Spark Ablation Coupled with Powder Aerosolization for the One‐Step Preparation of Ru/TiO 2

The preparation of powdery heterogeneous catalysts often involves the use of solvents, costly precursors, and thermal treatments in multi-step processes. Herein, we demonstrate the preparation of Ru nanoparticles on TiO2 via spark ablation coupled with powder aerosolization, offering a clean and simple route with minimal waste generation and reduced pre- and post-synthesis processing. The as-prepared Ru/TiO2 catalyst is readily active in CO2 methanation reaction, achieving CH4 formation rate of 0.21 mmolgRu−1s−1 and TOF of 0.11 s−1 at 200 °C, outperforming the corresponding formulation prepared by wetness impregnation followed by calcination. The enhanced performance is attributed to a higher fraction of surface metallic Ru, as spark ablation under inert atmosphere typically yields metallic Ru nanoparticles. Additionally, Ru nanoparticles in the spark-made catalyst are well-distributed over both anatase and rutile TiO2, driven by Brownian motion and van der Waals adhesion. By contrast, Ru/TiO2-WI exhibits preferential Ru layer around rutile TiO2 due to pre-existing RuO2-rutile TiO2 epitaxial interactions formed during calcination. This work highlights a sustainable approach for designing highly active low-temperature CO2 methanation catalysts, with potential versatility for broader catalytic applications.

Affiliations

UCLouvainSST/IMCN/MOST - Molecular Chemistry, Materials and Catalysis

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Hongmanorom, P., Devred, F., & Debecker, D. (2025). Spark Ablation Coupled with Powder Aerosolization for the One‐Step Preparation of Ru/TiO 2. ChemCatChem, 17(24). https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.202501472 (Original work published 2025)