NbOPO<sub>4</sub> Supported Rh Nanoparticles with Strong Metal−Support Interactions for Selective CO<sub>2</sub> Hydrogenation
Lingxiang Wang, Lingxiang Wang, Wei Fang, Liang Wang, Liang Wang, Feng‐Shou Xiao
Abstract
Abstract Strong metal−support interactions (SMSI) could improve the performance of nanoparticle catalysts through the electronic and geometric modulation of the reducible metal oxide supports. Here, SMSI is demonstrated to occur for catalysts with non‐oxide carrier, such as NbOPO 4 ‐supported Rh nanoparticles, under reduction treatment at low temperature. During CO 2 hydrogenation, this Rh/NbOPO 4 catalyst with SMSI exhibits impressive CO selectivity at high CO 2 conversion in a wide temperature range with hindered methanation. For example, over 98.9 % CO selectivity was obtained with 39.9 % CO 2 conversion at 500 °C. Mechanism investigations demonstrate that the SMSI results in the formation of a metal−support interface with weaker CO adsorption than the metallic Rh sites, thus accelerating the CO desorption, which hinders deep hydrogenation. Rh nanoparticles with small diameter of about 1.1 nm is sinter‐resistant with unchanged performance during a long‐period test. This work might extend the investigation of SMSI from oxides to phosphate supports, which helps optimizing the selectivity and stability of metal nanoparticle catalysts.