Did Chemisorption Become an Obsolete Method With Advent of Tem? Comparison of Mean Particle Size and Distribution of Silver on Alumina

Journal article, 2011

Silver particle size and dispersion on a Ag/Al2O3 for HC-SCR were examined by means of chemisorption and TEM. Experimental results showed that determination of the accurate mean particle size (mps) is challenging and that the both applied methods have specific characteristics increasing the inaccuracy in the results which has to be taken into account in evaluation of catalytic activity. The results from TEM imaging were found to depend highly on the mode in which the surface was scanned (bright field versus dark field). Generally the point resolution was higher in dark field but the obtained mps did not increased along with the increasing silver loading. The main limitation with the O-2-chemisorption was related to the choice of the stoichiometric factor between the adsorbent and silver atoms. However, together these techniques support each other and help to give a more realistic picture of the mean silver particle size, distribution and indications of the oxidation states on the alumina support.