Catalysts, methods of making catalysts, and methods of use

KAUST Repository

Renard, Laetitia; El Eter, Mohamad; Caps, Valerie; Basset, Jean-Marie

2014-01-01

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for catalysts, methods of making catalysts, methods of using catalysts, and the like. In an embodiment, the method of making the catalysts can be performed in a single step with a metal nanoparticle precursor and a metal oxide precursor, where a separate stabilizing agent is not needed.

Catalysts, methods of making catalysts, and methods of use

KAUST Repository

Renard, Laetitia

2014-03-06

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for catalysts, methods of making catalysts, methods of using catalysts, and the like. In an embodiment, the method of making the catalysts can be performed in a single step with a metal nanoparticle precursor and a metal oxide precursor, where a separate stabilizing agent is not needed.

Development of Ni-Based Catalysts Derived from Hydrotalcite-Like Compounds Precursors for Synthesis Gas Production via Methane or Ethanol Reforming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ya-Li Du

2017-02-01

Full Text Available As a favorably clean fuel, syngas (synthesis gas production has been the focus of concern in past decades. Substantial literatures reported the syngas production by various catalytic reforming reactions particularly in methane or ethanol reforming. Among the developed catalysts in these reforming processes, Ni-based catalysts from hydrotalcite-like compounds (HTLcs precursors have drawn considerable attention for their preferable structural traits. This review covers the recent literature reporting syngas production with Ni-based catalysts from HTLc precursors via methane or ethanol reforming. The discussion was initiated with catalyst preparation (including conventional and novel means, followed by subsequent thermal treatment processes, then composition design and the addition of promoters in these catalysts. As Ni-based catalysts have thermodynamic potential to deactivate because of carbon deposition or metal sintering, measures for dealing with these problems were finally summarized. To obtain optimal catalytic performances and resultantly better syngas production, based on analyzing the achievements of the references, some perspectives were finally proposed.

The Dependence of CNT Aerogel Synthesis on Sulfur-driven Catalyst Nucleation Processes and a Critical Catalyst Particle Mass Concentration.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoecker, Christian; Smail, Fiona; Pick, Martin; Weller, Lee; Boies, Adam M

2017-11-06

The floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FC-CVD) process permits macro-scale assembly of nanoscale materials, enabling continuous production of carbon nanotube (CNT) aerogels. Despite the intensive research in the field, fundamental uncertainties remain regarding how catalyst particle dynamics within the system influence the CNT aerogel formation, thus limiting effective scale-up. While aerogel formation in FC-CVD reactors requires a catalyst (typically iron, Fe) and a promotor (typically sulfur, S), their synergistic roles are not fully understood. This paper presents a paradigm shift in the understanding of the role of S in the process with new experimental studies identifying that S lowers the nucleation barrier of the catalyst nanoparticles. Furthermore, CNT aerogel formation requires a critical threshold of Fe x C y  > 160 mg/m 3 , but is surprisingly independent of the initial catalyst diameter or number concentration. The robustness of the critical catalyst mass concentration principle is proved further by producing CNTs using alternative catalyst systems; Fe nanoparticles from a plasma spark generator and cobaltocene and nickelocene precursors. This finding provides evidence that low-cost and high throughput CNT aerogel routes may be achieved by decoupled and enhanced catalyst production and control, opening up new possibilities for large-scale CNT synthesis.

Effect of Au Precursor and Support on the Catalytic Activity of the Nano-Au-Catalysts for Propane Complete Oxidation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arshid M. Ali

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Catalytic activity of nano-Au-catalyst(s for the complete propane oxidation was investigated. The results showed that the nature of both Au precursor and support strongly influences catalytic activity of the Au-catalyst(s for the propane oxidation. Oxidation state, size, and dispersion of Au nanoparticles in the Au-catalysts, surface area, crystallinity, phase structure, and redox property of the support are the key aspects for the complete propane oxidation. Among the studied Au-catalysts, the AuHAuCl4-Ce catalyst is found to be the most active catalyst.

Influence of Cobalt Precursor on Efficient Production of Commercial Fuels over FTS Co/SiC Catalyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Raquel de la Osa

2016-07-01

Full Text Available β-SiC-supported cobalt catalysts have been prepared from nitrate, acetate, chloride and citrate salts to study the dependence of Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS on the type of precursor. Com/SiC catalysts were synthetized by vacuum-assisted impregnation while N2 adsorption/desorption, XRD, TEM, TPR, O2 pulses and acid/base titrations were used as characterization techniques. FTS catalytic performance was carried out at 220 °C and 250 °C while keeping constant the pressure (20 bar, space velocity (6000 Ncm3/g·h and syngas composition (H2/CO:2. The nature of cobalt precursor was found to influence basic behavior, extent of reduction and metallic particle size. For β-SiC-supported catalysts, the use of cobalt nitrate resulted in big Co crystallites, an enhanced degree of reduction and higher basicity compared to acetate, chloride and citrate-based catalysts. Consequently, cobalt nitrate provided a better activity and selectivity to C5+ (less than 10% methane was formed, which was centered in kerosene-diesel fraction (α = 0.90. On the contrary, catalyst from cobalt citrate, characterized by the highest viscosity and acidity values, presented a highly dispersed distribution of Co nanoparticles leading to a lower reducibility. Therefore, a lower FTS activity was obtained and chain growth probability was shortened as observed from methane and gasoline-kerosene (α = 0.76 production when using cobalt citrate.

Computational optimization of catalyst distributions at the nano-scale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ström, Henrik

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Macroscopic data sampled from a DSMC simulation contain statistical scatter. • Simulated annealing is evaluated as an optimization algorithm with DSMC. • Proposed method is more robust than a gradient search method. • Objective function uses the mass transfer rate instead of the reaction rate. • Combined algorithm is more efficient than a macroscopic overlay method. - Abstract: Catalysis is a key phenomenon in a great number of energy processes, including feedstock conversion, tar cracking, emission abatement and optimizations of energy use. Within heterogeneous, catalytic nano-scale systems, the chemical reactions typically proceed at very high rates at a gas–solid interface. However, the statistical uncertainties characteristic of molecular processes pose efficiency problems for computational optimizations of such nano-scale systems. The present work investigates the performance of a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) code with a stochastic optimization heuristic for evaluations of an optimal catalyst distribution. The DSMC code treats molecular motion with homogeneous and heterogeneous chemical reactions in wall-bounded systems and algorithms have been devised that allow optimization of the distribution of a catalytically active material within a three-dimensional duct (e.g. a pore). The objective function is the outlet concentration of computational molecules that have interacted with the catalytically active surface, and the optimization method used is simulated annealing. The application of a stochastic optimization heuristic is shown to be more efficient within the present DSMC framework than using a macroscopic overlay method. Furthermore, it is shown that the performance of the developed method is superior to that of a gradient search method for the current class of problems. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of different types of objective functions are discussed.

Methanol Reforming over Cobalt Catalysts Prepared from Fumarate Precursors: TPD Investigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eftichia Papadopoulou

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD was employed to investigate adsorption characteristics of CH3OH, H2O, H2, CO2 and CO on cobalt-manganese oxide catalysts prepared through mixed Co-Mn fumarate precursors either by pyrolysis or oxidation and oxidation/reduction pretreatment. Pyrolysis temperature and Co/Mn ratio were the variable synthesis parameters. Adsorption of methanol, water and CO2 was carried out at room temperature. Adsorption of H2 and H2O was carried out at 25 and 300 °C. Adsorption of CO was carried out at 25 and 150 °C. The goal of the work was to gain insight on the observed differences in the performance of the aforementioned catalysts in methanol steam reforming. TPD results indicated that activity differences are mostly related to variation in the number density of active sites, which are able to adsorb and decompose methanol.

Crystallization of an amorphous B-C-N precursor with a Li-B-N catalyst at high pressures and temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Dongxu; Yu Dongli; Wang Peng; Li Yingmei; He Julong; Xu Bo; Liu Zhongyuan [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, Hebei Province (China); Tian Yongjun, E-mail: fhcl@ysu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, Hebei Province (China)

2009-11-15

An orthorhombic B-C-N compound was synthesized using an amorphous B-C-N precursor and a Li-B-N catalyst at 6 GPa and 1773 K. The results of energy dispersive spectrometry and electronic energy loss spectrometry suggest a stoichiometry of B:C:N = 1:3.3:1. In addition, the Li-B-N catalyst improves the crystallizations of the B-C-N compound, graphite and BN and therefore might be a profitable catalyst in ultrahigh pressure experiments.

Crystallization of an amorphous B-C-N precursor with a Li-B-N catalyst at high pressures and temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Dongxu; Yu Dongli; Wang Peng; Li Yingmei; He Julong; Xu Bo; Liu Zhongyuan; Tian Yongjun

2009-01-01

An orthorhombic B-C-N compound was synthesized using an amorphous B-C-N precursor and a Li-B-N catalyst at 6 GPa and 1773 K. The results of energy dispersive spectrometry and electronic energy loss spectrometry suggest a stoichiometry of B:C:N = 1:3.3:1. In addition, the Li-B-N catalyst improves the crystallizations of the B-C-N compound, graphite and BN and therefore might be a profitable catalyst in ultrahigh pressure experiments.

Hydrodeoxygenation of coal using organometallic catalyst precursors

Science.gov (United States)

Kirby, Stephen R.

2002-04-01

coals. Trends within the data were similar to those reported by other authors. Based on the conclusions from both the model compound studies and the coal analysis, predictions were made of the catalyst precursors' performance in the HDO of the three selected coals. It was concluded that CoMo-T2 is a desirable catalyst precursor for the HDO of coals (particularly low-rank coals), but that an optimum set of conditions must be determined to take full advantage of its HDO ability. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Preparation of iron molybdate catalysts for methanol to formaldehyde oxidation based on ammonium molybdoferrate(II precursor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.V. Nikolenko

2018-03-01

Full Text Available It was demonstrated that iron molybdate catalysts for methanol oxidation can be prepared using Fe(II as a precursor instead of Fe(III. This would allow for reduction of acidity of preparation solutions as well as elimination of Fe(III oxide impurities which are detrimental for the process selectivity. The system containing Fe(II and Mo(VI species in aqueous solution was investigated using UV–Vis spectroscopy. It was demonstrated that three types of chemical reactions occur in the Fe(II–Mo(VI system: (i formation of complexes between Fe(II and molybdate(VI ions, (ii inner sphere oxidation of coordinated Fe(II by Mo(VI and (iii decomposition of the Fe–Mo complexes to form scarcely soluble Fe(III molybdate, Mo(VI hydrous trioxide and molybdenum blue. Solid molybdoferrate(II prepared by interaction of Fe(II and Mo(VI in solution was characterized by EDXA, TGA, DTA and XRD and a scheme of its thermal evolution proposed. The iron molybdate catalyst prepared from Fe(II precursor was tested in methanol-to-formaldehyde oxidation in a continuous flow fixed-bed reactor to show similar activity and selectivity to the conventional catalyst prepared with the use of Fe(III.

Directed deposition of silicon nanowires using neopentasilane as precursor and gold as catalyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Britta Kämpken

2012-07-01

Full Text Available In this work the applicability of neopentasilane (Si(SiH34 as a precursor for the formation of silicon nanowires by using gold nanoparticles as a catalyst has been explored. The growth proceeds via the formation of liquid gold/silicon alloy droplets, which excrete the silicon nanowires upon continued decomposition of the precursor. This mechanism determines the diameter of the Si nanowires. Different sources for the gold nanoparticles have been tested: the spontaneous dewetting of gold films, thermally annealed gold films, deposition of preformed gold nanoparticles, and the use of “liquid bright gold”, a material historically used for the gilding of porcelain and glass. The latter does not only form gold nanoparticles when deposited as a thin film and thermally annealed, but can also be patterned by using UV irradiation, providing access to laterally structured layers of silicon nanowires.

In situ characterization of nanoscale catalysts during anodic redox processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, Renu [National Institute of Standards and Technology; Crozier, Peter [Arizona State University; Adams, James [Arizona State University

2013-09-19

Controlling the structure and composition of the anode is critical to achieving high efficiency and good long-term performance. In addition to being a mixed electronic and ionic conductor, the ideal anode material should act as an efficient catalyst for oxidizing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and dry hydrocarbons without de-activating through either sintering or coking. It is also important to develop novel anode materials that can operate at lower temperatures to reduce costs and minimized materials failure associated with high temperature cycling. We proposed to synthesize and characterize novel anode cermets materials based on ceria doped with Pr and/or Gd together with either a Ni or Cu metallic components. Ceria is a good oxidation catalyst and is an ionic conductor at room temperature. Doping it with trivalent rare earths such as Pr or Gd retards sintering and makes it a mixed ion conductor (ionic and electronic). We have developed a fundamental scientific understanding of the behavior of the cermet material under reaction conditions by following the catalytic oxidation process at the atomic scale using a powerful Environmental Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (ESTEM). The ESTEM allowed in situ monitoring of structural, chemical and morphological changes occurring at the cermet under conditions approximating that of typical fuel-cell operation. Density functional calculations were employed to determine the underlying mechanisms and reaction pathways during anode oxidation reactions. The dynamic behavior of nanoscale catalytic oxidation of hydrogen and methane were used to determine: ? Fundamental processes during anodic reactions in hydrogen and carbonaceous atmospheres ? Interfacial effects between metal particles and doped ceria ? Kinetics of redox reaction in the anode material

Catalytic oxidation of n-hexane promoted by Ce1−xCuxO2 catalysts prepared by one-step polymeric precursor method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araújo, Vinícius D.; Lima, Maurício M. de; Cantarero, Andrés; Bernardi, Maria I.B.; Bellido, Jorge D.A.; Assaf, Elisabete M.; Balzer, Rosana; Probst, Luiz F.D.; Fajardo, Humberto V.

2013-01-01

Ceria-supported copper catalysts (Ce 1−x Cu x O 2 , with x (mol) = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.10) were prepared in one step through the polymeric precursor method. The textural properties of the catalysts were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rietveld refinement, N 2 -physisorption (BET surface area), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), UV–visible diffuse reflectance and photoluminescence spectroscopies and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR). In a previous study ceria-supported copper catalysts were found to be efficient in the preferential oxidation of CO. In this study, we extended the catalytic application of Ce 1−x Cu x O 2 systems to n-hexane oxidation and it was verified that the catalysts were highly efficient in the proposed reaction. The best performance (up to 95% conversion) was observed for the catalysts with low copper loads (Ce 0.97 Cu 0.03 O 2 and Ce 0.99 Cu 0.01 O 2 , respectively). The physicochemical characterizations revealed that these behaviors could be attributed to the copper species present in the catalysts and the interaction between CuO and CeO 2 , which vary according to the copper content. - Highlights: • Synthesis of CuO/CeO2 catalysts by the one-step polymeric precursor method. • 95% n-hexane conversion on Ce0.97Cu0.03O2 catalyst. • Redox properties play a key role in the catalytic performance

Microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition growth of few-walled carbon nanotubes using catalyst derived from an iron-containing block copolymer precursor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Peng; Lu, Jennifer; Zhou, Otto

2008-01-01

The microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) method is now commonly used for directional and conformal growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on supporting substrates. One of the shortcomings of the current process is the lack of control of the diameter and diameter distribution of the CNTs due to difficulties in synthesizing well-dispersed catalysts. Recently, block copolymer derived catalysts have been developed which offer the potential of fine control of both the size of and the spacing between the metal clusters. In this paper we report the successful growth of CNTs with narrow diameter distribution using polystyrene-block-polyferrocenylethylmethylsilane (PS-b-PFEMS) as the catalyst precursor. The study shows that higher growth pressure leads to better CNT growth. Besides the pressure, the effects on the growth of CNTs of the growth parameters, such as temperature and precursor gas ratio, are also studied

Development of Ni-Based Catalysts Derived from Hydrotalcite-Like Compounds Precursors for Synthesis Gas Production via Methane or Ethanol Reforming

OpenAIRE

Ya-Li Du; Xu Wu; Qiang Cheng; Yan-Li Huang; Wei Huang

2017-01-01

As a favorably clean fuel, syngas (synthesis gas) production has been the focus of concern in past decades. Substantial literatures reported the syngas production by various catalytic reforming reactions particularly in methane or ethanol reforming. Among the developed catalysts in these reforming processes, Ni-based catalysts from hydrotalcite-like compounds (HTLcs) precursors have drawn considerable attention for their preferable structural traits. This review covers the recent literature r...

