Nanoscale Chemical Imaging of an Individual Catalyst Particle with Soft X-ray Ptychography

CATEGORY: CATALYSIS: NANOSCALE IMAGING
Nanoscale Chemical Imaging of an Individual Catalyst Particle with Soft X-ray Ptychography

Type	Journal Article
Author	Anna M. Wise
Author	Johanna Nelson Weker
URL	Free Full Text Source:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.6b00221
Volume	6
Issue	4
Pages	2178-2181
Publication	ACS Catalysis
Date	April 1, 2016
Abstract	Understanding Fe deposition in fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysis is critical for the mitigation of catalyst degradation. Here we employ soft X-ray ptychography to determine at the nanoscale the distribution and chemical state of Fe in an aged FCC catalyst particle. We show that both particle swelling due to colloidal Fe deposition and Fe penetration into the matrix as a result of precracking of large organic molecules occur. The application of ptychography allowed us to provide direct visual evidence for these two distinct Fe-based deactivation mechanisms, which have so far been proposed only on the basis of indirect evidence.