Nitrous oxide decomposition active site on Ni–MgO catalysts characterized by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

Abstract

A contracted Ni²⁺ coordination site distorted in the direction of Ni⋯Mg and Ni⋯Ni was found to be responsible for catalytic N₂O decomposition when Ni²⁺ is diluted in a MgO matrix (Ni²⁺/Mg²⁺ atomic ratio ≈ 1.0) based on a local structure study by nickel K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy.