Abstract
Controlled shape and size distribution of metal nanoparticles for surface catalytic reactions are important. Through deposition onto the periodic surface of h-BN we can adjust these parameters of gold thereby we are able to influence the catalytic activity of the nanoparticles. In this study we investigated the decomposition of ethanol on gold nanoparticles supported on h-BN/Rh(111). High-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) methods have been used on the experimental side. Ethanol showed enhanced stability on Au/h-BN/Rh(111) system. The stabilization effect increases with gold coverage and saturates before gold reaches a continuous adlayer. High selectivity was observed towards “CO free” hydrogen, a small part of ethanol dissociated to hydrogen and acetaldehyde without further decomposition. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations delivered important information about the adsorption characteristics of ethanol and hydrogen on model Au/h-BN/Rh(111). The importance of low-coordinated negatively charged Au atoms is confirmed by DFT results.
Highlights
There are several interesting layered systems, such as two-dimensional (2D) graphene-like honeycomb structure made up of materials other than carbon
We need to count with a charge transfer between the substrate and gold which takes place at lower coverages and resulted in negatively charged particles
Given the experimental temperature range, it is hard to conclude on a favored adsorption geometry of ethanol on any of the studied surfaces. These findings are practically insensitive to the inclusion or lack of dipole corrections in the Density functional theory (DFT) calculation of the total energies, and they support the experimental finding of a very weak interaction between ethanol and Hexagonal boron nitride (h-boron nitride (BN)), even if Au is present in a small quantity on h-BN (compare the High-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) results for pure h-BN/Rh(111) and ΘAu = 0.2 monolayer equivalent (MLE) in Fig. 2A, which are very similar)
Summary
There are several interesting layered systems, such as two-dimensional (2D) graphene-like honeycomb structure made up of materials other than carbon. In order to establish the role of gold nanoparticles it is worth to study the interaction of ethanol using a practically inert support For this purpose the boron nitride (BN) would be a good candidate [15]. The choice of boron nitride is promising but there is not a hundred percent guarantee for the full inactivity in certain cases as it was presented recently that the boron nitride is an excellent catalyst for selective oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propene [43,44] Beside this very important catalytic behaviour of BN, it was concluded that CeC bond rupture – which is an important step in ethanol decomposition - was not detected in the present study.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
