Exsolution–Dissolution of Supported Metals on High-Entropy Co<sub>3</sub>MnNiCuZnO<i><sub>x</sub></i>: Toward Sintering-Resistant Catalysis
Jiahua Zhao, Jiafeng Bao, Shize Yang, Qiang Niu, Rongyong Xie, Qiuyue Zhang, Mingshu Chen, Pengfei Zhang, Sheng Dai
Abstract
Herein, in situ generation of CuCoNi nanoalloys over a high-entropy oxide Co3MnNiCuZnOx matrix has been employed to generate a sintering-resistant metal-oxide interface for the CO2 hydrogenation reaction. The high-entropy Co3MnNiCuZnOx catalyst with a single reverse spinel structure was synthesized by a mechanochemical redox-based process and thermal treatment just at 600 °C. Interestingly, the entropy-driven force allows the exsolution and dissolution of CuCoNi alloys under reductive and oxidative recyles, which results in the dynamics confinement of the supported metals. With high temperature (500 °C) CO2 hydrogenation as a model reaction, the restriction of CuCoNi nanoparticles over a high-entropy Co3MnNiCuZnOx matrix guaranteed long-term thermal stability (>100 h). In comparison, binary CoMnOx as a control catalyst deactivated in 10 h. This high-entropy stabilization may inspire a number of sintering-resistant catalysts in the near future.