Enhanced catalytic performance of atomically dispersed Pd on Pr-doped CeO2 nanorod in CO oxidation

Single-atom noble metal catalysts have been widely studied for catalytic oxidation of CO. Regulating the coordination environment of single metal atom site is an effective strategy to improve the intrinsic catalytic activity of single atom catalyst. In this work, single atom Pd catalyst supported on Pr-doped CeO2 nanorods was prepared, and the performance and nature of Pr-coordinated atomic Pd site in CO catalytic oxidation are systematically investigated. The structure characterization using AC-HAADF-STEM, EXAFS, XRD and Raman spectroscopy demonstrate the formation of single atom Pd site and abundant surface oxygen vacancies on the surface of Pr-doped CeO2 nanorod. With the combination of the XPS characterization and DFT calculations, the oxidation state of Pd on Pr-doped CeO2 nanorod is determined lower than that on CeO2 nanorod. The turnover frequency of CO oxidation is markedly increased from 8.4 × 10−3 to 31.9 × 10−3 s with Pr-doping at 130 ºC and GHSV of 70,000 h−1. Combined with kinetic studies, DRIFT and DFT calculations, the doped-Pr atoms reduced the formation energy of oxygen vacancies and generate more oxygen vacancies around the atomically dispersed Pd sites on the surface of cerium oxide, which reduces the dissociation energy of oxygen, thereby accelerating the reaction rate of CO oxidation. [Display omitted] •Atomically dispersed Pd is anchored on the (110) crystal plane of the PrCeO2 nanorod support.•Oxygen vacancies of CeO2 nanorods was controllably tuned by Pr doping.•Pr doping enhances the intrinsic activity of its coordinated Pd single atom.•Generated oxygen vacancies by Pr introducing considerably promote the reaction between CO and the lattice oxygen.