Petroleum residue upgrading with dispersed catalysts. Part 1. Catalysts activity and selectivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Panariti, N.; Del Bianco, A.; Del Piero, G. [ENITECNOLOGIE S.p.A, Via Maritano 26, 20097 San Donato Mil. (Italy); Marchionna, M. [SNAMPROGETTI S.p.A, Via Maritano 26, 20097 San Donato Mil. (Italy)

2000-12-04

The results of a study aimed at the identification of the relevant chemical aspects involved in the process of upgrading heavy feedstocks in the presence of dispersed catalysts are discussed. The catalytic activity of different compounds was compared in terms of products yields and quality. Moreover, a detailed and systematic characterization of the catalysts recovered at the end of the reactions was achieved. The experimental work provided quite a large set of data, allowing to investigate the factors that may affect catalyst activity (precursor solubility, rate of activation, degree of dispersion, presence of promoters, etc.). The results of this study demonstrate that the best performances are obtained by the microcrystalline molybdenite generated in situ by oil-soluble precursors. The nature of the organic ligand does not play a very relevant role in influencing the hydrogenation activity. The presence of phosphorus, however, significantly enhances hydrodemetallation, at least in terms of vanadium removal. Bimetallic precursors show a slight synergistic effect towards the hydrodesulfurization reaction. Microsized powdered catalyst precursors have a much lower catalytic activity compared to the oil-soluble ones.

High-performance oxygen reduction catalysts in both alkaline and acidic fuel cells based on pre-treating carbon material and iron precursor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Ping; Barkholtz, Heather M.; Wang, Ying; Xu, Weilin; Liu, Dijia; Zhuang, Lin

2017-12-01

We demonstrate a new and simple method for pre-treating the carbon material and iron precursor to prepare oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts, which can produce super-high performance and stability in alkaline solution, with high performance in acid solution. This strategy using cheap materials is simply controllable. Moreover, it has achieved smaller uniform nanoparticles to exhibit high stability, and the synergetic effect of Fe and N offered much higher performance in ORR than commercial Pt/C, with high maximum power density in alkaline and acid fuel cell test. So it can make this kind of catalysts be the most promising alternatives of Pt-based catalysts with best performance/price.

Co-Assembled Supported Catalysts: Synthesis of Nano-Structured Supported Catalysts with Hierarchic Pores through Combined Flow and Radiation Induced Co-Assembled Nano-Reactors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Galip Akay

2016-05-01

Full Text Available A novel generic method of silica supported catalyst system generation from a fluid state is presented. The technique is based on the combined flow and radiation (such as microwave, thermal or UV induced co-assembly of the support and catalyst precursors forming nano-reactors, followed by catalyst precursor decomposition. The transformation from the precursor to supported catalyst oxide state can be controlled from a few seconds to several minutes. The resulting nano-structured micro-porous silica supported catalyst system has a surface area approaching 300 m2/g and X-ray Diffraction (XRD-based catalyst size controlled in the range of 1–10 nm in which the catalyst structure appears as lamellar sheets sandwiched between the catalyst support. These catalyst characteristics are dependent primarily on the processing history as well as the catalyst (Fe, Co and Ni studied when the catalyst/support molar ratio is typically 0.1–2. In addition, Ca, Mn and Cu were used as co-catalysts with Fe and Co in the evaluation of the mechanism of catalyst generation. Based on extensive XRD, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM studies, the micro- and nano-structure of the catalyst system were evaluated. It was found that the catalyst and silica support form extensive 0.6–2 nm thick lamellar sheets of 10–100 nm planar dimensions. In these lamellae, the alternate silica support and catalyst layer appear in the form of a bar-code structure. When these lamellae structures pack, they form the walls of a micro-porous catalyst system which typically has a density of 0.2 g/cm3. A tentative mechanism of catalyst nano-structure formation is provided based on the rheology and fluid mechanics of the catalyst/support precursor fluid as well as co-assembly nano-reactor formation during processing. In order to achieve these structures and characteristics, catalyst support must be in the form of silane coated silica nano

Catalytic oxidation of n-hexane promoted by Ce{sub 1−x}Cu{sub x}O{sub 2} catalysts prepared by one-step polymeric precursor method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Araújo, Vinícius D., E-mail: dantas@ursa.ifsc.usp.br [Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo – USP, 13560-970 São Carlos, SP (Brazil); Lima, Maurício M. de [Instituto de Ciencia de los Materiales, Universidad de Valencia, E-46071 Valencia (Spain); Fundación General, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia (Spain); Cantarero, Andrés [Instituto de Ciencia de los Materiales, Universidad de Valencia, E-46071 Valencia (Spain); Bernardi, Maria I.B. [Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo – USP, 13560-970 São Carlos, SP (Brazil); Bellido, Jorge D.A. [CAP-Engenharia Química, Universidade Federal de São João Del-Rei – UFSJ, São João Del-Rei, MG (Brazil); Assaf, Elisabete M. [Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo – USP, 13560-970 São Carlos, SP (Brazil); Balzer, Rosana; Probst, Luiz F.D. [Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina – UFSC, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC (Brazil); Fajardo, Humberto V. [Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto – UFOP, 35400-000 Ouro Preto, MG (Brazil)

2013-11-01

Ceria-supported copper catalysts (Ce{sub 1−x}Cu{sub x}O{sub 2}, with x (mol) = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.10) were prepared in one step through the polymeric precursor method. The textural properties of the catalysts were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rietveld refinement, N{sub 2}-physisorption (BET surface area), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), UV–visible diffuse reflectance and photoluminescence spectroscopies and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR). In a previous study ceria-supported copper catalysts were found to be efficient in the preferential oxidation of CO. In this study, we extended the catalytic application of Ce{sub 1−x}Cu{sub x}O{sub 2} systems to n-hexane oxidation and it was verified that the catalysts were highly efficient in the proposed reaction. The best performance (up to 95% conversion) was observed for the catalysts with low copper loads (Ce{sub 0.97}Cu{sub 0.03}O{sub 2} and Ce{sub 0.99}Cu{sub 0.01}O{sub 2}, respectively). The physicochemical characterizations revealed that these behaviors could be attributed to the copper species present in the catalysts and the interaction between CuO and CeO{sub 2}, which vary according to the copper content. - Highlights: • Synthesis of CuO/CeO2 catalysts by the one-step polymeric precursor method. • 95% n-hexane conversion on Ce0.97Cu0.03O2 catalyst. • Redox properties play a key role in the catalytic performance.

In situ Generated Ruthenium Catalyst Systems Bearing Diverse N-Heterocyclic Carbene Precursors for Atom-Economic Amide Synthesis from Alcohols and Amines.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Hua; Xiong, Mao-Qian; Cheng, Chuan-Xiang; Wang, Hua-Jing; Lu, Qiang; Liu, Hong-Fu; Yao, Fu-Bin; Chen, Cheng; Verpoort, Francis

2018-02-16

The transition-metal-catalyzed direct synthesis of amides from alcohols and amines is herein demonstrated as a highly environmentally benign and atom-economic process. Among various catalyst systems, in situ generated N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-based ruthenium (Ru) halide catalyst systems have been proven to be active for this transformation. However, these existing catalyst systems usually require an additional ligand to achieve satisfactory results. In this work, through extensive screening of a diverse variety of NHC precursors, we discovered an active in situ catalyst system for efficient amide synthesis without any additional ligand. Notably, this catalyst system was found to be insensitive to the electronic effects of the substrates, and various electron-deficient substrates, which were not highly reactive with our previous catalyst systems, could be employed to afford the corresponding amides efficiently. Furthermore, mechanistic investigations were performed to provide a rationale for the high activity of the optimized catalyst system. NMR-scale reactions indicated that the rapid formation of a Ru hydride intermediate (signal at δ=-7.8 ppm in the 1 H NMR spectrum) after the addition of the alcohol substrate should be pivotal in establishing the high catalyst activity. Besides, HRMS analysis provided possible structures of the in situ generated catalyst system. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Influence of Ce-precursor and fuel on structure and catalytic activity of combustion synthesized Ni/CeO2 catalysts for biogas oxidative steam reforming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vita, Antonio; Italiano, Cristina; Fabiano, Concetto; Laganà, Massimo; Pino, Lidia

2015-01-01

A series of nanosized Ni/CeO 2 catalysts were prepared by Solution Combustion Synthesis (SCS) varying the fuel (oxalyldihydrazide, urea, carbohydrazide and glycerol), the cerium precursor (cerium nitrate and cerium ammonium nitrate) and the nickel loading (ranging between 3.1 and 15.6 wt%). The obtained powders were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), N 2 -physisorption, CO-chemisorption, Temperature Programmed Reduction (H 2 -TPR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The catalytic activity towards the Oxy Steam Reforming (OSR) of biogas was assessed. The selected operating variables have a strong influence on the nature of combustion and, in turn, on the morphological and structural properties of the synthesized catalysts. Particularly, the use of urea allows to improve nickel dispersion, surface area, particle size and reducibility of the catalysts, affecting positively the biogas OSR performances. - Highlights: • Synthesis of Ni/CeO 2 nanopowders by quick and easy solution combustion synthesis. • The fuel and precursor drive the structural and morphological properties of the catalysts. • The use of urea as fuel allows to improve nickel dispersion, surface area and particle size. • Ni/CeO 2 (7.8 wt% of Ni loading) powders synthesized by urea route exhibits high performances for the biogas OSR process

Novel bimetallic dispersed catalysts for temperature-programmed coal liquefaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chunshan, Song; Kirby, S.; Schmidt, E. [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)] [and others

1995-12-31

The objective of this project is to explore bimetallic dispersed catalysts for more efficient coal liquefaction. Coal liquefaction involves cleavage of methylene, dimethylene and ether bridges connecting various aromatic units and the reactions of various oxygen functional groups. This paper describes recent results on (1) hydrodeoxygenation of O-containing polycyclic model compounds using novel organometallic catalyst precursors; and (2) activity and selectivity of dispersed Fe catalysts from organometallic and inorganic precursors for hydrocracking of 4-(1-naphthylmethyl) bibenzyl. The results showed that some iron containing catalysts have higher activity in the sulfur-free form, contrary to conventional wisdom. Adding sulfur to Fe precursors with Cp-ligands decreased the activity of the resulting catalyst. This is in distinct contrast to the cases with iron pentacarbonyl and superfine Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, where S addition increased their catalytic activity substantially. A positive correlation between sulfur addition and increased activity can be seen, but a reversed trend between Fe cluster size and hydrocracking conversion could be observed, for carbonyl-type Fe precursors. It is apparent that the activity and selectivity of Fe catalysts for NMBB conversion depends strongly on both the type of ligand environment, the oxidation state and the number of intermetal bonds in the molecular precursor.

Moisture condensation behavior of hierarchically carbon nanotube-grafted carbon nanofibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Kyu-Min; Lee, Byoung-Sun; Youk, Ji Ho; Lee, Jinyong; Yu, Woong-Reol

2013-11-13

Hierarchical micro/nanosurfaces with nanoscale roughness on microscale uneven substrates have been the subject of much recent research interest because of phenomena such as superhydrophobicity. However, an understanding of the effect of the difference in the scale of the hierarchical entities, i.e., nanoscale roughness on microscale uneven substrates as opposed to nanoscale roughness on (a larger) nanoscale uneven surface, is still lacking. In this study, we investigated the effect of the difference in scale between the nano- and microscale features. We fabricated carbon nanotube-grafted carbon nanofibers (CNFs) by dispersing a catalyst precursor in poly (acrylonitrile) (PAN) solution, electrospinning the PAN/catalyst precursor solution, carbonization of electrospun PAN nanofibers, and direct growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the CNFs. We investigated the relationships between the catalyst concentrations, the size of catalyst nanoparticles on CNFs, and the sizes of CNFs and CNTs. Interestingly, the hydrophobic behavior of micro/nano and nano/nano hierarchical surfaces with water droplets was similar; however a significant difference in the water condensation behavior was observed. Water condensed into smaller droplets on the nano/nano hierarchical surface, causing it to dry much faster.

Treatment of a non-azo dye aqueous solution by CWAO in continuous reactor using a Ni catalyst derived from hydrotalcite-like precursor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vallet, Ana; Besson, Michèle; Ovejero, Gabriel; García, Juan

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Ni supported over hydrotalcite calcined precursors as catalyst. ► Catalytic wet air oxidation in trickle bed reactor for Basic Yellow 11 removal. ► Dye removal depends on temperature, initial dye concentration and flow rate. ► The catalyst proved to be stable and efficient for the dye degradation. - Abstract: Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of a Basic Yellow 11 (BY11) aqueous solution, chosen as a model of a hardly biodegradable non-azo dye was carried out in a continuous-flow trickle-bed reactor, using nickel supported over hydrotalcite precursor calcined at 550 °C. An increase in the reaction temperature (120–180 °C), and a decrease in dye concentration (1000–3000 ppm) or liquid flow rate (0.1–0.7 mL min −1 ) enhanced the CWAO performance in a 30 and 19% for the variation of the temperature and concentration respectively. After a small leaching observed within the first hours, the catalyst proved to be very stable during the 65-day reaction. The CWAO process was found to be very efficient, achieving BY11 conversion up to 95% and TOC conversion up to 85% at 0.1 mL min −1 and 180 °C under 5 MPa air.

Influence of Ce-precursor and fuel on structure and catalytic activity of combustion synthesized Ni/CeO{sub 2} catalysts for biogas oxidative steam reforming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vita, Antonio, E-mail: antonio.vita@itae.cnr.it; Italiano, Cristina; Fabiano, Concetto; Laganà, Massimo; Pino, Lidia

2015-08-01

A series of nanosized Ni/CeO{sub 2} catalysts were prepared by Solution Combustion Synthesis (SCS) varying the fuel (oxalyldihydrazide, urea, carbohydrazide and glycerol), the cerium precursor (cerium nitrate and cerium ammonium nitrate) and the nickel loading (ranging between 3.1 and 15.6 wt%). The obtained powders were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), N{sub 2}-physisorption, CO-chemisorption, Temperature Programmed Reduction (H{sub 2}-TPR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The catalytic activity towards the Oxy Steam Reforming (OSR) of biogas was assessed. The selected operating variables have a strong influence on the nature of combustion and, in turn, on the morphological and structural properties of the synthesized catalysts. Particularly, the use of urea allows to improve nickel dispersion, surface area, particle size and reducibility of the catalysts, affecting positively the biogas OSR performances. - Highlights: • Synthesis of Ni/CeO{sub 2} nanopowders by quick and easy solution combustion synthesis. • The fuel and precursor drive the structural and morphological properties of the catalysts. • The use of urea as fuel allows to improve nickel dispersion, surface area and particle size. • Ni/CeO{sub 2} (7.8 wt% of Ni loading) powders synthesized by urea route exhibits high performances for the biogas OSR process.

