Porous Metal Oxide Coating for Sinter-Resistant Catalysts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Catalyst systems comprising supported metal nanoparticles suffer from sintering at high temperatures, leading to decreased catalytic activity due to agglomeration and particle growth, which existing chemistry-based techniques have been unable to effectively address.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the application of a metal salt solution to a nanoparticle catalyst bound to a metal oxide support, followed by calcination to generate a porous coating of metal oxide nanoparticles, which enhances thermal durability and reduces metal loading requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If metal nanoparticles are used as catalysts, then catalytic activity is achieved, but sintering occurs at high temperatures leading to decreased activity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatalyst activityVSAvoidcatalyst lifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

A porous coating layer is applied over the metal nanoparticles to form a protective shell that prevents sintering while allowing reactant and product diffusion. The coating acts as a physical barrier that stabilizes nanoparticle size and prevents agglomeration during high-temperature operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The protective coating is designed with a porous structure containing numerous pores that allow reactants to reach and products to leave the metal nanoparticle surfaces. The porosity enables mass transport while the coating structure prevents direct nanoparticle contact and sintering.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Duration of action of stationary object

If a protective coating is applied to prevent sintering, then thermal durability is improved, but metal loading requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal durabilityVSAvoidmetal loading

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The porous coating structure provides high surface area with low material consumption. The interconnected pore network allows efficient mass transport while the coating's porous nature reduces the quantity of protective material needed compared to dense coatings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The coating is designed with uniform pore distribution and consistent thickness across the catalyst surface, ensuring homogeneous protection of all metal nanoparticles. This uniform structure optimizes the balance between protection effectiveness and material usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

3Duration of action of stationary object

If a protective coating is applied to prevent sintering, then catalyst lifespan is extended, but the coating structure becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatalyst lifespanVSAvoidcoating structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The porous coating provides effective sintering protection through its pore structure that prevents nanoparticle contact while allowing mass transport. The porous architecture achieves protection with relatively simple material composition and straightforward synthesis approaches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The porous coating significantly reduces catalyst activity loss by suppressing sintering, resulting in higher thermal durability and up to 90% reduction in metal loading requirements, thereby extending catalyst lifespan and maintaining activity under elevated temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

precipitating the metal salts onto the particle and the support

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPrecipitation: Precipitation

Implementation Method 2

calcining the metal salts to generate a porous coating of metal oxide

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCalcination: Heat Treatment

Implementation Method 3

The supports physically separate the metal nanoparticles to prevent agglomeration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical separation: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentUS9649627B1Sinter-resistant low-cost catalysts manufactured by solution-based nanoparticle coating processes

Publication Date: 2017.05.16 GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

AI summary

Catalysts that are resistant to high-temperature sintering and methods for preparing such catalysts that are resistant to sintering at high temperatures are provided. The catalysts include a metal nanoparticle bound to a metal oxide support, where the metal nanoparticle and support are coated with a porous metal oxide coating layer. The catalyst is prepared by contacting a metal nanoparticle bound to a metal oxide support with a solution of metal salts, drying the solution of metal salts, and calcining the metal salts to generate a porous metal oxide coating on the metal nanoparticle and metal oxide support.