In recently published article in ACS Catalysis, our researcher in collaboration with the Integrated Materials Design Centre, showed that light pre-treatment of Platinum loaded onto TiO2 nanoparticles can boost catalytic oxygen activation. Oxygen activation is a key reaction step in assorted thermal catalytic processes. Light pre-treatment improved catalyst performance by altering metal oxidation state and /or activated oxygen (O ads) generation. First principle calculations demonstrated that light pre-treatment reduced the oxygen dissociation barrier as each metal becomes negatively charged via electron injection from the TiO2 conduction bands. The findings reported here are of importance for those seeking to promote catalyst performance via facile and non-thermal approach, where the system is dependent on oxygen activation.

Read more in ACS Catalysis, 2017, 7(5), 3644-3653 (DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.7b00700)

Illustration of how light pre-treatment improved catalyst performance by altering metal oxidation state and/or activated Oxygen generation.