From 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to Polymer Precursors : Catalyst Screening Studies on the Conversion of 1,2,6-hexanetriol to 1,6-hexanediol

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buntara, Teddy; Noel, Sébastien; Phua, Pim Huat; Melián-Cabrera, Ignacio; Vries, Johannes G. de; Heeres, Hero J.

1,6-hexanediol (1) is an important polymer precursor for the polyester industry. In this paper, exploratory catalyst screening studies on the synthesis of 1 from 1,2,6-hexanetriol (2) are described via two different routes. The latter is available by a two-step procedure from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural

Co3O4 nanowires as efficient catalyst precursor for hydrogen generation from sodium borohydride hydrolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Lei; Cao, Xurong; Ma, Maixia; Lu, Yanhong; Wang, Dongsheng; Zhang, Suling; Wang, Qian

Hydrogen generation from the catalytic hydrolysis of sodium borohydride has many advantages, and therefore, significant research has been undertaken on the development of highly efficient catalysts for this purpose. In our present work, Co3O4 nanowires were successfully synthesized as catalyst precursor by employing SBA-15 as a hard template. For material characterization, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and N2 adsorption isotherms were employed, respectively. To measure the catalyst activity, typical water-displacement method was carried out. Using a reaction solution comprising 10wt.% NaBH4 and 2wt.% NaOH, the hydrogen generation rate (HGR) was observed to be as high as 7.74L min-1 g-1 at 25∘C in the presence of Co3O4 nanowires, which is significantly higher than that of CoB nanoparticles and commercial Co3O4 powder. Apparent activation energy was calculated to be 50.9kJ mol-1. After recycling the Co3O4 nanowires six times, HGR was decreased to be 72.6% of the initial level.

Supported chromium-molybdenum and tungsten sulfide catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chianelli, R.R.; Jacobson, A.J.; Young, A.R.

1988-01-01

This patent describes the process for preparing a supported hydroprocessing catalyst. The process comprising compositing a quantity of a particulate, porous catalyst support material comprising one or more refactory oxides with one or more catalyst precursor salts and heating the composite at elevated temperature of at least about 200/sup 0/C up to about 600/sup 0/, in the presence of a sulfur-bearing compound in an amount whereby sulfur in the form of the sulfur-bearing compound in an amount whereby sulfur in the form of the sulfur bearing compound is present in excess of that contained in the catalyst precursor and under oxygen-free conditions for a time sufficient to form the catalyst. The catalyst precursor salt contains a tetrathiometallate anion of Mo, W or mixture therof and a cation comprising trivalent chromium or a mixture of trivalent chromium with one or more divalent promoter metals selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, Cu and a mixture thereof wherein the trivalent chromium and divalent promoter metals are chelated by at least one neutral, nitrogen-containing polydentate ligand, L

Treatment of a non-azo dye aqueous solution by CWAO in continuous reactor using a Ni catalyst derived from hydrotalcite-like precursor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vallet, Ana, E-mail: avallet@quim.ucm.es [Grupo de Catalisis y Procesos de Separacion (CyPS), Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Besson, Michele, E-mail: michele.besson@ircelyon.univ-lyon1.fr [IRCELYON, Institut de recherches sur la catalyse et l' environnement de Lyon, UMR5256 CNRS-Universite Lyon1, 2 Avenue Albert Einstein, F-69626 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Ovejero, Gabriel; Garcia, Juan [Grupo de Catalisis y Procesos de Separacion (CyPS), Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2012-08-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ni supported over hydrotalcite calcined precursors as catalyst. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Catalytic wet air oxidation in trickle bed reactor for Basic Yellow 11 removal. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dye removal depends on temperature, initial dye concentration and flow rate. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The catalyst proved to be stable and efficient for the dye degradation. - Abstract: Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of a Basic Yellow 11 (BY11) aqueous solution, chosen as a model of a hardly biodegradable non-azo dye was carried out in a continuous-flow trickle-bed reactor, using nickel supported over hydrotalcite precursor calcined at 550 Degree-Sign C. An increase in the reaction temperature (120-180 Degree-Sign C), and a decrease in dye concentration (1000-3000 ppm) or liquid flow rate (0.1-0.7 mL min{sup -1}) enhanced the CWAO performance in a 30 and 19% for the variation of the temperature and concentration respectively. After a small leaching observed within the first hours, the catalyst proved to be very stable during the 65-day reaction. The CWAO process was found to be very efficient, achieving BY11 conversion up to 95% and TOC conversion up to 85% at 0.1 mL min{sup -1} and 180 Degree-Sign C under 5 MPa air.

Colloidal nanoparticles as catalysts and catalyst precursors for nitrite hydrogenation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhao, Yingnan

2015-01-01

The most distinguished advantage to use colloidal methods for catalyst preparation is that the size and the shape of nanoparticles can be manipulated easily under good control, which is normally difficult to achieve by using traditional methods, such as impregnation and precipitation. This

Kinetics and Pathways for the Debromination of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers by Bimetallic and Nanoscale Zerovalent Iron: Effects of Particle Properties and Catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuang, Yuan; Jin, Luting; Luthy, Richard G.

2012-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are recognized as a new class of widely-distributed and persistent contaminants for which effective treatment and remediation technologies are needed. In this study, two kinds of commercially available nanoscale Fe° slurries (Nanofer N25 and N25S), a freeze-dried laboratory-synthesized Fe° nanoparticle (nZVI), and their palladized forms were used to investigate the effect of particle properties and catalyst on PBDE debromination kinetics and pathways. Nanofers and their palladized forms were found to debrominate PBDEs effectively. The laboratory-synthesized Fe° nanoparticles also debrominated PBDEs, but were slower due to deactivation by the freeze-drying and stabilization processes in the laboratory synthesis. An organic modifier, polyacrylic acid (PAA), bound on N25S slowed PBDE debromination by a factor of three to four compared to N25. The activity of palladized nZVI (nZVI/Pd) was optimized at 0.3 Pd/Fe wt% in our system. N25 could debrominate selected environmentally-abundant PBDEs, including BDE 209, 183, 153, 99, and 47, to end products di-BDEs, mono-BDEs and diphenyl ether (DE) in one week, while nZVI/Pd (0.3 Pd/Fe wt%) mainly resulted in DE as a final product. Step-wise major PBDE debromination pathways by unamended and palladized Fe° are described and compared. Surface precursor complex formation is an important limiting factor for palladized Fe° reduction as demonstrated by PBDE pathways where steric hindrance and rapid sequential debromination of adjacent bromines play an important role. PMID:22732301

SYNGAS PRODUCTION FROM CO2-REFORMING OF CH4 OVER SOL-GEL SYNTHESIZED Ni-Co/Al2O3-MgO-ZrO2 NANOCATALYST: EFFECT OF ZrO2 PRECURSOR ON CATALYST PROPERTIES AND PERFORMANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyed Mehdi Sajjadi

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Ni-Co/Al2O3-MgO-ZrO2 nanocatalyst with utilization of two different zirconia precursors, namely, zirconyl nitrate hydrate (ZNH and zirconyl nitrate solution (ZNS, was synthesized via the sol-gel method. The physiochemical properties of nanocatalysts were characterized by XRD, FESEM, EDX, BET and FTIR analyses and employed for syngas production from CO2-reforming of CH4. XRD patterns, exhibiting proper crystalline structure and homogeneous dispersion of active phase for the nanocatalyst ZNS precursor employed (NCAMZ-ZNS. FESEM and BET results of NCAMZ-ZNS presented more uniform morphology and smaller particle size and consequently higher surface areas. In addition, average particle size of NCAMZ-ZNS was 15.7 nm, which is close to the critical size for Ni-Co catalysts to avoid carbon formation. Moreover, FESEM analysis indicated both prepared samples were nanoscale. EDX analysis confirmed the existence of various elements used and also supported the statements made in the XRD and FESEM analyses regarding dispersion. Based on the excellent physiochemical properties, NCAMZ-ZNS exhibited the best reactant conversion across all of the evaluated temperatures, e.g. CH4 and CO2 conversions were 97.2 and 99% at 850 ºC, respectively. Furthermore, NCAMZ-ZNS demonstrated a stable yield with H2/CO close to unit value during the 1440 min stability test.

Preparation of highly dispersed Ru-Sn bimetallic supported catalysts from the single source precursors Cp(PPh32Ru-SnX3 (X = Cl or Br

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Cláudia Bernardes Silva

2003-06-01

Full Text Available In this work highly dispersed Ru-Sn bimetallic catalysts have been prepared from organobimetallic Cp(PPh32Ru-SnX3 (X = Cl or Br complexes. These single source precursors can be easily impregnated in high surface area supports, such as activated carbon and sol-gel SiO2, and upon controlled thermal treatment the ligands are released as volatile products resulting in the formation of the bimetallic system Ru-Sn. Catalytic reactions, such as hydrodechlorination of CCl4 and chlorobenzene and TPR (Temperature Programmed Reduction experiments carried out with these RuSn catalysts suggested a strong interaction between Ruthenium and Tin. Mössbauer measurements showed that these materials when exposed to air are immediately oxidized to form Sn (IV. It was shown that upon controlled reduction conditions with H2 it is possible to reduce selectively Sn to different oxidation states and different phases. The Sn oxidation state showed significant effect on the catalytic hydrogenation of 1,5-cyclooctadiene. The use of these single source precursors with a controlled decomposition/reduction procedure allows the preparation of unique catalysts with an intimate interaction between the components ruthenium and tin and the possibility of varying the Sn oxidation state around the Ru metal.

Nanoparticular metal oxide/anatase catalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2010-01-01

The present invention concerns a method of preparation of nanoparticular metal oxide catalysts having a narrow particle size distribution. In particular, the invention concerns preparation of nanoparticular metal oxide catalyst precursors comprising combustible crystallization seeds upon which...... the catalyst metai oxide is co-precipitated with the carrier metal oxide, which crystallization seeds are removed by combustion in a final calcining step. The present invention also concerns processes wherein the nanoparticular metal oxide catalysts of the invention are used, such as SCR (deNOx) reactions...

Facile synthesis of a platinum-lead oxide nanocomposite catalyst with high activity and durability for ethanol electrooxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Wei-Hua; Wang, Hong-Hui; Chen, De-Hao; Zhou, Zhi-You; Sun, Shi-Gang

2012-12-21

Aimed at searching for highly active and stable nano-scale Pt-based catalysts that can improve significantly the energy conversion efficiency of direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs), a novel Pt-PbO(x) nanocomposite (Pt-PbO(x) NC) catalyst with a mean size of 3.23 nm was synthesized through a simple wet chemistry method without using a surfactant, organometallic precursors and high temperature. Electrocatalytic tests demonstrated that the as-prepared Pt-PbO(x) NC catalyst possesses a much higher catalytic activity and a longer durability than Pt nanoparticles (nm-Pt) and commercial Pt black catalysts for ethanol electrooxidation. For instance, Pt-PbO(x) NC showed an onset potential that was 30 mV and 44 mV less positive, together with a peak current density 1.7 and 2.6 times higher than those observed for nm-Pt and Pt black catalysts in the cyclic voltammogram tests. The ratio of current densities per unit Pt mass on Pt-PbO(x) NC, nm-Pt and Pt black catalysts is 27.3 : 3.4 : 1 for the long-term (2 hours) chronoamperometric experiments measured at -0.4 V (vs. SCE). In situ FTIR spectroscopic studies revealed that the activity of breaking C-C bonds of ethanol of the Pt-PbO(x) NC is as high as 5.17 times that of the nm-Pt, which illustrates a high efficiency of ethanol oxidation to CO(2) on the as-prepared Pt-PbO(x) NC catalyst.

Novel bimetallic dispersed catalysts for temperature-programmed coal liquefaction. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chunshan Song; Schobert, H.H.; Parfitt, D.P. [and others

1997-11-01

Development of new catalysts is a promising approach to more efficient coal liquefaction. It has been recognized that dispersed catalysts are superior to supported catalysts for primary liquefaction of coals, because the control of initial coal dissolution or depolymerization requires intimate contact between the catalyst and coal. This research is a fundamental and exploratory study on catalytic coal liquefaction, with the emphasis on exploring novel bimetallic dispersed catalysts for coal liquefaction and the effectiveness of temperature-programmed liquefaction using dispersed catalysts. The primary objective of this research was to explore novel bimetallic dispersed catalysts from organometallic molecular precursors, that could be used in low concentrations but exhibit relatively high activity for efficient hydroliquefaction of coals under temperature-programmed conditions. We have synthesized and tested various catalyst precursors in liquefaction of subbituminous and bituminous coals and in model compound studies to examine how do the composition and structure of the catalytic precursors affect their effectiveness for coal liquefaction under different reaction conditions, and how do these factors affect their catalytic functions for hydrogenation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, for cleavage of C-C bonds in polycyclic systems such as 4-(1-naphthylmethyl)bibenzyl, for hydrogenolysis of C-O bond such as that in dinaphthylether, for hydrodeoxygenation of phenolic compounds and other oxygen-containing compounds such as xanthene, and for hydrodesulfurization of polycyclic sulfur compounds such as dibenzothiophene. The novel bimetallic and monometallic precursors synthesized and tested in this project include various Mo- and Fe-based compounds.

[Pd(NH{sub 3}){sub 4}]MoO{sub 4} as a precursor for Pd–Mo-containing catalysts: Thermal behavior, X-ray analysis of the thermolysis products and related catalytic studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gubanov, Alexander I., E-mail: gubanov@niic.nsc.su [Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentiev Prospekt 3, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova str. 2, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Filatov, Eugeny Yu.; Semitut, Eugeny Yu.; Smolentsev, Anton I. [Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentiev Prospekt 3, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova str. 2, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Snytnikov, Pavel V.; Potemkin, Dmitry I. [Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova str. 2, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentiev Prospekt 5, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Korenev, Sergey V. [Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentiev Prospekt 3, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova str. 2, 630090 Novosibirsk (Russian Federation)

2013-08-20

Highlights: • [Pd(NH{sub 3}){sub 4}]MoO{sub 4} as a precursor for Pd–Mo-containing catalysts. • Different products are formed depending on atmosphere of thermal decomposition. • Thermolysis in He atmosphere affords finely mixed two-phase nanosized system Pd–MoO{sub 2}. • Pd–MoO{sub 2} system can be a promising catalyst both in pure and supported form. - Abstract: Compound [Pd(NH{sub 3}){sub 4}]MoO{sub 4} (1) has been synthesized and characterized by IR spectroscopy, analytical data, powder and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Thermal properties of 1 have been examined by thermogravimetry. Powder X-ray diffraction has been applied to investigate the nanosized products of thermal decomposition of the precursor in hydrogen (Pd–Mo) and helium (Pd–MoO{sub 2}) atmospheres. Pd–Mo catalysts supported with γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} have been tested in oxidation of CO and H{sub 2} mixtures.

