The microstructure of bimetallic Ru---Cu/SiO2 catalysts: A chemisorption and analytical electron microscopy study

Abstract

Supported bimetallic Ru---Cu/SiO2 catalysts are characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electron microdiffraction, and chemisorption. Metal particles up to 4 nm in diameter are bimetallic, while particles larger than 4 nm contain only Cu. Considerable compositional nonuniformity is observed from one individual metal particle to the next. Microdiffraction patterns obtained from individual particles can be attributed to either Ru or Cu suggesting no significant modification in crystallographic structure of either metal component. Addition of Cu to Ru results in a drastic suppression of H2 chemisorption while the extent of O2 chemisorption is not as strongly affected. The suppressed H2 chemisorption capability of Ru in the bimetallic catalysts is an indication of atomic interdispersion of Ru and Cu on the surface of the bimetallic clusters, leading to the break-up of the Ru ensembles which would be necessary for dissociation of molecular hydrogen. The influence of catalyst preparation techniques on the relative interdispersion of Ru and Cu and consequent discrepancies in the Ru---Cu literature are discussed.