Relating structure and composition with accessibility of a single catalyst particle using correlative 3-dimensional micro-spectroscopy

To understand how hierarchically structured functional materials operate, analytical tools are needed that can reveal small structural and chemical details in large sample volumes. Often, a single method alone is not sufficient to get a complete picture of processes happening at multiple length scales. Here we present a correlative approach combining three-dimensional X-ray imaging techniques at different length scales for the analysis of metal poisoning of an individual catalyst particle. The correlative nature of the data allowed establishing a macro-pore network model that interprets metal accumulations as a resistance to mass transport and can, by tuning the effect of metal deposition, simulate the response of the network to a virtual ageing of the catalyst particle. The developed approach is generally applicable and provides an unprecedented view on dynamic changes in a material's pore space, which is an essential factor in the rational design of functional porous materials.