Catalytic Activity and Poisoning of Specific Sites on Supported Metal Nanoparticles

Catalytically active nanoparticle sites: Different catalytic activity of different active sites coexisting on a supported nanoparticle has been directly observed using molecular-beam techniques and in situ surface vibrational spectroscopy. For methanol decomposition on a supported Pd model catalyst (see picture), it is shown that carbon–oxygen-bond breakage and dehydrogenation occur as competing reaction pathways at particle defects and on regular facets, respectively.