Atomic-Scale Platinum Catalyst Sets New Standard for Carbon Monoxide Removal

Atomic platinum catalyst

Scientists from leading research institutes in South Korea and the United States have made a pivotal breakthrough in catalyst design, opening new pathways for the efficient removal of carbon monoxide (CO) from the atmosphere. In a collaborative study published in Nature Communications, the team demonstrated that atomically dispersed platinum on a two-dimensional (2D) material called platinum diselenide (PtSe2) significantly enhances catalytic oxidation performance, offering new hope for cleaner air and more efficient catalytic systems.

Platinum Diselenide: A New Frontier in 2D Materials

Platinum diselenide (PtSe2) is a 2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD), made of alternating layers of platinum and selenium atoms. TMDs have long attracted attention in materials science due to their tunable electronic and chemical properties, but this study takes their application a step further—into the realm of gas-phase catalysis.

The key innovation lies in exposing atomic-level platinum on the PtSe2 surface, which serves as active sites for carbon monoxide oxidation. By avoiding traditional bulk platinum usage and leveraging single-atom dispersion, the team increased the number of available reaction sites while drastically reducing the amount of platinum needed.

How It Works: Surface Engineering and Selenium Vacancies

The researchers engineered controlled "selenium vacancies"—missing selenium atoms on the surface—to allow more platinum atoms to be exposed to reactive gases. This change not only expanded the surface adsorption area for CO and oxygen but also optimized the ratio between them, which is crucial for efficient catalytic oxidation.

Through ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS) at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, the team observed these interactions in real time. Simultaneously, Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations confirmed the electronic interactions between Pt and Se that promote balanced adsorption and accelerated reaction kinetics.

Performance Gains and Environmental Significance

The PtSe2 thin film demonstrated superior oxidation performance across the entire temperature range compared to conventional platinum films. This performance, coupled with reduced platinum consumption, presents a compelling case for its use in real-world environmental remediation and industrial exhaust purification.

"This research shows that atomic-level catalyst design using 2D materials like PtSe2 can deliver highly efficient gas-phase reactions," said Professor Jeong Young Park, who led the effort alongside collaborators from Chungnam National University, KAIST, University of Central Florida, and Inha University.

Wider Applications in Clean Energy and Sensing

Beyond air purification, the results could impact related sectors including fuel cells, sensors, and catalytic converters. The ability to control catalyst activity through nanoscale structural design marks a critical advancement in the growing field of atomically precise materials engineering.

This research was supported by top-tier academic teams and state-of-the-art analytical infrastructure, further underlining South Korea’s global leadership in catalytic science and nanomaterials.

Read the original article on Phys.org: https://phys.org/news/2025-07-atomic-platinum-catalyst-boosts-carbon.html

Reference:

  • Gyuho Han et al., "Enhanced catalytic activity on atomically dispersed PtSe2 two-dimensional layers," Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61320-0

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#Catalysis #PlatinumCatalyst #CarbonMonoxide #CleanAir #2DMaterials #PtSe2 #Nanomaterials #MaterialsScience #QuantumServerNetworks #PWmat

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