Anchoring BaII to Pd/Hy WO3-x Nanowires Promotes a Photocatalytic Reverse Water-Gas Shift Reaction.

Surface deposition of BaII on Pd/Hy WO3-x nanowires was developed by using a solution-phase atomic layer deposition process. The procedure involves the generation of Brønsted surface OH sites by H2 spillover on Pd/WO3 , which can then hydrolytically condense with Ba(OEt)2 to produce surface BaII . At just 0.2 at % Ba, CO production by the light-assisted activity of the reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction was observed to increase by about 300 %. In situ DRIFTS studies suggested enhanced CO2 capturing capabilities of a Ba-decorated surface. This study further exemplifies the importance of surface chemistry in optimizing materials for catalysis.