In-situ tuning of catalytic activity by thermoelectric effect for ethylene oxidation

Thermoelectric material BiCuSeO used as a support and promoter for catalytic ethylene oxidation is reported here. The catalytic activity on the continuous and non-continuous catalyst Pt supported on BiCuSeO was observed to be promoted in-situ by a thermoelectric Seebeck voltage generated by the temperature gradient across the material. It is also shown this thermoelectric promotion of catalysis enabled the thermoelectric material BiCuSeO itself to be highly catalytic active for ethylene oxidation. A good linear relationship between the logarithm of the reaction rate and the thermoelectric Seebeck voltage was observed. This thermoelectric promotion of catalysis is attributed to the change of work function of the catalyst surface, accompanied by a charge transfer from the bulk to the surface due to the thermoelectric effect.