Surface segregation with Pd enrichment, diminishing the
desired
characteristics of the Rh species, remains as a key challenge for
CZ (ceria-zirconia-based oxide)-supported Pd–Rh three-way catalyst
under high-temperature treatment. Regulating the metal–support
interactions by handling the characteristics of supports is an effective
method to inhibit this deterioration phenomenon. As compared with
traditional CZ, κCZ (partial κ-Ce2Zr2O8 structure) with an adequate surface area interacts
strongly with Pd due to its lower oxygen vacancies energy, which stabilizes
the Pd species in the oxidation states and small sizes. Meanwhile,
the relative Zr-rich surface of κCZ benefits the suppression
of the formation of RhO
x
caused by stronger
electron transfer between Rh and CZ. Therefore, a strategically designed
κCZ support was fabricated to tune the local composition of
the Pd–Rh bimetal catalyst by the optimized interaction between
Pd/Rh and κCZ. By XPS, CO FTIR and CO chemisorption tests, more
highly reactive Pdδ+(δ > 2) species in smaller
sizes could be maintained on κCZ (46.52%, 17.4 nm) comparing
with that on CZ (37.38%, 23.1 nm) due to the stronger Pd–O–Ce/Zr
bonds. Meanwhile, more Rh species in active sates (Rh0)
could be kept on κCZ (19.10%) than on CZ (13.11%) because of
the decrease of Rh–O–Ce interfaces. As a result, the
local composition of Pd–Rh/κCZ was optimized. Also the
Pd-rich surface was avoided as compared with the Pd–Rh/CZ surface,
and a greater proportion of active components (Rh0 and
Pdδ+) was exposed. Then, an advanced Pd–Rh/κCZ
catalyst for TWC performance was designed, specifically, and after
high thermal aging treatment, the T
50 and T
90 of the four pollutants (CO, NO, C3H8, and C3H6) were lower by more
than 20 °C as compared to that for Pd–Rh/CZ.