A Synthetic Pseudo-Rh: NOx Reduction Activity and Electronic Structure of Pd-Ru Solid-solution Alloy Nanoparticles

Katsutoshi Sato; Hiroyuki Tomonaga; Tomokazu Yamamoto; Syo Matsumura; Nor Diana Binti Zulkifli; Takayoshi Ishimoto; Michihisa Koyama; Kohei Kusada; Hirokazu Kobayashi; Hiroshi Kitagawa; Katsutoshi Nagaoka

doi:10.1038/srep28265

A Synthetic Pseudo-Rh: NOx Reduction Activity and Electronic Structure of Pd-Ru Solid-solution Alloy Nanoparticles

Sci Rep. 2016 Jun 24:6:28265. doi: 10.1038/srep28265.

Authors

Katsutoshi Sato^{1

2}, Hiroyuki Tomonaga², Tomokazu Yamamoto³, Syo Matsumura^{3

4}, Nor Diana Binti Zulkifli⁵, Takayoshi Ishimoto⁴, Michihisa Koyama^{4

5}, Kohei Kusada⁶, Hirokazu Kobayashi⁶, Hiroshi Kitagawa^{4

6}, Katsutoshi Nagaoka²

Affiliations

¹ Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts and Batteries, Kyoto University, 1-30 Goryo-Ohara, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8245, Japan.
² Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Oita University, 700 Dannoharu, Oita 870-1192, Japan.
³ Department of Applied Quantum Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Kyushu University, Motooka 744, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
⁴ INAMORI Frontier Research Center, Kyushu University, Motooka 744, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan.
⁵ Department of Hydrogen Energy Systems, Kyushu University, Motooka 744, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
⁶ Division of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.

Abstract

Rh is one of the most important noble metals for industrial applications. A major fraction of Rh is used as a catalyst for emission control in automotive catalytic converters because of its unparalleled activity toward NOx reduction. However, Rh is a rare and extremely expensive element; thus, the development of Rh alternative composed of abundant elements is desirable. Pd and Ru are located at the right and left of Rh in the periodic table, respectively, nevertheless this combination of elements is immiscible in the bulk state. Here, we report a Pd-Ru solid-solution-alloy nanoparticle (PdxRu1-x NP) catalyst exhibiting better NOx reduction activity than Rh. Theoretical calculations show that the electronic structure of Pd0.5Ru0.5 is similar to that of Rh, indicating that Pd0.5Ru0.5 can be regarded as a pseudo-Rh. Pd0.5Ru0.5 exhibits better activity than natural Rh, which implies promising applications not only for exhaust-gas cleaning but also for various chemical reactions.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't