- 2019-09-26 13:05:06
- Article ID: 719697
Shocking heat waves stabilize single atoms
-
Credit: (Image by Zhennan Huang and Reza Shahbazian-Yassar, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago.)
Single platinum atoms spread over a sea of carbon substrate.
A current hot topic in catalysis research is the development of single atom catalysts — those whose atoms are not bound to each other. The increase in exposure of single atom catalysts maximizes atom-use efficiency for catalytic performance, aiding crucial processes such as the manufacturing of fuel and pharmaceuticals.
Synthesizing stable single atom catalysts proves challenging because many of the most useful catalytic reactions, such as the conversion of methane, can only occur at high temperatures. To remain in a stable state, single atoms often cluster together when high temperatures introduce an increase in instability to the system, causing a decline in their catalytic performance.
“We don’t want to stop here. We want to study this novel method in common reactions and then generalize it to other materials." — Tianpin Wu, Argonne scientist
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, along with partners from multiple universities, have demonstrated that exposing a catalyst and substrate to repeated high‑temperature shock waves breaks the catalyst into single atoms and allows the system to remain stable for unprecedented periods of time.
In this pivotal discovery, the scientists used platinum for the catalyst and carbon for the substrate. Platinum serves as a catalyst for many important reactions, such as driving fuel cells and converting natural gas to more useful forms.
The study, which recently appeared in Nature Nanotechnology, took advantage of interdisciplinary collaboration between multiple national labs and universities. Computer models of the system during heat pulsing came from the University of Maryland. The predictions for how the system would behave closely matched the actual results obtained during reaction tests at Johns Hopkins University and X-ray absorption spectroscopy at Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source (APS), a DOE Office of Science User Facility. In situ stability testing using atomic resolution microscopy was performed at University of Illinois at Chicago and at the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, another DOE Office of Science User Facility at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
The APS beamline operated by the X-ray Science division Spectroscopy group specializes in X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and it hosts a wide variety of users from fields such as energy storage, catalysis and environmental science. The technique they employed for the system in this study is able to uniquely characterize single-atom catalysis. The scientists were able to show that after 10 shock waves, there were virtually no platinum-platinum bonds, and that the platinum was binding with the carbon substrate, which is important in explaining the boosted performance of the system.
The scientists dispersed platinum atoms over a carbon surface, and at low temperatures, the platinum clustered together instead of binding as individual atoms with the carbon. After one high temperature shock wave — or pulse of heat — the platinum islands began to break apart and, after 10 pulses, the platinum was uniformly dispersed and planted in the carbon.
These experiments were performed using shock waves at record-high temperatures of up to 2000 K, a temperature higher than even the hottest magma below Earth’s surface, establishing a stable catalytic environment ripe with potential for reaction. The system remained stable for more than 50 hours after synthesis.
The shock wave method bypasses the common problem of single atoms binding with themselves because when you heat atoms to high temperatures, the splash of energy causes them to move around and break their pre-existing bonds. This instability disrupts platinum-platinum bonds and makes the platinum spread out over the carbon, providing energy-stable opportunities for it to bind with the carbon molecules. With each additional shock wave, the platinum atoms spread out more and more.
“The bonds between platinum and carbon are strong, so if you separate the platinum from itself and it binds with carbon, it will stay there,” said Tianpin Wu of the Spectroscopy group, an Argonne scientist on the study. “The carbon is like soil and the platinum is like a flower with strong roots — the system is very stable.”
Using thermal shock waves as a method of synthesizing single-atom catalysts is a time-efficient and widely applicable way of achieving catalytic environments that are conventionally challenging. The team plans to use this method to synthesize other important catalysts such as ruthenium and cobalt with substrates of carbon nitride and titanium dioxide to gain a more general theory of how the method works.
“We don’t want to stop here,” said Wu. “We want to study this novel method in common reactions and then generalize it to other materials.”
“We compared the performance of our high-temperature single atom platinum catalyst with conventional platinum nanoparticles in methane conversion, and we saw a significant improvement in selectivity and thermal stability over long periods of time,” said Wu.
