Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

This RTI proposal requests a GC/MS (gas chromatography and mass spectrometry) system to add operando capacity to the in situ catalytic reactors at the Canadian Light Source (CLS). In this proposal, in situ means to characterize the catalyst properties under the real reaction conditions. Operando means using the GC/MS with online connections to simultaneously measure the reactants and products from the in situ reactors. The GC/MS will be scheduled to CLS' general users whose research needs in situ/operando DRIFTS cell in Far-IR beamline, high temperature flow cell for PDF (pair distribution function) in the BXDS, or high-temperature, ambient-pressure catalytic cells, high-temperature and high-pressure catalytic cell, and electrochemical cell for XAS in HXMA and SXRMB beamlines. Because the CLS is so far the only synchrotron facility in Canada, unless we complete this project, we Canadian researchers won't have such in situ/operando setups. Without them, we cannot observe catalytic or surface reaction phenomena at the atomic or molecular levels and under the real reaction conditions, which will either lower our research quality or delay our research progress. Three professors of different disciplines at University of Saskatchewan propose this RTI because they believe the added capacity of comprehensive and simultaneous collection of the spectroscopic changes of the catalysts and the product compositions will effectively enhance their research, especially their NSERC Discovery projects. Dr. Hui Wang and his team (Chemical Engineering) study the catalytic sites distributions and the reaction mechanism of the catalytic conversions of CO2 into value-added chemicals (syngas and methanol). The combined real time catalyst property and performance monitored by in situ spectroscopies and the online GC/MS will help identify the right catalyst surface for the desired products more effectively. Dr. Robert Scott and his group (Chemistry) will use the requested GC/MS to follow operando reactions of the new chemical routes for alkenes (e.g., acetylene, and ethylene), and selective oxidation of methane to methanol over their atom-precisely activated Pd3, Ag25, and PdAu8 clusters. Dr. John Tse's research (Physics) answers fundamental questions such as how the elementary reactions were initiated on planets. Operando-GC/MS is used to detect products from the interaction of UV radiation of simple species deposited onto the surface of a water film under an interstellar environment. Realizing the added capacities by the GC/MS will benefit more Canadian researchers, CLS make cash contributions to cover the difference between the actual cost ($233,235) and the RTI maximum funding ($150,000) as well as the installations. They will also cover the maintenance and consumable costs. More than 10 HQP of the three applicants will be trained in next five years, and about 30 users in Canada have showed their interest in using the operando facilities through a recent survey.