Engineering Platinum Alloy Electrocatalysts in Nanoscale for PEMFC Application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Ting [Idaho National Laboratory

2016-03-01

Fuel cells are expected to be a key next-generation energy source used for vehicles and homes, offering high energy conversion efficiency and minimal pollutant emissions. However, due to large overpotentials on anode and cathode, the efficiency is still much lower than theoretically predicted. During the past decades, considerable efforts have been made to investigate synergy effect of platinum alloyed with base metals. But, engineering the alloy particles in nanoscale has been a challenge. Most important challenges in developing nanostructured materials are the abilities to control size, monodispersity, microcomposition, and even morphology or self-assembly capability, so called Nanomaterials-by-Design, which requires interdisciplinary collaborations among computational modeling, chemical synthesis, nanoscale characterization as well as manufacturing processing. Electrocatalysts, particularly fuel cell catalysts, are dramatically different from heterogeneous catalysts because the surface area in micropores cannot be electrochemically controlled on the same time scale as more transport accessible surfaces. Therefore, electrocatalytic architectures need minimal microporous surface area while maximizing surfaces accessible through mesopores or macropores, and to "pin" the most active, highest performance physicochemical state of the materials even when exposed to thermodynamic forces, which would otherwise drive restructuring, crystallization, or densification of the nanoscale materials. In this presentation, results of engineering nanoscale platinum alloy particles down to 2 ~ 4 nm will be discussed. Based on nature of alloyed base metals, various synthesis technologies have been studied and developed to achieve capabilities of controlling particle size and particle microcomposition, namely, core-shell synthesis, microemulsion technique, thermal decomposition process, surface organometallic chemical method, etc. The results show that by careful engineering the

Preparation and characterization of anode catalysts for the direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFC): methanol and ethanol

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Modibedi, M

2007-11-01

Full Text Available and M2 precursor solutions followed by reduction of the precursors. Catalysts prepared were: Pt-M1-M2/C (M1=Sn or Ru, M2= Ir). Phosphorus was deposited on these catalysts and their electrochemical activities were compared. The prepared catalysts were...

Manipulating the reactivity of nanoscale catalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Conradsen, Christian Nagstrup

. Equally, the desorption profile of a flat ruthenium single crystal can be obtained by annealing a thinfilm of nanoparticles to 900 K for 10 min. In the second project it is found that forming a pseudomorphic overlayer of copper on ruthenium enhances the activity compared to both copper and ruthenium...... to be more active than both copper and ruthenium. The importance of Cu being an overlayer is investigated by co-evaporation and co-incipient wetness impregnation of the thinfilm and real catalyst respectively. Incorporating copper in ruthenium did not have any beneficial effect on the Cu/Ru system...

Syngas production from CO{sub 2}-reforming of CH{sub 4} over sol-gel synthesized Ni-Co/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-MgOZrO{sub 2} nanocatalyst: effect of ZrO{sub 2} precursor on catalyst properties and performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sajjadi, Seyed Mehdi; Haghighi, Mohammad; Rahmani, Farhad, E-mail: haghighi@sut.ac.ir [Reactor and Catalysis Research Center, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-05-15

Ni-Co/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-MgO-ZrO{sub 2} nanocatalyst with utilization of two different zirconia precursors, namely, zirconyl nitrate hydrate (ZNH) and zirconyl nitrate solution (ZNS), was synthesized via the sol-gel method. The physiochemical properties of nanocatalysts were characterized by XRD, FESEM, EDX, BET and FTIR analyses and employed for syngas production from CO{sub 2}-reforming of CH{sub 4}. XRD patterns, exhibiting proper crystalline structure and homogeneous dispersion of active phase for the nanocatalyst ZNS precursor employed (NCAMZ-ZNS). FESEM and BET results of NCAMZ-ZNS presented more uniform morphology and smaller particle size and consequently higher surface areas. In addition, average particle size of NCAMZ-ZNS was 15.7 nm, which is close to the critical size for Ni-Co catalysts to avoid carbon formation. Moreover, FESEM analysis indicated both prepared samples were nanoscale. EDX analysis confirmed the existence of various elements used and also supported the statements made in the XRD and FESEM analyses regarding dispersion. Based on the excellent physiochemical properties, NCAMZ-ZNS exhibited the best reactant conversion across all of the evaluated temperatures, e.g. CH{sub 4} and CO{sub 2} conversions were 97.2 and 99% at 850 °C, respectively. Furthermore, NCAMZZNS demonstrated a stable yield with H{sub 2}/CO close to unit value during the 1440 min stability test. (author)

Precursor effect on the property and catalytic behavior of Fe-TS-1 in butadiene epoxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Mei; Zhao, Huahua; Yang, Jian; Zhao, Jun; Song, Huanling; Chou, Lingjun

2017-11-01

The effect of iron precursor on the property and catalytic behavior of iron modified titanium silicalite molecular sieve (Fe-TS-1) catalysts in butadiene selective epoxidation has been studied. Three Fe-TS-1 catalysts were prepared, using iron nitrate, iron chloride and iron sulfate as precursors, which played an important role in adjusting the textural properties and chemical states of TS-1. Of the prepared Fe-TS-1 catalysts, those modified by iron nitrate (FN-TS-1) exhibited a significant enhanced performance in butadiene selective epoxidation compared to those derived from iron sulfate (FS-TS-1) or iron chloride (FC-TS-1) precursors. To obtain a deep understanding of their structure-performance relationship, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Temperature programmed desorption of NH3 (NH3-TPD), Diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectra (DR UV-Vis), Fourier transformed infrared spectra (FT-IR) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) were conducted to characterize Fe-TS-1 catalysts. Experimental results indicated that textural structures and acid sites of modified catalysts as well as the type of Fe species influenced by the precursors were all responsible for the activity and product distribution.

Ni/SiO2 Catalyst Prepared with Nickel Nitrate Precursor for Combination of CO2 Reforming and Partial Oxidation of Methane: Characterization and Deactivation Mechanism Investigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sufang He

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The performance of Ni/SiO2 catalyst in the process of combination of CO2 reforming and partial oxidation of methane to produce syngas was studied. The Ni/SiO2 catalysts were prepared by using incipient wetness impregnation method with nickel nitrate as a precursor and characterized by FT-IR, TG-DTA, UV-Raman, XRD, TEM, and H2-TPR. The metal nickel particles with the average size of 37.5 nm were highly dispersed over the catalyst, while the interaction between nickel particles and SiO2 support is relatively weak. The weak NiO-SiO2 interaction disappeared after repeating oxidation-reduction-oxidation in the fluidized bed reactor at 700°C, which resulted in the sintering of metal nickel particles. As a result, a rapid deactivation of the Ni/SiO2 catalysts was observed in 2.5 h reaction on stream.

Simple preparation of Fenton catalyst@bacterial cellulose for waste water treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Wibowo, Arie; Febi Indrawan, Radian; Triadhi, Untung; Hasdi Aimon, Akfiny; Iskandar, Ferry; Ardy, Husaini

2018-02-01

Heterogeneous fenton catalyst is one of the attractive technologies for destruction of persistent and non-biodegradable pollutant in wastewater, because it can be used in wide range of pH and recyclable. Herein, commercial bacterial celluloses (BCs) were used as an alternative support of fenton catalyst to improve their catalytic activity. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observations indicated that the presence of BCs and decreasing precursor concentration might promote formation of smaller particle sizes of catalyst from 3.5 μm of bare catalyst to 0.7 μm of catalyst@BC. UV-vis measurement showed that fast degradation of dyes with half-time degradation at around 25 min was observed in sample using catalyst@BCs with precursor concentration of 0.01 M. Successful preparation of heterogeneous fenton catalyst with smaller particle size and better catalytic activity is important for their application in wastewater treatment.

Sulfidation of alumina-supported iron and iron-molybdenum oxide catalysts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ramselaar, W.L.T.M.; Crajé, M.W.J.; Hadders, R.H.; Gerkema, E.; Beer, de V.H.J.; Kraan, van der A.M.

1990-01-01

The transition of alumina-supported iron and iron-molybdenum catalysts from the oxidic precursor to the sulfided catalysts was systematically studied by means of in-situ Mössbauer spectroscopy at room temperature. This enabled the adjudgement of various sulfidic phases in the sulfided catalysts. The

Continuous-Flow O-Alkylation of Biobased Derivatives with Dialkyl Carbonates in the Presence of Magnesium-Aluminium Hydrotalcites as Catalyst Precursors.

Science.gov (United States)

Cattelan, Lisa; Perosa, Alvise; Riello, Piero; Maschmeyer, Thomas; Selva, Maurizio

2017-04-10

The base-catalysed reactions of OH-bearing biobased derivatives (BBDs) including glycerol formal, solketal, glycerol carbonate, furfuryl alcohol and tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol with non-toxic dialkyl carbonates (dimethyl and diethyl carbonate) were explored under continuous-flow (CF) conditions in the presence of three Na-exchanged Y- and X-faujasites (FAUs) and four Mg-Al hydrotalcites (HTs). Compared to previous etherification protocols mediated by dialkyl carbonates, the reported procedure offers substantial improvements not only in terms of (chemo)selectivity but also for the recyclability of the catalysts, workup, ease of product purification and, importantly, process intensification. Characterisation studies proved that both HT30 and KW2000 hydrotalcites acted as catalyst precursors: during the thermal activation pre-treatments, the typical lamellar structure of the hydrotalcite was broken down gradually into a MgO-like phase (periclase) or rather a magnesia-alumina solid solution, which was the genuine catalytic phase. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis over Iron Manganese Catalysts: Effect of Preparation and Operating Conditions on Catalyst Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali A. Mirzaei

2009-01-01

molar basis which is the most active catalyst for the conversion of synthesis gas to light olefins. The effects of different promoters and supports with loading of optimum support on the catalytic performance of catalysts are also studied. It was found that the catalyst containing 50%Fe/50%Mn/5 wt.%Al2O3 is an optimum-modified catalyst. The catalytic performance of optimal catalyst has been studied in operation conditions such as a range of reaction temperatures, H2/CO molar feed ratios and a range of total pressures. Characterization of both precursors and calcined catalysts is carried out by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, BET specific surface area and thermal analysis methods such as TGA and DSC.

Boron-containing catalysts for dry reforming of methane to synthesis gas

KAUST Repository

Takanabe, Kazuhiro; Basset, Jean-Marie; Park, Jung-Hyun; Samal, Akshaya Kumar; Alsabban, Bedour

2018-01-01

The present invention uses a cobalt catalyst for carbon dioxide reforming of lower alkanes to synthesis gas having a cobalt catalyst on an oxide support where the supported cobalt catalyst has been modified with a boron precursor. The boron

Catalyst dispersion and activity under conditions of temperature-staged liquefaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, A.; Schobert, H.H.; Mitchell, G.D.; Artok, L.

1993-02-01

This research program involves the investigation of the use of highly dispersed catalyst precursors for the pretreatment of coals by mild hydrogenation. During the course of this effort solvent preswelling of the coal was evaluated as a means of deeply impregnating catalysts into coal, active phases of catalysts under reaction conditions were studied and the impact of these techniques were evaluated during pretreatment and temperature-staged liquefaction. Two coals, a Texas subbituminous and a Utah high volatile A bituminous, were used to examine the effects of solvent swelling pretreatment and catalyst impregnation on conversion behavior at 275[degrees]C, representative of the first, low-temperature stage in a temperature-staged liquefaction reaction. Ferrous sulfate, iron pentacarbonyl, ammonium tetrathiomolybdate, and molybdenum hexacarbonyl were used as catalyst precursors. Without swelling pretreatment, impregnation of both coals increased conversion, mainly through increased yields of preasphaltenes.

Effect of the nickel precursor on the impregnation and drying of γ-Al2O3 catalyst bodies: a UV-vis and IR micro-spectroscopic study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Espinosa Alonso, L.; de Jong, K.P.; Weckhuysen, B.M.

2008-01-01

The elemental preparation steps of impregnation and drying of Ni/g-Al2O3 catalyst bodies have been studied by combining UV-vis and IR microspectroscopy. The influence of the number of chelating ligands in [Ni(en)x(H2O)6-2x]2+ precursor complexes (with en ) ethylenediamine and x ) 0-3) has been

From Lab to Fab: Developing a Nanoscale Delivery Tool for Scalable Nanomanufacturing

Science.gov (United States)

Safi, Asmahan A.

The emergence of nanomaterials with unique properties at the nanoscale over the past two decades carries a capacity to impact society and transform or create new industries ranging from nanoelectronics to nanomedicine. However, a gap in nanomanufacturing technologies has prevented the translation of nanomaterial into real-world commercialized products. Bridging this gap requires a paradigm shift in methods for fabricating structured devices with a nanoscale resolution in a repeatable fashion. This thesis explores the new paradigms for fabricating nanoscale structures devices and systems for high throughput high registration applications. We present a robust and scalable nanoscale delivery platform, the Nanofountain Probe (NFP), for parallel direct-write of functional materials. The design and microfabrication of NFP is presented. The new generation addresses the challenges of throughput, resolution and ink replenishment characterizing tip-based nanomanufacturing. To achieve these goals, optimized probe geometry is integrated to the process along with channel sealing and cantilever bending. The capabilities of the newly fabricated probes are demonstrated through two type of delivery: protein nanopatterning and single cell nanoinjection. The broad applications of the NFP for single cell delivery are investigated. An external microfluidic packaging is developed to enable delivery in liquid environment. The system is integrated to a combined atomic force microscope and inverted fluorescence microscope. Intracellular delivery is demonstrated by injecting a fluorescent dextran into Hela cells in vitro while monitoring the injection forces. Such developments enable in vitro cellular delivery for single cell studies and high throughput gene expression. The nanomanufacturing capabilities of NFPs are explored. Nanofabrication of carbon nanotube-based electronics presents all the manufacturing challenges characterizing of assembling nanomaterials precisely onto devices. The

Novel bimetallic dispersed catalysts for temperature-programmed coal liquefaction. Technical progress report, October--December 1993

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, E.; Kirby, S.; Song, Chunshan; Schobert, H.H.

1994-04-01

Development of new catalysts is a promising approach to more, efficient coal liquefaction. It has been recognized that dispersed catalysts can be superior to supported catalysts for primary liquefaction of coals, because the control of initial coal dissolution or depolymerization requires infinite contact between the catalyst and coal. The primary objective of this research is to explore the potential of bimetallic dispersed catalysts from heterometallic molecular precursors in their use in model compound liquefaction reactions. This quarterly report describes the use of three precursors in model compound reactions. The first catalyst is a heterometallic complex consisting of two transition metals, Mo and Ni, and sulfur in a single molecule. The second is a thiocubane type complex consisting of cobalt, molybdenum and sulfur. The third is a thiocubane type cluster consisting of iron and sulfur and the fourth, the pure inorganic salt ammonium tetrathiomolybdate (ATM). It was found that the structure and the ligands in the model complexes affect the activity of the resulting catalyst significantly. The optimum reaction at a pressure of 6.9 MPa hydrogen gas varied for different catalysts. The bimetallic catalysts generated in situ from the organometallic precursor are more active than monometallic catalysts like ATTM and the thiocubane type cluster Fe{sub 4}. Main products are hydrogenated phenanthrene derivatives, like DBP, THP, sym-OHP, cis- and trans-unsym-OHP with minor isomerization products such as sym-OHA. Our results indicate that other transition metal and ligand combinations in the organometallic precursors and the use of another model compound could result in substantially higher conversion activity.

Nanoscale size effect in in situ titanium based composites with cell viability and cytocompatibility studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miklaszewski, Andrzej, E-mail: andrzej.miklaszewski@put.poznan.pl [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Jana Pawla II 24, 61-138 Poznan (Poland); Jurczyk, Mieczysława U. [Division Mother' s and Child' s Health, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Polna 33, 60-535 Poznan (Poland); Kaczmarek, Mariusz [Department of Immunology, Chair of Clinical Immunology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 5D, 60-806 Poznan (Poland); Paszel-Jaworska, Anna; Romaniuk, Aleksandra; Lipińska, Natalia [Department of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Przybyszewskiego 49, 60-355 Poznan (Poland); Żurawski, Jakub [Department of Immunobiochemistry, Chair of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 8, 60-806 Poznan (Poland); Urbaniak, Paulina [Department of Cell Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 5D, 60-806 Poznan (Poland); Jurczyk, Mieczyslaw [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Jana Pawla II 24, 61-138 Poznan (Poland)

2017-04-01

Novel in situ Metal Matrix Nanocomposite (MMNC) materials based on titanium and boron, revealed their new properties in the nanoscale range. In situ nanocomposites, obtained through mechanical alloying and traditional powder metallurgy compaction and sintering, show obvious differences to their microstructural analogue. A unique microstructure connected with good mechanical properties reliant on the processing conditions favour the nanoscale range of results of the Ti-TiB in situ MMNC example. The data summarised in this work, support and extend the knowledge boundaries of the nanoscale size effect that influence not only the mechanical properties but also the studies on the cell viability and cytocompatibility. Prepared in the same bulk, in situ MMNC, based on titanium and boron, could be considered as a possible candidate for dental implants and other medical applications. The observed relations and research conclusions are transferable to the in situ MMNC material group. Aside from all the discussed relations, the increasing share of these composites in the ever-growing material markets, heavily depends on the attractiveness and a possible wider application of these composites as well as their operational simplicity presented in this work. - Highlights: • Nano and microscale size precursor influence the final composite microstructure and properties. • Obtained from the nanoscale precursor sinters, characterise with a uniform and highly dispersed microstructure • Mechanical properties favoured Nano scale size precursor • Boron addition could be significantly reduced for moderate properties range. • A possible candidate for dental implants and other medical applications.

Scalable synthesis of palladium nanoparticle catalysts by atomic layer deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Xinhua; Lyon, Lauren B.; Jiang Yingbing; Weimer, Alan W.

2012-01-01

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) was used to produce Pd/Al 2 O 3 catalysts using sequential exposures of Pd(II) hexafluoroacetylacetonate and formalin at 200 °C in a fluidized bed reactor. The ALD-prepared Pd/alumina catalysts were characterized by various methods including hydrogen chemisorption, XPS, and TEM, and compared with a commercially available 1 wt% Pd/alumina catalyst, which was also characterized. The content of Pd on alumina support and the size of Pd nanoparticles can be controlled by the number of ALD-coating cycles and the dose time of the Pd precursor. One layer of organic component from the Pd precursor remained on the Pd particle surface. The ALD 0.9 wt% Pd/alumina had greater active metal surface area and percent metal dispersion than the commercial 1 wt% Pd/alumina catalyst. The ALD and commercial catalysts were subjected to catalytic testing to determine their relative activities for glucose oxidation to gluconic acid in aqueous solution. The ALD 0.9 wt% Pd/alumina catalyst had comparable activity as compared to the commercial 1 wt% Pd catalyst. No noticeable amount of Pd leaching was observed for the ALD-prepared catalysts during the vigorously stirred reaction.

Energy efficiency in nanoscale synthesis using nanosecond plasmas.

Science.gov (United States)

Pai, David Z; Ken Ostrikov, Kostya; Kumar, Shailesh; Lacoste, Deanna A; Levchenko, Igor; Laux, Christophe O

2013-01-01

We report a nanoscale synthesis technique using nanosecond-duration plasma discharges. Voltage pulses 12.5 kV in amplitude and 40 ns in duration were applied repetitively at 30 kHz across molybdenum electrodes in open ambient air, generating a nanosecond spark discharge that synthesized well-defined MoO₃ nanoscale architectures (i.e. flakes, dots, walls, porous networks) upon polyamide and copper substrates. No nitrides were formed. The energy cost was as low as 75 eV per atom incorporated into a nanostructure, suggesting a dramatic reduction compared to other techniques using atmospheric pressure plasmas. These findings show that highly efficient synthesis at atmospheric pressure without catalysts or external substrate heating can be achieved in a simple fashion using nanosecond discharges.

Effect of pretreatment temperature on catalytic performance of the catalysts derived from cobalt carbonyl cluster in Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Byambasuren O

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The monometallic cobalt-based catalysts were prepared by pretreating the catalysts derived from carbonyl cluster precursor (CO6Co2CC(COOH2 supported on γ-Al2O3 with hydrogen at 180, 220, and 260°C respectively. The temperature effect of the pretreatments on the structure evolution of cluster precursors and the catalytic performance of the Fischer-Tropsch (F-T synthesis was investigated. The pretreated catalyst at 220°C with unique phase structure exhibited best catalytic activity and selectivity among three pretreated catalysts. Moreover, the catalysts exhibited high dispersion due to the formation of hydrogen bonds between the cluster precursor and γ-Al2O3 support.

Propene Hydroformylation by Supported Aqueous-phase Rh-NORBOS Catalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riisager, Anders; Eriksen, Kim Michael; Hjortkjær, Jes

2003-01-01

The gas-phase hydroformylation reaction of propene using supported aqueous-phase (SAP) Rh-NORBOS modified catalysts in a continuous flow reactor has been examined. SAP catalysts supported on six different support materials were made by wet impregnation using solutions of the precursor complex Rh(...

Alternative alkali resistant deNOx catalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Putluru, Siva Sankar Reddy; Kristensen, Steffen Buus; Due-Hansen, Johannes

2012-01-01

by onepot sol–gel method. All catalysts were characterized by BET, XRPD and NH3-TPD. Initial SCR activities of 8 out of 9 catalysts showed higher NO conversion at least at one temperature in the temperature range 300–500 ◦C compared to the conventional V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst. After potassium poisoning (100......Alternative alkali resistant deNOx catalysts were prepared using three different supports ZrO2, TiO2 and Mordenite zeolite. The majority of the catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation of a commercial support, with vanadium, copper or iron precursor, one catalyst was prepared......–130 µmol of K/g of catalyst) the relative drop in SCR activity and acidity was lower for all the alternative catalysts compared to the industrial V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst. Furthermore, Cu/MOR and Nano-V2O5/Sul-TiO2 catalysts showed 8–16 times higher SCR activities than the conventional even after high...

Catalyst dispersion and activity under conditions of temperature-staged liquefaction. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, A.; Schobert, H.H.; Mitchell, G.D.; Artok, L.

1993-02-01

This research program involves the investigation of the use of highly dispersed catalyst precursors for the pretreatment of coals by mild hydrogenation. During the course of this effort solvent preswelling of the coal was evaluated as a means of deeply impregnating catalysts into coal, active phases of catalysts under reaction conditions were studied and the impact of these techniques were evaluated during pretreatment and temperature-staged liquefaction. Two coals, a Texas subbituminous and a Utah high volatile A bituminous, were used to examine the effects of solvent swelling pretreatment and catalyst impregnation on conversion behavior at 275{degrees}C, representative of the first, low-temperature stage in a temperature-staged liquefaction reaction. Ferrous sulfate, iron pentacarbonyl, ammonium tetrathiomolybdate, and molybdenum hexacarbonyl were used as catalyst precursors. Without swelling pretreatment, impregnation of both coals increased conversion, mainly through increased yields of preasphaltenes.

Method to determine the sticking coefficient of precursor molecules in atomic layer deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rose, M.; Bartha, J.W.

2009-01-01

A method to determine the sticking coefficient of precursor molecules used in atomic layer deposition (ALD) will be introduced. The sticking coefficient is an interesting quantity for comparing different ALD processes and reactors but it cannot be observed easily. The method relies on free molecular flow in nanoscale cylindrical holes. The sticking coefficient is determined for tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium in combination with ozone. The proposed method can be applied independent of the type of reactor, precursor delivery system and precursors.

Slat templated formation of efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalyst with a fluidic precursor

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Yao

2018-05-01

Development of cost-effective and efficient oxygen reduction catalyst is critical for the commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Metal and nitrogen co-doped carbon is recognized as a promising alternative to traditional platinum-based oxygen reduction catalyst. Herein, we report a novel metal and nitrogen co-doped carbon catalyst with an ionic liquid precursor. Salt template, which can be easily removed with mild treatment after the synthesis, is used to generate abundant mesopores in the resulting catalyst. We show that the novel catalyst shows a superior activity comparable to commercial Pt/C catalyst. Furthermore, the important role of the mesopore for the activity of the catalyst is demonstrated.

Novel anode catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Basri, S; Kamarudin, S K; Daud, W R W; Yaakob, Z; Kadhum, A A H

2014-01-01

PtRu catalyst is a promising anodic catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) but the slow reaction kinetics reduce the performance of DMFCs. Therefore, this study attempts to improve the performance of PtRu catalysts by adding nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe). Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are used to increase the active area of the catalyst and to improve the catalyst performance. Electrochemical analysis techniques, such as energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), are used to characterize the kinetic parameters of the hybrid catalyst. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) is used to investigate the effects of adding Fe and Ni to the catalyst on the reaction kinetics. Additionally, chronoamperometry (CA) tests were conducted to study the long-term performance of the catalyst for catalyzing the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). The binding energies of the reactants and products are compared to determine the kinetics and potential surface energy for methanol oxidation. The FESEM analysis results indicate that well-dispersed nanoscale (2-5 nm) PtRu particles are formed on the MWCNTs. Finally, PtRuFeNi/MWCNT improves the reaction kinetics of anode catalysts for DMFCs and obtains a mass current of 31 A g(-1) catalyst.

Catalyst design for carbon nanotube growth using atomistic modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pint, Cary L; Bozzolo, Guillermo; Hauge, Robert

2008-01-01

The formation and stability of bimetallic catalyst particles, in the framework of carbon nanotube growth, is studied using the Bozzolo-Ferrante-Smith (BFS) method for alloys. Monte Carlo-Metropolis simulations with the BFS method are utilized in order to predict and study equilibrium configurations for nanoscale catalyst particles which are directly relevant to the catalyst state prior to growth of carbon nanotubes. At the forefront of possible catalyst combinations is the popular Fe-Mo bimetallic catalyst, which we have recently studied experimentally. We explain our experimental results, which indicate that the growth observed is dependent on the order of co-catalyst deposition, in the straightforward interpretation of BFS strain and chemical energy contributions toward the formation of Fe-Mo catalyst prior to growth. We find that the competition between the formation of metastable inner Mo cores and clusters of surface-segregated Mo atoms in Fe-Mo catalyst particles influences catalyst formation, and we investigate the role of Mo concentration and catalyst particle size in this process. Finally, we apply the same modeling approach to other prominent bimetallic catalysts and suggest that this technique can be a powerful tool to understand and manipulate catalyst design for highly efficient carbon nanotube growth

Domain growth of carbon nanotubes assisted by dewetting of thin catalyst precursor films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srivastava, Alok Kumar [Defence Materials and Stores R and D Establishment (DRDO), GT Road, Kanpur 208013 (India); Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016 (India); Sachan, Priyanka; Samanta, Chandan [Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016 (India); Mukhopadhyay, Kingsuk [Defence Materials and Stores R and D Establishment (DRDO), GT Road, Kanpur 208013 (India); Sharma, Ashutosh, E-mail: ashutos@iitk.ac.in [Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016 (India)

2014-01-01

We explore self-organized dewetting of ultrathin films of a novel metal complex as a one step surface patterning method to create nanoislands of iron, using which spatially separated carbon nanostructures were synthesized. Dewetting of ultrathin metal complex films was induced by two different methods: liquid solvent exposure and thermal annealing to engender surface patterning. For thermal dewetting, thin films of the iron oleate complex were dewetted at high temperature. In the case of liquid solvent assisted dewetting, the metal complex, mixed with a sacrificial polymer (polystyrene) was spin coated as thin films (<40 nm) and then dewetted under an optimal solution mixture consisting of methyl ethyl ketone, acetone and water. The carrier polymer was then selectively removed to produce the iron metal islands. These metal islands were used for selective growth of discrete patches of multiwall CNTs and CNFs by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. Solvent induced dewetting showed clear advantages over thermal dewetting owing to reduced size of catalyst domains formed by dewetting, an improved control over CNT growth as well as in its ability to immobilize the seed particles. The generic solution mediated dewetting and pattern generation in thin films of various catalytic precursors can thus be a powerful method for selective domain growth of a variety of functional nanomaterials.

Interfacial charge distributions in carbon-supported palladium catalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rao, Radhika G.; Blume, Raoul; Hansen, Thomas Willum

2017-01-01

Controlling the charge transfer between a semiconducting catalyst carrier and the supported transition metal active phase represents an elite strategy for fine turning the electronic structure of the catalytic centers, hence their activity and selectivity. These phenomena have been theoretically...... and experimentally elucidated for oxide supports but remain poorly understood for carbons due to their complex nanoscale structure. Here, we combine advanced spectroscopy and microscopy on model Pd/C samples to decouple the electronic and surface chemistry effects on catalytic performance. Our investigations reveal...... treatments can be used to tune the interfacial charge distribution, hereby providing a strategy to rationally design carbon-supported catalysts.Control over charge transfer in carbon-supported metal nanoparticles is essential for designing new catalysts. Here, the authors show that thermal treatments...

An improved method of preparation of nanoparticular metal oxide catalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

The present invention concerns an improved method of preparation of nanoparticular vanadium oxide/anatase titania catalysts having a narrow particle size distribution. In particular, the invention concerns preparation of nanoparticular vanadium oxide/anatase titania catalyst precursors comprising...... combustible crystallization seeds upon which the catalyst metal oxide is coprecipitated with the carrier metal oxide, which crystallization seeds are removed by combustion in a final calcining step....

Effect of Cobalt Source on the Catalyst Reducibility and Activity of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of cobalt precursor (nitrate, acetate and chloride salts) on the catalyst reducibility and dispersion, ... balt catalysts (>5.0 wt%) prepared using ammonium cobalt ... heated from 323 K to 1073 K using a heating ramp of 10 K min–1.

Preparation of supported heterogeneous catalysts by pulse impregnation: Application to Ru[sub 3](CO)[sub 12]/2,2[prime]-bipyridine/SiO[sub 2] catalyst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haukka, M.; Pakkanen, T.A. (Univ. of Joensuu (Finland))

1994-07-01

In this paper, the authors introduce pulse impregnation, a method for preparing supported heterogeneous catalysts by successive impregnation cycles. Pulse impregnation is a method for preparing supported heterogeneous catalysts from the liquid phase. In the pulse-impregnation technique the catalyst surface is grown gradually in consecutive cycles, with each cycle consisting of separate deposition and activation steps. During the deposition step, the catalyst precursor or precursors are deposited onto the support from a suitable solvent. The actual chemically bonded catalyst phase is formed during the activation step (e.g., thermal activation). Pulse impregnation was tested in the separate deposition of 2,2[prime]-bipyridine and Ru[sub 3](CO)[sub 12] onto a silica support, and in the preparation of Ru[sub 3](CO)[sub 12]/2,2[prime]-bipyridine/SiO[sub 2] catalyst, in a column-type reactor system. Macroscopically uniform deposition was achieved with both 2,2[prime]-bipyridine and Ru[sub 3](CO)[sub 12]. Various solvent systems were used to control the amount of solute adsorbed during deposition. In the preparation of the Ru[sub 3](CO)[sub 12]/2,2[prime]-bipyridine/SiO[sub 2] catalyst, the ruthenium content increased nearly linearly with the number of preparation cycles. The effects of the preparation method on the catalyst activity was also tested in 1-hexane hydroformylation. 31 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.

Effect of nanoscale flows on the surface structure of nanoporous catalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Montemore, Matthew M; Montessori, Andrea; Succi, Sauro; Barroo, Cédric; Falcucci, Giacomo; Bell, David C; Kaxiras, Efthimios

2017-06-07

The surface structure and composition of a multi-component catalyst are critical factors in determining its catalytic performance. The surface composition can depend on the local pressure of the reacting species, leading to the possibility that the flow through a nanoporous catalyst can affect its structure and reactivity. Here, we explore this possibility for oxidation reactions on nanoporous gold, an AgAu bimetallic catalyst. We use microscopy and digital reconstruction to obtain the morphology of a two-dimensional slice of a nanoporous gold sample. Using lattice Boltzmann fluid dynamics simulations along with thermodynamic models based on first-principles total-energy calculations, we show that some sections of this sample have low local O 2 partial pressures when exposed to reaction conditions, which leads to a pure Au surface in these regions, instead of the active bimetallic AgAu phase. We also explore the effect of temperature on the surface structure and find that moderate temperatures (≈300-450 K) should result in the highest intrinsic catalytic performance, in apparent agreement with experimental results.

