Isolated Rh atoms in dehydrogenation catalysis

Isolated active sites have great potential to be highly efficient and stable in heterogeneous catalysis, while enabling low costs due to the low transition metal content. Herein, we present results on the synthesis, first catalytic trials, and characterization of the Ga9Rh2 phase and the hitherto not-studied Ga3Rh phase. We used XRD and TEM for structural characterization, and with XPS, EDX we accessed the chemical composition and electronic structure of the intermetallic compounds. In combination with catalytic tests of these phases in the challenging propane dehydrogenation and by DFT calculations, we obtain a comprehensive picture of these novel catalyst materials. Their specific crystallographic structure leads to isolated Rhodium sites, which is proposed to be the decisive factor for the catalytic properties of the systems.

Automated summary

This study presents the synthesis, catalytic trials, and characterization of Ga9Rh2 and Ga3Rh phases. Structural characterization was performed using XRD and TEM, while XPS and EDX were used to analyze their chemical composition and electronic structure. By conducting catalytic tests and DFT calculations, the researchers propose that the specific crystallographic structure of these catalyst materials leads to isolated Rhodium sites, which is crucial for their catalytic properties.