Interfacial Effects in Iron-Nickel Hydroxide–Platinum Nanoparticles Enhance Catalytic Oxidation

Hybrid metal nanoparticles can allow separate reaction steps to occur in close proximity at different metal sites and accelerate catalysis. We synthesized iron-nickel hydroxide-platinum (transition metal-OH-Pt) nanoparticles with diameters below 5 nanometers and showed that they are highly efficient for carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation catalysis at room temperature. We characterized the composition and structure of the transition metal-OH-Pt interface and showed that Ni(2+) plays a key role in stabilizing the interface against dehydration. Density functional theory and isotope-labeling experiments revealed that the OH groups at the Fe(3+)-OH-Pt interfaces readily react with CO adsorbed nearby to directly yield…

• NS
  National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center