Nanostructured manganese oxides as highly active water oxidation catalysts: a boost from manganese precursor chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Menezes, Prashanth W; Indra, Arindam; Littlewood, Patrick; Schwarze, Michael; Göbel, Caren; Schomäcker, Reinhard; Driess, Matthias

2014-08-01

We present a facile synthesis of bioinspired manganese oxides for chemical and photocatalytic water oxidation, starting from a reliable and versatile manganese(II) oxalate single-source precursor (SSP) accessible through an inverse micellar molecular approach. Strikingly, thermal decomposition of the latter precursor in various environments (air, nitrogen, and vacuum) led to the three different mineral phases of bixbyite (Mn2 O3 ), hausmannite (Mn3 O4 ), and manganosite (MnO). Initial chemical water oxidation experiments using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) gave the maximum catalytic activity for Mn2 O3 and MnO whereas Mn3 O4 had a limited activity. The substantial increase in the catalytic activity of MnO in chemical water oxidation was demonstrated by the fact that a phase transformation occurs at the surface from nanocrystalline MnO into an amorphous MnOx (1catalysts has been proposed by determining the amount of accessible manganese centers. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thermal effects in highly dispersed iron catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvarez, A.M.; Cagnoli, M.V.; Gallegos, N.G.; Marchetti, S.G.; Yeramian, A.A.; Mercader, R.C.

1994-01-01

The Moessbauer spectra of three Fe/SiO 2 catalysts with 5 wt% iron content show the presence of several Fe species and display different magnetic behaviours when the precursors are subjected to various thermal treatments. Based on the Moessbauer parameters and CO chemisorption measurements, the average crystal sizes of the catalysts are estimated and discussed in connection with the thermal pretreatment severity and magnetic properties of the samples. (orig.)

Novel Anode Catalyst for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Basri

2014-01-01

Full Text Available PtRu catalyst is a promising anodic catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs but the slow reaction kinetics reduce the performance of DMFCs. Therefore, this study attempts to improve the performance of PtRu catalysts by adding nickel (Ni and iron (Fe. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs are used to increase the active area of the catalyst and to improve the catalyst performance. Electrochemical analysis techniques, such as energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX, X-ray diffraction (XRD, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, are used to characterize the kinetic parameters of the hybrid catalyst. Cyclic voltammetry (CV is used to investigate the effects of adding Fe and Ni to the catalyst on the reaction kinetics. Additionally, chronoamperometry (CA tests were conducted to study the long-term performance of the catalyst for catalyzing the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR. The binding energies of the reactants and products are compared to determine the kinetics and potential surface energy for methanol oxidation. The FESEM analysis results indicate that well-dispersed nanoscale (2–5 nm PtRu particles are formed on the MWCNTs. Finally, PtRuFeNi/MWCNT improves the reaction kinetics of anode catalysts for DMFCs and obtains a mass current of 31 A g−1 catalyst.

Striking difference between alkane and olefin metathesis using the well-defined precursor [≡Si-O-WMe5]: Indirect evidence in favour of a bifunctional catalyst W alkylidene-hydride

KAUST Repository

Riache, Nassima; Callens, Emmanuel; Espinas, Jeff; Dé ry, Alexandre; Samantaray, Manoja; Dey, Raju; Basset, Jean-Marie

2015-01-01

Metathesis of linear alkanes catalyzed by the well-defined precursor (≡Si-O-WMe5) affords a wide distribution of linear alkanes from methane up to triacontane. Olefin metathesis using the same catalyst and under the same reaction conditions gives a very striking different distribution of linear α-olefins and internal olefins. This shows that olefin and alkane metathesis processes occur via very different pathways.

Iridium-catalyst-based autonomous bubble-propelled graphene micromotors with ultralow catalyst loading.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hong; Sofer, Zdeněk; Eng, Alex Yong Sheng; Pumera, Martin

2014-11-10

A novel concept of an iridium-based bubble-propelled Janus-particle-type graphene micromotor with very high surface area and with very low catalyst loading is described. The low loading of Ir catalyst (0.54 at %) allows for fast motion of graphene microparticles with high surface area of 316.2 m(2)  g(-1). The micromotor was prepared with a simple and scalable method by thermal exfoliation of iridium-doped graphite oxide precursor composite in hydrogen atmosphere. Oxygen bubbles generated from the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide at the iridium catalytic sites provide robust propulsion thrust for the graphene micromotor. The high surface area and low iridium catalyst loading of the bubble-propelled graphene motors offer great possibilities for dramatically enhanced cargo delivery. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Boron-containing catalysts for dry reforming of methane to synthesis gas

KAUST Repository

Takanabe, Kazuhiro

2018-01-04

The present invention uses a cobalt catalyst for carbon dioxide reforming of lower alkanes to synthesis gas having a cobalt catalyst on an oxide support where the supported cobalt catalyst has been modified with a boron precursor. The boron-treated cobalt catalyst systems as described herein show significant increases in the conversion of CH4 and CO2 during the dry reforming of methane (DRM) reaction as compared to traditional catalysts. Described herein are supported catalysts and methods of using the catalysts for the dry reforming of methane to synthesis gas, with the supported catalysts in the present invention include a boron-treated cobalt catalyst disposed on an oxide support. Also described herein are processes for preparing the supported catalysts.

Palladium catalyst system comprising zwitterion and/or acid-​functionalized ionic liquid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2011-01-01

The present invention concerns a catalyst system in particular a catalyst system comprising Palladium (Pd), a zwitterion and/or an acid-functionalized ionic liquid, and one or more phosphine ligands, wherein the Pd catalyst can be provided by a complex precursor, such as Pd(CH3COO)2, PdCI2, Pd(CH3...... methyl methacrylate and/or methacrylic acid. Catalyst systems according to the invention are suitable for reactions forming separable product and catalyst phases and supported ionic liquid phase SILP applications....

An optimization study of PtSn/C catalysts applied to direct ethanol fuel cell: Effect of the preparation method on the electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, T. S.; Palma, L. M.; Leonello, P. H.; Morais, C.; Kokoh, K. B.; De Andrade, A. R.

2012-10-01

The aim of this work was to perform a systematic study of the parameters that can influence the composition, morphology, and catalytic activity of PtSn/C nanoparticles and compare two different methods of nanocatalyst preparation, namely microwave-assisted heating (MW) and thermal decomposition of polymeric precursors (DPP). An investigation of the effects of the reducing and stabilizing agents on the catalytic activity and morphology of Pt75Sn25/C catalysts prepared by microwave-assisted heating was undertaken for optimization purposes. The effect of short-chain alcohols such as ethanol, ethylene glycol, and propylene glycol as reducing agents was evaluated, and the use of sodium acetate and citric acid as stabilizing agents for the MW procedure was examined. Catalysts obtained from propylene glycol displayed higher catalytic activity compared with catalysts prepared in ethylene glycol. Introduction of sodium acetate enhanced the catalytic activity, but this beneficial effect was observed until a critical acetate concentration was reached. Optimization of the MW synthesis allowed for the preparation of highly dispersed catalysts with average sizes lying between 2.0 and 5.0 nm. Comparison of the best catalyst prepared by MW with a catalyst of similar composition prepared by the polymeric precursors method showed that the catalytic activity of the material can be improved when a proper condition for catalyst preparation is achieved.

DOE Award No. DE-FC36-03GO13108 NOVEL NON-PRECIOUS METAL CATALYSTS FOR PEMFC: CATALYST SELECTION THROUGH MOLECULAR MODELING AND DURABILITY STUDIES Final Report (September 2003 – October 2008)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Branko N. Popov

2009-02-20

The objective of this project is to develop novel non-precious metal electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and demonstrate the potential of the catalysts to perform at least as good as conventional Pt catalysts currently in use in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with a cost at least 50 % less than a target of 0.2 g (Pt loading)/peak kW and with durability > 2,000 h operation with less than 10 % power degradation. A novel nitrogen-modified carbon-based catalyst was obtained by modifying carbon black with nitrogen-containing organic precursor in the absence of transition metal precursor. The catalyst shows the onset potential of approximately 0.76 V (NHE) for ORR and the amount of H2O2 of approximately 3% at 0.5 V (NHE). Furthermore, a carbon composite catalyst was achieved through the high-temperature pyrolysis of the precursors of transition metal (Co and Fe) and nitrogen supported on the nitrogen-modified carbon-based catalyst, followed by chemical post-treatment. This catalyst showed an onset potential for ORR as high as 0.87 V (NHE), and generated less than 1 % of H2O2. The PEM fuel cell exhibited a current density of 2.3 A cm-2 at 0.2 V for a catalyst loading of 6.0 mg cm-2. No significant performance degradation was observed for 480 h continuous operation. The characterization studies indicated that the metal-nitrogen chelate complexes decompose at the temperatures above 800 oC. During the pyrolysis, the transition metals facilitate the incorporation of pyridinic and graphitic nitrogen groups into the carbon matrix, and the carbon surface modified with nitrogen is active for ORR. In order to elucidate the role of transition metal precursor played in the formation of active sites in the non-precious metal catalysts, a novel ruthenium-based chelate (RuNx) catalyst was synthesized by using RuCl3 and propylene diammine as the Ru and N precursors, respectively, followed by high-temperature pyrolysis. This catalyst exhibited comparable

DOE Award No. DE-FC36-03GO13108 NOVEL NON-PRECIOUS METAL CATALYSTS FOR PEMFC: CATALYST SELECTION THROUGH MOLECULAR MODELING AND DURABILITY STUDIES Final Report (September 2003 – October 2008)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Branko N. Popov

2009-03-03

The objective of this project is to develop novel non-precious metal electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and demonstrate the potential of the catalysts to perform at least as good as conventional Pt catalysts currently in use in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with a cost at least 50 % less than a target of 0.2 g (Pt loading)/peak kW and with durability > 2,000 h operation with less than 10 % power degradation. A novel nitrogen-modified carbon-based catalyst was obtained by modifying carbon black with nitrogen-containing organic precursor in the absence of transition metal precursor. The catalyst shows the onset potential of approximately 0.76 V (NHE) for ORR and the amount of H2O2 of approximately 3% at 0.5 V (NHE). Furthermore, a carbon composite catalyst was achieved through the high-temperature pyrolysis of the precursors of transition metal (Co and Fe) and nitrogen supported on the nitrogen-modified carbon-based catalyst, followed by chemical post-treatment. This catalyst showed an onset potential for ORR as high as 0.87 V (NHE), and generated less than 1 % of H2O2. The PEM fuel cell exhibited a current density of 2.3 A cm-2 at 0.2 V for a catalyst loading of 6.0 mg cm-2. No significant performance degradation was observed for 480 h continuous operation. The characterization studies indicated that the metal-nitrogen chelate complexes decompose at the temperatures above 800 oC. During the pyrolysis, the transition metals facilitate the incorporation of pyridinic and graphitic nitrogen groups into the carbon matrix, and the carbon surface modified with nitrogen is active for ORR. In order to elucidate the role of transition metal precursor played in the formation of active sites in the non-precious metal catalysts, a novel ruthenium-based chelate (RuNx) catalyst was synthesized by using RuCl3 and propylene diammine as the Ru and N precursors, respectively, followed by high-temperature pyrolysis. This catalyst exhibited comparable

Characterization of steam-reforming catalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santos D. C. R.M.

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of the addition of Mg and Ca to Ni/ a-Al2O3 catalysts was investigatedstudied, aiming to detail the promotion mechanismaddress their role as promoters in the steam reforming reaction. Temperature- programmed reduction and H2 and CO temperature-programmed desorption experiments indicated that Mg interacts with the metallic phase. Mg-promoted catalysts showed a greater difficulty for Ni precursors reduction besides different probe molecules (H2 and CO adsorbed states. In the conversion of cyclohexane, Mg inhibited the formation of hydrogenolysis products. Nonetheless, the presence of Ca did not influence the metallic phase.

Reduction of nanowire diameter beyond lithography limits by controlled catalyst dewetting

Science.gov (United States)

Calahorra, Yonatan; Kerlich, Alexander; Amram, Dor; Gavrilov, Arkady; Cohen, Shimon; Ritter, Dan

2016-04-01

Catalyst assisted vapour-liquid-solid is the most common method to realize bottom-up nanowire growth; establishing a parallel process for obtaining nanoscale catalysts at pre-defined locations is paramount for further advancement towards commercial nanowire applications. Herein, the effect of a selective area mask on the dewetting of metallic nanowire catalysts, deposited within lithography-defined mask pinholes, is reported. It was found that thin disc-like catalysts, with diameters of 120-450 nm, were transformed through dewetting into hemisphere-like catalysts, having diameters 2-3 fold smaller; the process was optimized to about 95% yield in preventing catalyst splitting, as would otherwise be expected due to their thickness-to-diameter ratio, which was as low as 1/60. The catalysts subsequently facilitated InP and InAs nanowire growth. We suggest that the mask edges prevent surface migration mediated spreading of the dewetted metal, and therefore induce its agglomeration into a single particle. This result presents a general strategy to diminish lithography-set dimensions for NW growth, and may answer a fundamental challenge faced by bottom-up nanowire technology.

La2O3/CaO CATALYSTS AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE OXIDATIVE COUPLING OF METHANE

OpenAIRE

Garrido-Schaeffer, A.; Dedios Yenque, G.; Ponce Alvaréz, S.

2014-01-01

La2O3/CaO catalysts were prepared at different weight percentages of La2O3.Por the coprecipitation method described porRaO, CaCO3 is prepared and then it was impregnated in a solution of La (NO) 3.6H2O thus obtaining the catalyst precursor . precursors dried at 393K and calcined at 973K, obtaining 0-15% La2O3/CaO catalysts. XRF elemental qualitative analysis was performed. By FTIR carbonates adsorbed species was observed. The presence of La2O3 and CaO phases was confirmed by XRD and BET surfa...

Nanostructured protic ionic liquids retain nanoscale features in aqueous solution while precursor Brønsted acids and bases exhibit different behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Greaves, Tamar L; Kennedy, Danielle F; Weerawardena, Asoka; Tse, Nicholas M K; Kirby, Nigel; Drummond, Calum J

2011-03-10

Small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SWAXS) has been used to investigate the effect that water has on the nanoscale structure of protic ionic liquids (PILs) along with their precursor Brønsted acids and bases. The series of PILs consisted of primary, secondary, and tertiary alkylammonium cations in conjunction with formate, nitrate, or glycolate anions. Significant differences were observed for these systems. The nanoscale aggregates present in neat protic ionic liquids were shown to be stable in size on dilution to high concentrations of water, indicating that the water is localized in the ionic region and has little effect on the nonpolar domains. The Brønsted acid-water solutions did not display nanostructure at any water concentration. Primary amine Brønsted bases formed aggregates in water, which generally displayed characteristics of poorly structured microemulsions or a form of bicontinuous phase. Exceptions were butyl- and pentylamine with high water concentrations, for which the SWAXS patterns fitted well to the Teubner-Strey model for microemulsions. Brønsted base amines containing multiple alkyl chains or hydroxyl groups did not display nanostructure at any water concentration. IR spectroscopy was used to investigate the nature of water in the various solutions. For low PIL concentrations, the water was predominately present as bulk water for PIL molar fractions less than 0.4-0.5. At high PIL concentrations, in addition to the bulk water, there was a significant proportion of perturbed water, which is water influenced in some way by the cations and anions. The molecular state of the water in the studied amines was predominately present as bulk water, with smaller contributions from perturbed water than was seen in the PILs. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Moessbauer investigations of the Fe-Cu-Mn catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spanu, V.; Filoti, G.; Ilie, I.; Zamfirescu, E.

