Revealing the effect of metal-support interactions at the Ni/In2O3(111) interface on the selective CO2 hydrogenation
Yishui Ding, Jie Chen, Xu Lian, Zhangliu Tian, Xiangrui Geng, Yihe Wang, Yuan Liu, Wei Wang, Meng Wang, Yukun Xiao, Tengyu Jin, Mingyue Sun, Zhenni Yang, Kelvin H. L. Zhang, Jian‐Qiang Zhong, Wei Chen
Abstract
In 2 O 3 -supported Ni catalysts exhibit remarkable catalytic activity and selectivity in CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol, but the underlying mechanisms and metal-oxide interactions during the reaction remain elusive. Herein, we investigate the Ni-In 2 O 3 interaction by physical vapor deposition of Ni onto well-defined In 2 O 3 (111) thin films . In-situ near ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS) was employed to probe the CO 2 hydrogenation processes on these Ni/In 2 O 3 (111) model systems. Our results reveal that the small Ni clusters supported on the In 2 O 3 (111) surface at low Ni coverages exhibit cationic states. The chemical bonding and associated electron transfer at the Ni/In 2 O 3 (111) interface play crucial roles in the activation of H 2 and CO 2 . Importantly, reaction intermediates (CO 3 *, OH, and HCOO*) are readily formed and desorbed under CO 2 hydrogenation conditions. Our study highlights the significance of metal-support interactions on the selectivity of CO 2 hydrogenation. These findings provide valuable insights into the rational design of advanced In 2 O 3 -based catalysts for CO 2 hydrogenation.