The team went further to test the thermal stability of the system by treating the single atoms with shock waves up to 3000 K. The result was still a sea of single atoms, allowing for maximized atom-use efficiency.
“This work was like a puzzle, and all of the collaborators’ contributions were necessary to get a detailed picture of the system,” said Wu. “Not any one of the techniques could have told the story alone, but together we showed that this method is as successful as it is.”
Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation’s first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America’s scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://energy.gov/science.
MORE NEWS FROM
Argonne National Laboratory
comments 
commenting policy
Participating Labs
- DOE Office of Science
- Argonne National Laboratory
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Iowa State University, Ames Laboratory
- Brookhaven National Laboratory
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
- Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab)
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Biofuel producers make significant gains in efficiency, productivity and conservation, Argonne survey shows
The nation's biofuel producers have made significant gains in both energy efficiency and water conservation in recent years, according to a comprehensive survey conducted by Argonne National Laboratory.
Machine Learning Enhances Light-Beam Performance at the Advanced Light Source
A team of researchers at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley has successfully demonstrated how machine-learning tools can improve the stability of light beams' size for science experiments at a synchrotron light source via adjustments that largely cancel out unwanted fluctuations.
Machine learning analyses help unlock secrets of stable 'supercrystal'
By blasting a frustrated mixture of materials with quick pulses of laser light, researchers transformed a superlattice into a supercrystal, a rare, repeating, three-dimensional structural much larger than an ordinary crystal. Using machine learning techniques, they studied the underlying structure of this sample at the nanoscale level before and after applying the laser pulse treatment.
Argonne collaborates to review current battery recycling processes for electric vehicles
Nature has published a new review co-authored by Argonne analyst Linda Gaines. The review evaluates the state of EV battery recycling today and what's needed to build a more sustainable future.
Go With the Flow: Scientists Design New Grid Batteries for Renewable Energy
Scientists at Berkeley Lab have designed an affordable 'flow battery' membrane that could accelerate renewable energy for the electrical grid.
Tests start at CERN for large-scale prototype of new technology to detect neutrinos
Scientists working at CERN have started tests of a new neutrino detector prototype, using a very promising technology called "dual phase." If successful, this new technology will be used at a much larger scale for the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, hosted by the U.S Department of Energy's Fermilab.
New Measurement Yields Smaller Proton Radius
Physicists get closer to solving the proton radius puzzle with unique new measurement of the charge radius of the proton.
A Game-Changing Test for Prion, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's Diseases is on the Horizon
A new test agent can easily and efficiently detect the misfolded protein aggregates that cause devastating neurological diseases in blood samples. The technology could lead to early diagnosis of prion, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases for the first time.
Are Students Getting Enough Air?
Roughly 85% of recently installed HVAC systems in K-12 classrooms investigated in California did not provide adequate ventilation, according to a study from UC Davis and the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Scientists put the "solve" in "solvent" for lithium-sulfur battery challenge
Argonne scientists have discovered how a certain class of electrolyte material can reduce the frequency of polysulfide shuttling, potentially paving the way for more effective lithium-sulfur batteries.
U.S. Department of Energy to Hold Fifth CyberForce Competition(tm)
Going on its fourth year, DOE's CyberForce Competition(tm) on Nov. 15-16 will give teams of cybersecurity students and professionals the opportunity to compete and refine their skills in real-time at 10 national laboratories across the U.S.
Daniel Gruen awarded 2019 Panofsky Fellowship at SLAC
Daniel Gruen's work on how massive objects bend light from distant galaxies is aimed at unraveling some of the greatest mysteries of modern physics: What is dark matter? What is dark energy, and how is it accelerating the expansion of the universe?
DOE Announces FY 2020 Small Business Innovation Research Funding Opportunity
The Department of Energy (DOE) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs issued its FY 2020 Phase II Release 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) with approximately $97 million in available funding.
Research effort by Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago results in R&D 100 Award
A joint effort by the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago has led to a prestigious R&D 100 Award and is expected to bring an innovation closer to market so it ultimately can be used in many industrial applications.
