DFT/QTAIM Analysis of the Effect of Late Transition Metal Doping on Methane Selectivity in Fischer–Tröpsch Catalysis

Authors

Peter C. Psarras, Cleveland State University
David W. Ball, Cleveland State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-2015

Publication Title

Computational and Theoretical Chemistry

Abstract

The effect of late transition metal substitution into Fe(1 0 0), Ni(1 1 1), and Co(0 0 0 1) surface analogs has been investigated density functional theory (DFT) methods. The surface was modeled using a 7-atom cluster, with perimeter atoms saturated with hydrogen atoms to approximate surface coordination and mitigate dangling bond artifacts. All calculations were performed at the B3PW91 level of theory with the LANL2DZ basis. Eight surface adsorbates were studied: C, CH, CH₂, and CH₃ represented the hydrogenating steps on surface carbide, while C+CH, CH+CH, C+CH₃, and CH₂+CH₂ represented four competitive coupling pathways. A review of the effect of Cu, Ag, Au, and Pd on the reaction energies and barriers associated with these critical steps is discussed. QTAIM is employed to develop a picture of the electronic environment associated with methane selectivity. Attention is focused on the charge trends for the involved surface atoms and coupling species. Our results suggest that promising candidates for the reduction of FT methane selectivity include Au and Pd on Ni, Au and Ag on Co, and Cu, Ag, and Pd on Fe.

Comments

This work was supported by the Ohio Supercomputing Center Project No. PFS0183.

Recommended Citation

Psarras, P. C.; Ball, D. W. DFT/QTAIM analysis of the effect of late transition metal doping on methane selectivity in Fischer–Tröpsch catalysis. Computational and Theoretical Chemistry 2015, 1063, 1-9.

DOI

10.1016/j.comptc.2015.04.004

Volume

1063