The thermal stability of zinc aluminate nanoparticles is critical for their use as catalyst supports. In this study, we experimentally show that doping with 0.5 mol % Y2O3 improves the stability of zinc aluminate nanoparticles. The dopant spontaneously segregates to the nanoparticle surfaces in a phenomenon correlated with excess energy reduction and the hindering of coarsening. Y3+ was selected based on atomistic simulations on a 4 nm zinc aluminate nanoparticle singularly doped with elements of different ionic radii: Sc3+, In3+, Y3+, and Nd3+. The segregation energies were generally proportional to ionic radii, with Y3+ showing the highest potential for surface segregation. Direct measurements of surface thermodynamics confirmed the decreasing trend in surface energy from 0.99 for undoped to 0.85 J/m2 for Y-doped nanoparticles. Diffusion coefficients calculated from coarsening curves for undoped and doped compositions at 850 °C were 4.8 × 10-12 cm2/s and 2.5 × 10-12 cm2/s, respectively, indicating the coarsening inhibition induced by Y3+ results from a combination of a reduced driving force (surface energy) and decreased atomic mobility.
© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.