Platinum 'Rafts' Supercharge Toxin Cleanup

Platinum-based catalysts are vital for neutralising toxic carbon monoxide, but their effectiveness is highly dependent on their nanostructure. Now, researchers have developed a highly efficient catalyst by shaping platinum oxide into tiny 'rafts' on a cerium oxide support. They synthesised this novel structure using a clever technique involving citric acid and strong electrostatic adsorption.

The results are striking. This raft-based catalyst achieves 50% conversion of carbon monoxide at a temperature over 120°C lower than catalysts made from single platinum atoms or simple clusters. It also exhibits the lowest apparent activation energy—the energy required to start the chemical reaction—among the catalysts tested.

According to the team's analysis and modelling, the raft shape enhances the adsorption of carbon monoxide molecules. It also promotes a favourable interaction with oxygen atoms, which helps circumvent the 'poisoning' effect where CO molecules block oxygen from accessing the catalyst. This breakthrough highlights a promising design strategy for creating more powerful catalysts by carefully tuning their microscopic organisation.