Shunqin Luo, Hui Song, Fumihiko Ichihara, Mitsutake Oshikiri, Wenning Lu, Dai-Ming Tang, Sijie Li, Yunxiang Li, Yifan Li, Philo Davin, Tetsuya Kako, Huiwen Lin, Jinhua Ye
The structure and configuration of reaction centers, which dominantly govern the catalytic behaviors, often undergo dynamic transformations under reaction conditions, yet little is known about how to exploit these features to favor the catalytic functions. Here, we demonstrate a facile light activation strategy over a TiO2 -supported Cu catalyst to regulate the dynamic restructuring of Cu active sites during low-temperature methanol steam reforming. Under illumination, the thermally deactivated Cu/TiO2 undergoes structural restoration from inoperative Cu2 O to the originally active metallic Cu caused by photoexcited charge carriers from TiO2 , thereby leading to substantially enhanced activity and stability...
September 7, 2023: Journal of the American Chemical Society