Department of Energy Awards Fermilab Funding for Next-Generation Dark Matter Research
The U.S. Department of Energy announced that it has awarded scientists at its Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory funding to boost research on dark matter, the mysterious substance that makes up an astounding 85% of the matter in the universe.
Fermilab Scientist Xingchen Xu Receives Prestigious DOE Award to Develop Superconductors
Fermilab scientist Xingchen Xu has received the prestigious $2.5 million Department of Energy Early Career Research Award to fund his five-year mission: advancing two technologies that will improve the performance niobium-tin superconductor by 50% or more, allowing for smaller coils, stronger magnetic fields and lower costs.
ORNL to take on nine power grid modernization projects as part of DOE award
Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers will lead two new projects and support seven more to enhance the reliability and resilience of the nation's power grid as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's 2019 Grid Modernization Lab Call.
Berkeley Lab Innovations Recognized With 3 R&D 100 Awards
Cutting-edge technologies from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) to detect radiation, make buildings more energy efficient, and accelerate neuroscience research were honored with R&D 100 Awards by R&D World magazine.
Argonne and partners take home nine R&D 100 Awards in 2019
Research teams at Argonne National Laboratory have won nine R&D 100 awards, three more are named finalists.
PNNL Garners R&D 100 Awards
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is the recipient of two R&D 100 awards and one gold medal.
Harvesting Energy from Light using Bio-inspired Artificial Cells
Scientists designed and connected two different artificial cells to each other to produce molecules called ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
Engineering Living Scaffolds for Building Materials
Bone and mollusk shells are composite systems that combine living cells and inorganic components. This allows them to regenerate and change structure while also being very strong and durable. Borrowing from this amazing complexity, researchers have been exploring a new class of materials called engineered living materials (ELMs).
Excavating Quantum Information Buried in Noise
Researchers developed two new methods to assess and remove error in how scientists measure quantum systems. By reducing quantum "noise" - uncertainty inherent to quantum processes - these new methods improve accuracy and precision.
How Electrons Move in a Catastrophe
Lanthanum strontium manganite (LSMO) is a widely applicable material, from magnetic tunnel junctions to solid oxide fuel cells. However, when it gets thin, its behavior changes for the worse. The reason why was not known. Now, using two theoretical methods, a team determined what happens.
When Ions and Molecules Cluster
How an ion behaves when isolated within an analytical instrument can differ from how it behaves in the environment. Now, Xue-Bin Wang at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory devised a way to bring ions and molecules together in clusters to better discover their properties and predict their behavior.
Tune in to Tetrahedral Superstructures
Shape affects how the particles fit together and, in turn, the resulting material. For the first time, a team observed the self-assembly of nanoparticles with tetrahedral shapes.
Tracing Interstellar Dust Back to the Solar System's Formation
This study is the first to confirm dust particles pre-dating the formation of our solar system. Further study of these materials will enable a deeper understanding of the processes that formed and have since altered them.
Investigating Materials that Can Go the Distance in Fusion Reactors
Future fusion reactors will require materials that can withstand extreme operating conditions, including being bombarded by high-energy neutrons at high temperatures. Scientists recently irradiated titanium diboride (TiB2) in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) to better understand the effects of fusion neutrons on performance.
Better 3-D Imaging of Tumors in the Breast with Less Radiation
In breast cancer screening, an imaging technique based on nuclear medicine is currently being used as a successful secondary screening tool alongside mammography to improve the accuracy of the diagnosis. Now, a team is hoping to improve this imaging technique.
Microbes are Metabolic Specialists
Scientists can use genetic information to measure if microbes in the environment can perform specific ecological roles. Researchers recently analyzed the genomes of over 6,000 microbial species.