1990-01-01

In the selective process of the syngas conversion to synthetic gasoline a bifunctional catalytic system has to be used. It was obtained by combination a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst with the HZSM-5 zeolite. The phase compositions of the precursor and the fresh catalyst were established as well as the optimum thermal treatment. The catalyst was reduced in pure H 2 or in a H 2 +CO mixture. The influence of the reduction and reaction conditions on the catalyst structure was investigated. (orig.)

Role of Precursor-Conversion Chemistry in the Crystal-Phase Control of Catalytically Grown Colloidal Semiconductor Quantum Wires.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fudong; Buhro, William E

2017-12-26

Crystal-phase control is one of the most challenging problems in nanowire growth. We demonstrate that, in the solution-phase catalyzed growth of colloidal cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum wires (QWs), the crystal phase can be controlled by manipulating the reaction chemistry of the Cd precursors and tri-n-octylphosphine telluride (TOPTe) to favor the production of either a CdTe solute or Te, which consequently determines the composition and (liquid or solid) state of the Bi x Cd y Te z catalyst nanoparticles. Growth of single-phase (e.g., wurtzite) QWs is achieved only from solid catalysts (y ≪ z) that enable the solution-solid-solid growth of the QWs, whereas the liquid catalysts (y ≈ z) fulfill the solution-liquid-solid growth of the polytypic QWs. Factors that affect the precursor-conversion chemistry are systematically accounted for, which are correlated with a kinetic study of the composition and state of the catalyst nanoparticles to understand the mechanism. This work reveals the role of the precursor-reaction chemistry in the crystal-phase control of catalytically grown colloidal QWs, opening the possibility of growing phase-pure QWs of other compositions.

Functional Nanoporous Polymers from Block Copolymer Precursors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guo, Fengxiao

Abstract Self-assembly of block copolymers provides well-defined morphologies with characteristic length scales in the nanometer range. Nanoporous polymers prepared by selective removal of one block from self-assembled block copolymers offer great technological promise due to their many potential...... functionalities remains a great challenge due to the limitation of available polymer synthesis and the nanoscale confinement of the porous cavities. The main topic of this thesis is to develop methods for fabrication of functional nanoporous polymers from block copolymer precursors. A method has been developed......, where living anionic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) are combined to synthesize a polydimethylsiloxane-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-polystyrene (PDMS-b-PtBA-b-PS) triblock copolymer precursor. By using either anhydrous hydrogen fluoride or trifluoroacetic acid, PtBA block...

Catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane

Science.gov (United States)

Christie, Gervase Maxwell; Wilson, Jamie Robyn; van Hassel, Bart Antonie

2012-12-04

A composite oxygen transport membrane having a dense layer, a porous support layer and an intermediate porous layer located between the dense layer and the porous support layer. Both the dense layer and the intermediate porous layer are formed from an ionic conductive material to conduct oxygen ions and an electrically conductive material to conduct electrons. The porous support layer has a high permeability, high porosity, and a high average pore diameter and the intermediate porous layer has a lower permeability and lower pore diameter than the porous support layer. Catalyst particles selected to promote oxidation of a combustible substance are located in the intermediate porous layer and in the porous support adjacent to the intermediate porous layer. The catalyst particles can be formed by wicking a solution of catalyst precursors through the porous support toward the intermediate porous layer.

Ammonia synthesis over multi-promoted iron catalysts obtained by high-energy ball-milling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, C.J.H.; Jiang, Jianzhong; Mørup, Steen

1999-01-01

The feasibility of producing ammonia synthesis catalysts from high-energy ball-milling of a simple mixture of the constituent oxides has been investigated. The effect of ball-milling the fused oxidic precursor of the industrial KM1 ammonia synthesis catalyst has also been studied. The results show...

Modeling of nanoscale liquid mixture transport by density functional hydrodynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Dinariev, Oleg Yu.; Evseev, Nikolay V.

2017-06-01

Modeling of multiphase compositional hydrodynamics at nanoscale is performed by means of density functional hydrodynamics (DFH). DFH is the method based on density functional theory and continuum mechanics. This method has been developed by the authors over 20 years and used for modeling in various multiphase hydrodynamic applications. In this paper, DFH was further extended to encompass phenomena inherent in liquids at nanoscale. The new DFH extension is based on the introduction of external potentials for chemical components. These potentials are localized in the vicinity of solid surfaces and take account of the van der Waals forces. A set of numerical examples, including disjoining pressure, film precursors, anomalous rheology, liquid in contact with heterogeneous surface, capillary condensation, and forward and reverse osmosis, is presented to demonstrate modeling capabilities.

Oxygen reduction reaction at MWCNT-modified nanoscale iron(II) tetrasulfophthalocyanine: remarkable performance over platinum and tolerance toward methanol in alkaline medium

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Fashedemi, OO

2015-04-01

Full Text Available A nanoscale iron(II) tetrasulfophthalocyanine (nanoFeTSPc) catalyst obtained by co-ordinating with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and subsequently anchored onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has been...

The impact of copper in LaNi{sub 1-x}Cu{sub x}O{sub 3} perovskite-like structures used as catalyst precursors for dry reforming of methane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vlach, K.; Hoang, D.L.; Armbruster, U.; Martin, A. [Leibniz-Institut fuer Katalyse e.V. an der Universitaet Rostock (Germany)

2013-11-01

This work deals with the synthesis of perovskite-like catalyst precursors (LaNi{sub 1-x}Cu{sub x}O{sub 3} with x = 0, 0.2, 0.5, 0.8, 1). These precursors were used to catalyse the dry reforming of methane (DRM) reaction carried out at 973 K, CH{sub 4}/CO{sub 2} = 1 and a GHSV = 18,000 ml/g/h. The precursors were transformed during the course of the reaction to give Ni-Cu/La{sub 2}O{sub 3} solids. We found out that the activity increases with raising Ni content but small Cu admixture suppresses the coke formation substantially. XRD and TEM measurements showed that the transformation led to the formation of small metallic Ni and/or Cu particles. In addition also alloying can be observed. The best catalytic system with respect to activity and suppressed carbon deposition was Ni{sub 0.8}-Cu{sub 0.2}/La{sub 2}O{sub 3} (X{sub CH4} = 61%, X{sub CO2} = 67%). (orig.)

Reduction of nanowire diameter beyond lithography limits by controlled catalyst dewetting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calahorra, Yonatan; Kerlich, Alexander; Gavrilov, Arkady; Cohen, Shimon; Ritter, Dan; Amram, Dor

2016-01-01

Catalyst assisted vapour-liquid–solid is the most common method to realize bottom-up nanowire growth; establishing a parallel process for obtaining nanoscale catalysts at pre-defined locations is paramount for further advancement towards commercial nanowire applications. Herein, the effect of a selective area mask on the dewetting of metallic nanowire catalysts, deposited within lithography-defined mask pinholes, is reported. It was found that thin disc-like catalysts, with diameters of 120–450 nm, were transformed through dewetting into hemisphere-like catalysts, having diameters 2–3 fold smaller; the process was optimized to about 95% yield in preventing catalyst splitting, as would otherwise be expected due to their thickness-to-diameter ratio, which was as low as 1/60. The catalysts subsequently facilitated InP and InAs nanowire growth. We suggest that the mask edges prevent surface migration mediated spreading of the dewetted metal, and therefore induce its agglomeration into a single particle. This result presents a general strategy to diminish lithography-set dimensions for NW growth, and may answer a fundamental challenge faced by bottom-up nanowire technology. (paper)

Low temperature catalyst-assisted pyrolysis of polymer precursors to ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2017-11-15

Nov 15, 2017 ... convert the organic compounds into high-performance car- bon. PAN is one of the ... yield, RF organic gel is also identified as a widely used precursor to produce ..... sis were applied to estimate radius of gyration (Rg) and surface ... pyrolysis approach without compromising the yield and qual- ity of the final ...

Palladium catalyst system comprising zwitterion and/or acid-functionalized ionic liquid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2011-01-01

The present invention concerns a catalyst system in particular a catalyst system comprising Palladium (Pd), a zwitterion and/or an acid-functionalized ionic liquid, and one or more phosphine ligands, wherein the Pd catalyst can be provided by a complex precursor, such as Pd(CH3COO)2, PdCI2, Pd(CH3......COCHCOCH3), Pd (CF3COO)2, Pd(PPh3)4 or Pd2(dibenzylideneacetone)3. Such catalyst systems can be used for e.g. alkoxycarbonylation reactions, carboxylation reactions, and/or in a co-polymerization reaction, e.g. in the production of methyl propionate and/or propanoic acid, optionally in processes forming...... methyl methacrylate and/or methacrylic acid. Catalyst systems according to the invention are suitable for reactions forming separable product and catalyst phases and supported ionic liquid phase SILP applications....

Synthesis, characterization and application of a nano-manganese-catalyst as an efficient solid catalyst for solvent free selective oxidation of ethylbenzene, cyclohexene, and benzylalcohol

Science.gov (United States)

Habibi, Davood; Faraji, Ali Reza

2013-07-01

The object of this study is to synthesize the heterogeneous Mn-nano-catalyst (MNC) which has been covalently anchored on a modified nanoscaleSiO2/Al2O3, and characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis, CHN elemental analysis, EDS, TEM, and EDX. The method is efficient for the highly selective oxidation of ethylbenzene, cyclohexene, and benzylalcohol without the need to any solvents, using tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as an oxidant. Oxidation of ethylbenzene, cyclohexene, and benzylalcohol gave acetophenone, 2-cyclohexene-1-one and benzaldehyde, respectively, as major products. Reaction conditions have been optimized by considering the effect of various factors such as reaction time, amounts of substrates and oxidant, Mn-nano-catalyst and application of various solvents.

Palladium Loaded on Magnetic Nanoparticles as Efficient and Recyclable Catalyst for the Suzuki- Miyaura Reaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Khojasteh

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Palladium is the best metal catalyst for Suzuki cross coupling reaction for synthesize of unsymmetrical biaryl compounds. But its high cost limits its application in wide scale. Using of nanoscale particles as active catalytic cites is a good approach for reducing needed noble metal. By loading precious nanoparticles on magnetic nanocores as a support, recycling and reusing of catalyst will be possible. Magnetic nanoparticles have super paramagnetic feature and applying an external magnetic field can collect the supported catalyst from reaction milieu simply. In this work new palladium catalyst immobilized on modified magnetic nanoparticles containing NNO donor atoms were synthesized. Then the catalyst characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction and ICP. Prepared catalyst showed high activity in the Suzuki– Miyaura cross-coupling reaction of phenylboronic acid with aryl halides. Activity, Pd loading, reusability and Pd leaching of catalyst were studied. Results showed that the supported catalyst has the advantage to be completely recoverable with the simple application of an external magnetic field.

Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of Furfural to Furfuryl Alcohol over Nitrogen-Doped Carbon-Supported Iron Catalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jiang; Liu, Jun-Ling; Zhou, Hong-Jun; Fu, Yao

2016-06-08

Iron-based heterogeneous catalysts, which were generally prepared by pyrolysis of iron complexes on supports at elevated temperature, were found to be capable of catalyzing the transfer hydrogenation of furfural (FF) to furfuryl alcohol (FFA). The effects of metal precursor, nitrogen precursor, pyrolysis temperature, and support on catalytic performance were examined thoroughly, and a comprehensive study of the reaction parameters was also performed. The highest selectivity of FFA reached 83.0 % with a FF conversion of 91.6 % under the optimal reaction condition. Catalyst characterization suggested that iron cations coordinated by pyridinic nitrogen functionalities were responsible for the enhanced catalytic activity. The iron catalyst could be recycled without significant loss of catalytic activity for five runs, and the destruction of the nitrogen-iron species, the presence of crystallized Fe2 O3 phase, and the pore structure change were the main reasons for catalyst deactivation. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterization of VPO ammoxidation catalysts by in situ methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin, A.; Luecke, B.; Brueckner, A.; Steinike, U. [Institut fuer Angewandte Chemie Berlin-Adlershof e.V., Berlin (Germany); Brzezinka, K.W. [Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin (Germany); Meisel, M. [Humboldt-Universitaet, Berlin (Germany). Inst. fuer Chemie

1998-12-31

In-situ methods are well known as powerful tools in studying catalyst formation processes, their solid state properties under working conditions and the interaction with the feed, intermediates and products to reveal reaction mechanisms. This paper gives a short overview on results of intense studies using in-situ techniques to reveal VPO catalyst generation processes, interaction of educts, intermediates and products with VPO catalyst surfaces and mechanistic insights. Catalytic data of the ammoxidation of toluene on different VPOs complete these findings. The precursor-catalyst transformation processes were preferently investigated by in-situ XRD, in-situ Raman and in-situ ESR spectroscopy. The interaction of aromatic molecules and intermediates, resp., and VPO solid surfaces was followed by in-situ ESR and in-situ FTIR spectroscopy. Mechanistic information was mainly obtained using in-situ FTIR spectroscopy and the temporal-analysis-of-products (TAP) technique. Catalytic studies were carried out in a fixed-bed microreactor on pure (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}(VO){sub 3}(P{sub 2}O{sub 7}){sub 2}, generated [(NH{sub 4}){sub 2}(VO{sub 3})(P{sub 2}O{sub 7}){sub 2}+V{sub x}O{sub y}] catalysts, having different V{sub x}O{sub y} proportions by use of VOHPO{sub 4} x 1/2H{sub 2}O (V/P=1) and recently studied (VO){sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2} x 7 H{sub 2}O (V/P=1.5) precursors; the well-known (VO){sub 2}P{sub 2}O{sub 7} was used for comparison. (orig.)

Nitrogen-doped carbon-supported cobalt-iron oxygen reduction catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Zelenay, Piotr; Wu, Gang

2014-04-29

A Fe--Co hybrid catalyst for oxygen reaction reduction was prepared by a two part process. The first part involves reacting an ethyleneamine with a cobalt-containing precursor to form a cobalt-containing complex, combining the cobalt-containing complex with an electroconductive carbon supporting material, heating the cobalt-containing complex and carbon supporting material under conditions suitable to convert the cobalt-containing complex and carbon supporting material into a cobalt-containing catalyst support. The second part of the process involves polymerizing an aniline in the presence of said cobalt-containing catalyst support and an iron-containing compound under conditions suitable to form a supported, cobalt-containing, iron-bound polyaniline species, and subjecting said supported, cobalt-containing, iron bound polyaniline species to conditions suitable for producing a Fe--Co hybrid catalyst.

Catalyst design for clean and efficient fuels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Šaric, Manuel

cobalt promoted MoS2 catalyst. Reactivity of a series of model molecules, found in oil prior to desulfurization, is studied on cobalt promoted MoS2. Such an approach has the potential to explain the underlying processes involved in the removal of sulfur at each specific site of the catalyst. The goal...... is to identify which sites are active towards specific molecules and in getting insight to what the ideal catalyst should look like in terms of morphology. Dimethyl carbonate is an environmentally benign compound that can be used as a solvent and precursor in chemical synthesis or as a fuel and fuel additive...... processes currently used. It is found that noble metals can be used as electrocatalysts for the synthesis of dimethyl carbonate, significantly lowering the potential when using copper instead of gold. Besides being active, copper was found to be selective towards dimethyl carbonate. A non-selective catalyst...

Graphitised Carbon Nanofibres as Catalyst Support for PEMFC

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yli-Rantala, E.; Pasanen, A.; Kauranen, P.

