Surface characterization and methane activation on SnOx/Cu2O/Cu(111) inverse oxide/metal catalysts

To activate methane at low or medium temperatures is a difficult task and a pre-requisite for the conversion of this light alkane into high value chemicals. Herein, we report the preparation and characterizations of novel SnOx/Cu2O/Cu(111) interfaces that enable low-temperature methane activation. Scanning tunneling microscopy identified small, well-dispersed SnOx nanoclusters on the Cu2O/Cu(111) substrate with an average size of 8 angstrom, and such morphology was sustained up to 450 K in UHV annealing. Ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that hydrocarbon species (CHx groups), the product of methane activation, were formed on SnOx/Cu2O/Cu(111) at a temperature as low as 300 K. An essential role of the SnOx-Cu2O interface was evinced by the SnOx coverage dependence. Systems with a small amount of tin oxide, 0.1-0.2 ML coverage, produced the highest concentration of adsorbed CHx groups. Calculations based on density functional theory showed a drastic reduction in the activation barrier for C-H bond cleavage when going from Cu2O/Cu(111) to SnOx/Cu2O/Cu(111). On the supported SnOx, the dissociation of methane was highly exothermic (Delta E similar to -35 kcal mol(-1)) and the calculated barrier for activation (similar to 20 kcal mol(-1)) could be overcome at 300-500 K, target temperatures for the conversion of methane to high value chemicals.

Automated summary

A novel SnOx/Cu2O/Cu(111) interface was reported for low-temperature methane activation, enabling the conversion of methane into high value chemicals. Small, well-dispersed SnOx nanoclusters were identified on the Cu2O/Cu(111) substrate, with a small amount of tin oxide coverage producing the highest concentration of CHx groups. The activation barrier for C-H bond cleavage was drastically reduced on SnOx/Cu2O/Cu(111), allowing methane dissociation to occur at temperatures between 300-500 K.