TY - JOUR
T1 - Nanoparticle sintering in atomic layer deposition of supported catalysts
T2 - Kinetic modeling of the size distribution
AU - Grillo, Fabio
AU - Moulijn, Jacob A.
AU - Kreutzer, Michiel T.
AU - van Ommen, J. Ruud
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - In industrial catalysis, the sintering of supported nanoparticles (NPs) is often associated with the loss of catalyst activity and thus with periodic plant downtime and economic burdens. Yet, sintering mechanisms are at play also during the synthesis of the catalyst itself. They can, in fact, determine the size distribution of the NPs, and thus the activity and the stability of the catalyst. Here, we examine the role of nanoparticle sintering in a technique borrowed from the semiconductor industry that promises to reconcile atomic-scale precision with scalability: atomic layer deposition. By modeling the cyclic influx of single atoms in concomitance with NP sintering via either dynamic coalescence or Ostwald ripening, we establish the "signature" of different growth regimes: the size distribution. In contrast, we show that integral quantities such as the mean diameter, the number of NPs per unit area, and the material loading are poor indicators of the underlying growth mechanism. In particular, a constant number of NPs cannot be interpreted as a sign of no sintering. Finally, we argue that NP sintering, if properly understood, can open up new avenues for the control over the size distribution of NPs, and thus over their catalytic activity and stability.
AB - In industrial catalysis, the sintering of supported nanoparticles (NPs) is often associated with the loss of catalyst activity and thus with periodic plant downtime and economic burdens. Yet, sintering mechanisms are at play also during the synthesis of the catalyst itself. They can, in fact, determine the size distribution of the NPs, and thus the activity and the stability of the catalyst. Here, we examine the role of nanoparticle sintering in a technique borrowed from the semiconductor industry that promises to reconcile atomic-scale precision with scalability: atomic layer deposition. By modeling the cyclic influx of single atoms in concomitance with NP sintering via either dynamic coalescence or Ostwald ripening, we establish the "signature" of different growth regimes: the size distribution. In contrast, we show that integral quantities such as the mean diameter, the number of NPs per unit area, and the material loading are poor indicators of the underlying growth mechanism. In particular, a constant number of NPs cannot be interpreted as a sign of no sintering. Finally, we argue that NP sintering, if properly understood, can open up new avenues for the control over the size distribution of NPs, and thus over their catalytic activity and stability.
KW - Dynamic coalescence
KW - Mechanisms
KW - Modeling
KW - Nanoparticle growth
KW - Ostwald ripening
KW - Size distribution
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042190800&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cattod.2018.02.020
DO - 10.1016/j.cattod.2018.02.020
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85042190800
SN - 0920-5861
VL - 316
SP - 51
EP - 61
JO - Catalysis Today
JF - Catalysis Today
ER -