Spotlight
Barbara Garcia: A first-generation college student spends summer doing research at PPPL
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Argonne organization's scholarship fund blazes STEM pathway
Argonne National Laboratory
Brookhaven Lab, Suffolk Girl Scouts Launch Patch Program
Brookhaven National Laboratory
From an acoustic levitator to a "Neutron Bloodhound" robot, hands-on research inspires PPPL's summer interns
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Brookhaven Lab Celebrates the Bright Future of its 2019 Interns
Brookhaven National Laboratory
PPPL apprenticeship program offers young people chance to earn while they learn high-tech careers
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
JSA Awards Graduate Fellowships for Research at Jefferson Lab
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
ILSAMP Symposium showcases benefits for diverse students, STEM pipeline
Argonne National Laboratory
Integrating Scientific Computing into Science Curricula
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Students from Minnesota and Massachusetts Win DOE's 29th National Science Bowl(r)
Department of Energy, Office of Science
DOE's Science Graduate Student Research Program Selects 70 Students to Pursue Research at DOE Laboratories
Department of Energy, Office of Science
Young Women's Conference in STEM seeks to change the statistics one girl at a time
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Students team with Argonne scientists and engineers to learn about STEM careers
Argonne National Laboratory
Lynbrook High wins 2019 SLAC Regional Science Bowl competition
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Equipping the next generation for a technological revolution
Argonne National Laboratory
Chemistry intern inspired by Argonne's real-world science
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne intern streamlines the beamline
Argonne National Laboratory
Research on Light-Matter Interaction Could Lead to Improved Electronic and Optoelectronic Devices
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Innovating Our Energy Future
Oregon State University, College of Engineering
Physics graduate student takes her thesis research to a Department of Energy national lab
University of Alabama at Birmingham
"Model" students enjoy Argonne campus life
Argonne National Laboratory
Writing Code for a More Skilled and Diverse STEM Workforce
Brookhaven National Laboratory
New graduate student summer school launches at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
The Gridlock State
California State University (CSU) Chancellor's Office
Meet Jasmine Hatcher and Trishelle Copeland-Johnson
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Argonne hosts Modeling, Experimentation and Validation Summer School
Argonne National Laboratory
Undergraduate Students Extoll Benefits of National Laboratory Research Internships in Fusion and Plasma Science
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Students affected by Hurricane Maria bring their research to SLAC
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Brookhaven Lab Pays Tribute to 2018 Summer Interns
Brookhaven National Laboratory
CSUMB Selected to Host Architecture at Zero Competition in 2019
California State University, Monterey Bay
From Hurricane Katrina Victim to Presidential Awardee: A SUNO Professor's Award-Winning Mentoring Efforts
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Department of Energy Invests $64 Million in Advanced Nuclear Technology
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Professor Miao Yu Named the Priti and Mukesh Chatter '82 Career Development Professor
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
2018 RHIC & AGS Annual Users' Meeting: 'Illuminating the QCD Landscape'
Brookhaven National Laboratory
High-School Students Studying Carbon-Based Nanomaterials for Cancer Drug Delivery Visit Brookhaven Lab's Nanocenter
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Argonne welcomes The Martian author Andy Weir
Argonne National Laboratory
UW Professor and Clean Energy Institute Director Daniel Schwartz Wins Highest U.S. Award for STEM Mentors
University of Washington
Creating STEM Knowledge and Innovations to Solve Global Issues Like Water, Food, and Energy
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA)
Professor Emily Liu Receives $1.8 Million DoE Award for Solar Power Systems Research
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Celebrating 40 years of empowerment in science
Argonne National Laboratory
Introducing Graduate Students Across the Globe to Photon Science
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Students from Massachusetts and Washington Win DOE's 28th National Science Bowl(r)
Department of Energy, Office of Science
Q&A: Al Ashley Reflects on His Efforts to Diversify SLAC and Beyond
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Insights on Innovation in Energy, Humanitarian Aid Highlight UVA Darden's Net Impact Week
University of Virginia Darden School of Business
Ivy League Graduate, Writer and Activist with Dyslexia Visits CSUCI to Reframe the Concept of Learning Disabilities
California State University, Channel Islands
Photographer Adam Nadel Selected as Fermilab's New Artist-in-Residence for 2018
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab)
Showing results
0-4 Of 2215