Fig. 3: Electronic structure changes of binuclear Znδ+-O-Cr6+sites.

In situ ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (APXPS): a C 1s spectra, b Auger spectra of Zn LMM, and c Cr 2p3/2 spectra as a function of reaction conditions for Zn3Cr1/SSZ-13. T = 550 °C: ultra-high vacuum (UHV), C2H6 (50 mTorr) + CO2 (50 mTorr), C2H6 (100 mTorr), and CO2 (100 mTorr) in sequence. d Electron transfer from Zn to H after the 2nd C-H bond scission in ethane (H: white; Zn: gray), where electron accumulation and depletion are represented by yellow (Δρ = +1 × 10−3 e bohr−3) and cyan (Δρ = −1 × 10−3 e bohr−3) respectively. e The oxidation of Cr in Zn-O-Cr when decomposing COOH* intermediate.