Rationally designed of lanthanum decorated NiCo2O4 nanoboxs supported palladium for enhanced low temperature wet methane combustion

The development of high-efficiency Pd-based catalysts with excellent water tolerance at low temperatures remains a major challenge. Here, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process is developed for depositing lanthanum on the surface of hollow NiCo2O4 nanoboxes (NiCo2O4 NBs), and then acts as a structural template to incorporate PdOx species by in-situ reduction method (Pd/La-NiCo2O4 NBs). The hollow structure of NiCo2O4 NBs is beneficial for exposing more active sites. The ALD-modification of La on the surface of NiCo2O4 NBs can inhibit the accumulation of inactive hydroxyl groups/water and improve water vapor tolerance of Pd/La-NiCo2O4 NBs at low temperature. The Pd embedded into NiCo2O4 lattice significant enhance the catalyst activity of Pd/LaNiCo2O4 NBs for methane combustion at low temperatures. This strategy of surface control of spinel by ALD technology provides a new route for rational design high-efficiency catalysts.

Automated summary

A strategy of surface control of spinel by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology was developed to enhance the water vapor tolerance of Pd/La-NiCo2O4 nanoboxes (NBs). The ALD-modification of lanthanum on the surface of NiCo2O4 NBs inhibited the accumulation of inactive hydroxyl groups/water, improving the Pd/La-NiCo2O4 NBs' water vapor tolerance at low temperatures. The embedding of Pd into the NiCo2O4 lattice significantly enhanced the catalyst activity of Pd/LaNiCo2O4 NBs for methane combustion at low temperatures.