the O 1s and C 1s photoelectron spectra. However, the surface coverage of those species was not proportional to the catalytic activity, indicating that in the absence of surface oxygen, these species might act also as reaction inhibitors.

We study catalyst−support and catalyst−carbon interactions during the chemical vapor deposition of single-walled carbon nanotubes by combining environmental transmission microscopy and in situ, time-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We present direct evidence of what constitutes catalyst functionality by comparing the behavior of Ni, Fe, Pd, and Au model catalyst films on SiO2 during preannealing in O2 and NH3 and during C2H2 decomposition. The catalyst metal surface supplies sites to dissociate the hydrocarbon precursor and then guides the formation of a carbon lattice and the liftoff of a carbon cap. The catalysts are sharply distinguished by their reactivity toward activation of the hydrocarbon precursor, following trends known from heterogeneous catalysis. For Fe and Ni, the active state of the catalyst is a crystalline metallic nanoparticle. Graphitic networks do not form on oxidized Fe. Pd forms a silicide on SiO2 under our reducing conditions. Pd (silicides) and Au nanocrystals are catalyt...

The effect of oxygen pre-treatment of Ag/SiO 2 catalysts used in the acrolein hydrogenation has been investigated from sub-atmospheric (266 mbar) to 10 bar reaction pressure. The pre-treatment has a profound influence on the overall hydrogenation activity, inasmuch the activity increased two- to three-fold. Oxygen pre-treatment also enhanced the selectivity towards the desired allyl alcohol. The beneficial effect of oxygen pre-treatment is ascribed to the formation of electronically modified Ag and/or morphology changes of the nanoparticles as no modification in particle size or dispersion was found.

Platinum supported on ceria can oxidize CO in excess hydrogen selectively (PROX process). In situ DRIFTS and high-pressure ( ∼ 1 mbar ) XPS experiments were performed to study the mechanism of the PROX reaction on Pt/ceria catalysts. The partial pressure of O2 and/or CO was varied and correlated with induced changes in activity and selectivity as well as with the surface state and species under reaction conditions. Pt-carbonyl species changed rather insignificantly, especially relative to the wide variations of the product pattern with changing feed composition. Furthermore, the interconversion of formate and carbonate species was observed. Therefore, the changes in the evolution of surface species detected by in situ DRIFTS cannot explain the variation observed in CO oxidation activity. On the other hand, high-pressure XPS showed significant modification of the surface state with changing feed composition. Most significantly, oxygen vacancy formation seemed to correlate with enhanced CO oxidation activity. At higher vacancy density, water desorption was hindered. Highly hydrated ceria with significant vacancy density was found to be beneficial for the PROX process; here surface water blocked Hads oxidation sites. Moreover, lower apparent activation energy of CO oxidation was measured in the PROX reaction on catalysts with more vacancies. The results given here reinforce the view of catalysts being adaptive to a certain reaction rather than having active sites as prepared. Whereas IR-detectable surface species may only be indicators and/or consequences of this surface change, formation of the beneficial surface/near-surface state may be the rate-limiting factor in several catalytic processes.