2011-01-01

(PANI) precursor. The modified surfaces were studied by FTIR and XPS and the electrochemical characterization, including long-term Pt stability tests, was performed using a low-temperature PEMFC single cell. The performance and stability of the G-CNF supported catalysts were compared with a CB supported...

From trash to resource: recovered-Pd from spent three-way catalysts as a precursor of an effective photo-catalyst for H 2 production

KAUST Repository

Gombac, V.; Montini, T.; Falqui, Andrea; Loche, D.; Prato, M.; Genovese, Alessandro; Mercuri, M. L.; Serpe, A.; Fornasiero, P.; Deplano, P.

2016-01-01

The successful production of a nanostructured and highly dispersed Pd-TiO2 photo-catalyst, using [Pd(Me2dazdt)2](I3)2 (Me2dazdt = N,N′-dimethyl-perhydrodiazepine-2,3-dithione) salt, obtained through the selective and safe recovery of palladium from model exhaust three-way catalysts (TWCs), is reported here. The photo-catalyst prepared by the impregnation/photo-reduction of palladium on the support showed improved performance in H2 production from methanol and in glycerol photo-reforming compared to reference photo-catalysts obtained from conventional Pd-salts. The reported results represent a case of successful palladium “recovery and re-employment” and thus constitute an example of green chemistry by providing, in one route, the environmentally friendly recovery of a critical metal and its employment in the renewable energy field.

From trash to resource: recovered-Pd from spent three-way catalysts as a precursor of an effective photo-catalyst for H 2 production

KAUST Repository

Gombac, V.

2016-01-06

The successful production of a nanostructured and highly dispersed Pd-TiO2 photo-catalyst, using [Pd(Me2dazdt)2](I3)2 (Me2dazdt = N,N′-dimethyl-perhydrodiazepine-2,3-dithione) salt, obtained through the selective and safe recovery of palladium from model exhaust three-way catalysts (TWCs), is reported here. The photo-catalyst prepared by the impregnation/photo-reduction of palladium on the support showed improved performance in H2 production from methanol and in glycerol photo-reforming compared to reference photo-catalysts obtained from conventional Pd-salts. The reported results represent a case of successful palladium “recovery and re-employment” and thus constitute an example of green chemistry by providing, in one route, the environmentally friendly recovery of a critical metal and its employment in the renewable energy field.

Fe3C-based oxygen reduction catalysts: synthesis, hollow spherical structures and applications in fuel cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Yang; Jensen, Jens Oluf; Zhang, Wei

2015-01-01

We present a detailed study of a novel Fe3C-based spherical catalyst with respect to synthetic parameters, nanostructure formation, ORR active sites and fuel cell demonstration. The catalyst is synthesized by high temperature autoclave pyrolysis using decomposing precursors. Below 500 °C, melamine...

Design criteria for stable Pt/C fuel cell catalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef C. Meier

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Platinum and Pt alloy nanoparticles supported on carbon are the state of the art electrocatalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. To develop a better understanding on how material design can influence the degradation processes on the nanoscale, three specific Pt/C catalysts with different structural characteristics were investigated in depth: a conventional Pt/Vulcan catalyst with a particle size of 3–4 nm and two Pt@HGS catalysts with different particle size, 1–2 nm and 3–4 nm. Specifically, Pt@HGS corresponds to platinum nanoparticles incorporated and confined within the pore structure of the nanostructured carbon support, i.e., hollow graphitic spheres (HGS. All three materials are characterized by the same platinum loading, so that the differences in their performance can be correlated to the structural characteristics of each material. The comparison of the activity and stability behavior of the three catalysts, as obtained from thin film rotating disk electrode measurements and identical location electron microscopy, is also extended to commercial materials and used as a basis for a discussion of general fuel cell catalyst design principles. Namely, the effects of particle size, inter-particle distance, certain support characteristics and thermal treatment on the catalyst performance and in particular the catalyst stability are evaluated. Based on our results, a set of design criteria for more stable and active Pt/C and Pt-alloy/C materials is suggested.

Ultrahighly Dispersed Titanium Oxide on Silica : Effect of Precursors on the Structure and Photocatalysis

OpenAIRE

Yoshida , S.; Takenaka , S.; Tanaka , T.; Funabiki , T.

1997-01-01

The effect of precursor on the dispersion and catalytic performance of titanium oxide supported on silica has ben investigated. The catalysts were prepared by a simple impregnation method with three kinds of titanium complexes of different ligands (bis(isopropyato)-bis(pivaroylmethanato) : DPM, acetylacetonato : ACAC, tetrakis(isopropylato) : IPRO) with the aim of preparing ultrahighly dispersed titanium oxide on silica. The XAFS study revealed that titanium species in the catalyst prepared f...

Effect of impregnation protocol in the metallic sites of Pt–Ag/activated carbon catalysts for water denitration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aristizábal, A. [Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Campus Sescelades, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona (Spain); Contreras, S., E-mail: sandra.contreras@urv.cat [Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Campus Sescelades, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona (Spain); Divins, N.J.; Llorca, J. [Institut de Tècniques Energètiques i Centre de Recerca en Nanoenginyeria, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Medina, F. [Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Campus Sescelades, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona (Spain)

2014-04-01

Highlights: • Mean particle size is tuned by the Pt precursor. H{sub 2}PtCl{sub 6} leads to smaller size. • H{sub 2}PtCl{sub 6} leads to higher extent of Pt–Ag particles with a composition richer in silver. • Pt(NH{sub 3}){sub 4}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} leads to Ag{sup 0} particles and some Pt–Ag ensembles in less extent. • Nitrate and nitrite rates are linearly related to mean metal particle size. • Physical mixture of catalysts enhances N{sub 2} selectivities. - Abstract: The influence of the Pt precursor and the impregnation protocol in the catalytic behavior of 3%Pt–1.5%Ag supported on activated carbon for water denitration in a continuous reactor was studied. Pt(NH{sub 3}){sub 4}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} and H{sub 2}PtCl{sub 6} were selected as Pt precursors. Five protocols were investigated: sequential impregnations (both sequences), co-impregnation, physical mixture of monometallic catalysts, and physical mixture of a bimetallic catalyst with a Pt monometallic catalyst. The samples were characterized by XRD, XPS, TPR, HRTEM and physisorption. It was found that the catalytic activity strongly depends on the synthesis protocol and the Pt precursor, which modify the particle size. Higher nitrate rates are achieved using H{sub 2}PtCl{sub 6} than Pt(NH{sub 3}){sub 4}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}; this is mainly related to the smaller metal particle size of the former, evidenced by HRTEM. Nitrate consumption rate is directly related with the mean particle size. The physical mixture of monometallic catalysts resulted in the highest nitrogen rate.

Ethylbenzene dehydrogenation over Mg3Fe0.5−xCoxAl0.5 catalysts derived from hydrotalcites: Comparison with Mg3Fe0.5−yNiyAl0.5 catalysts

KAUST Repository

Atanda, Luqman A.; Balasamy, Rabindran J.; Khurshid, Alam; Al-Ali, Ali A S; Sagata, Kunimasa; Asamoto, Makiko; Yahiro, Hidenori; Nomura, Kiyoshi; Sano, Tsuneji; Takehira, Katsuomi; Al-Khattaf, Sulaiman S.

2011-01-01

A series of Mg3Fe0.5-xCoxAl0.5 (x = 0-0.5) catalysts were prepared from hydrotalcite precursors and their activities in the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene were compared with those of a series of Mg3Fe0.5-yNiyAl0.5 (y = 0-0.5) catalysts also derived

Energetic Mapping of Ni Catalysts by Detailed Kinetic Modeling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjørgum, Erlend; Chen, De; Bakken, Mari G.

2005-01-01

Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of CO has been performed on supported and unsupported nickel catalysts. The unsupported Ni catalyst consists of a Ni(14 13 13) single crystal which has been studied under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The desorption energy for CO at low CO surface coverage...... was found to be 119 kJ/mol, and the binding energy of C to the Ni(111) surface of the crystal was 703 kJ/mol. The supported catalysts consist of nickel supported on hydrotalcite-like compounds with three different Mg2+/Al3+ ratios. The experimental results show that for the supported Ni catalysts TPD of CO...... precursor seems to result in more steplike sites, kinks, and defects for carbon monoxide dissociation. A detailed kinetic modeling of the TPO results based on elementary reaction steps has been conducted to give an energetic map of supported Ni catalysts. Experimental results from the ideal Ni surface fit...

Improved Catalysts for Heavy Oil Upgrading Based on Zeolite Y Nanoparticles Encapsulated Stable Nanoporous Host

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conrad Ingram; Mark Mitchell

2006-09-30

The addition of hydrothermally-aged zeolite Y precursor to an SBA-15 synthesis mixture under a mildly acidic condition resulted in the formation of mesoporous aluminosilicate catalyst, Al-SBA-15, containing strong Broensted acid sites and aluminum (Al) stabilized in a totally tetrahedral coordination. The physicochemical characteristics of the catalyst varied as a function of the synthesis conditions. The catalyst possessed surface areas ranging between 690 and 850 m{sup 2}/g, pore sizes ranging from 5.6 to 7.5 nm, and pore volumes up 1.03 cm{sup 3}, which were comparable to the parent SBA-15 synthesized under similar conditions. Two wt% Al was present in the catalyst that was obtained from the reaction mixture that contained the highest Al content. The Al remained stable in totally tetrahedral coordination after calcination at 550 C. The Al-SBA-15 mesoporous catalyst showed significant catalytic activity for cumene dealkylation, and the activity increased as the amount of zeolite precursor added to the SBA-15 mixture was increased. In preparation for the final phase of the project, the catalyst was embedded into psuedoboemite alumina (catapal B) matrix and then formed into pellets. In the final phase of the project, the pelletized catalyst will be evaluated for the conversion of heavy petroleum feedstocks to naphtha and middle distillates.

Rational Design and Nanoscale Integration of Multi-Heterostructures as Highly Efficient Photocatalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duan, Xiangfeng [Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

2017-11-03

The central goal of this project is to design and synthesize complex multi-hetero-nanostructures and fundamental investigation of their potential as efficient and robust photocatalysts. Specifically, the project aims to develop a nanoscale light-harvesting antenna that can efficiently convert solar photon energy into excited electrons and holes, and integrate such antenna with efficient redox nanocatalysts that can harness the photo-generated carriers for productive electrochemical processes. Focusing on this central goal, we have investigated several potential light-harvesting antennas including: silicon nanowires, nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanowires and the emerging perovskite materials. We also devoted considerable effort in developing electrocatalysts including: hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts, oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts and oxygen reduction reaction catalysts (ORR). In previous annual reports, we have described our effort in the synthesis and photoelectrochemical properties of silicon, TiO2, perovskite-based materials and heterostructures. Here, we focus our discussion on the recent effort in investigating charge transport dynamics in organolead halide perovskites, as well as carbon nanostructure and platinum nanostructure-based electrocatalysts for energy conversion and storage.

Ultrasound assisted synthesis of iron doped TiO2 catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Ambati, Rohini; Gogate, Parag R

2018-01-01

The present work deals with synthesis of Fe (III) doped TiO 2 catalyst using the ultrasound assisted approach and conventional sol-gel approach with an objective of establishing the process intensification benefits. Effect of operating parameters such as Fe doping, type of solvent, solvent to precursor ratio and initial temperature has been investigated to get the best catalyst with minimum particle size. Comparison of the catalysts obtained using the conventional and ultrasound assisted approach under the optimized conditions has been performed using the characterization techniques like DLS, XRD, BET, SEM, EDS, TEM, FTIR and UV-Vis band gap analysis. It was established that catalyst synthesized by ultrasound assisted approach under optimized conditions of 0.4mol% doping, irradiation time of 60min, propan-2-ol as the solvent with the solvent to precursor ratio as 10 and initial temperature of 30°C was the best one with minimum particle size as 99nm and surface area as 49.41m 2 /g. SEM analysis, XRD analysis as well as the TEM analysis also confirmed the superiority of the catalyst obtained using ultrasound assisted approach as compared to the conventional approach. EDS analysis also confirmed the presence of 4.05mol% of Fe element in the sample of 0.4mol% iron doped TiO 2 . UV-Vis band gap results showed the reduction in band gap from 3.2eV to 2.9eV. Photocatalytic experiments performed to check the activity also confirmed that ultrasonically synthesized Fe doped TiO 2 catalyst resulted in a higher degradation of Acid Blue 80 as 38% while the conventionally synthesized catalyst resulted in a degradation of 31.1%. Overall, the work has clearly established importance of ultrasound in giving better catalyst characteristics as well as activity for degradation of the Acid Blue 80 dye. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reactions of synthesis gas on silica supported transition metal catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Niemelae, M. [VTT Chemical Technology, Espoo (Finland). Lab. of Industrial Chemistry

1997-12-31

The effect of catalyst precursor and composition on the activation of CO was investigated using CO hydrogenation as a test reaction. The interrelations of preparation, pretreatment, characteristics and activity were clarified. For Co/SiO{sub 2} catalyst, MgO promotion increased the CO adsorption capacity and the hydrogen uptake, although the extent of reduction for cobalt remained the same or decreased. The conversion per active metallic cobalt site consequently increased in conjunction with MgO promotion, while the effect on overall performance per 1 g of catalyst remained moderate. The precursor affected the performance of Co/SiO{sub 2} considerably. CO was more strongly adsorbed on catalysts of carbonyl origin than on those derived from cobalt nitrate, the activity thus being higher. Although the nitrate derived Co/SiO{sub 2} appeared both to retain its activity and to regain its adsorption capacity better than the catalysts of carbonyl origin, the performance of the latter was superior with time on stream. For tetranuclear cluster based Co-Ru and Co-Rh catalysts, rhodium or ruthenium was in contact with the support and cobalt was enriched on top. On Co-Ru/SiO{sub 2} ruthenium enhanced deactivation, and no benefits in activity or oxygenate selectivity were achieved relative to the monometallic catalysts of cluster origin. The Co-Rh/SiO{sub 2} catalysts were also less active than those derived from monometallic clusters, but they exhibited higher selectivities to oxygenated compounds due to the presence of active sites on the perimeter of the cobalt particles located on rhodium. The highest selectivity to oxygenates was achieved by changing the decomposition atmosphere of Rh{sub 4}(CO){sub 12}/SiO{sub 2} from hydrogen to carbon monoxide. The results also showed two types of active sites to be operative in the formation of oxygenates - one for ethanol and another for aldehydes. (orig.) 69 refs.

Characterization of the impregnated iron based catalyst for direct coal liquefaction by EXAFS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Jianli; Zhun Jisheng; Liu Zhenyu; Zhong Bing

2002-01-01

Catalyst plays an important role in direct coal liquefaction (DCL). Iron catalysts are regarded as the most attractive catalysts for DCL. To maximize catalytic effect and minimize catalysts usage, ultra-fine size catalysts are preferred. The most effective catalysts are found to be those impregnated onto coal because of their high dispersion on coal surface and intimate contact with coal particles. Besides the physical size, chemical form of a catalyst or a catalyst precursor is also important in determination of DCL activity. The expended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy technique were used in this study. It was shown that the catalysts tested are in nanomater range and have structure mainly in the form of γ-FeOOH and FeS, or possibly of Fe/O/S. The presence of γ-FeOOH can be attributed to the interaction between Fe and the oxygen containing groups of coal or oxygen from moisture

Molecular metal catalysts on supports: organometallic chemistry meets surface science.

Science.gov (United States)

Serna, Pedro; Gates, Bruce C

2014-08-19

Recent advances in the synthesis and characterization of small, essentially molecular metal complexes and metal clusters on support surfaces have brought new insights to catalysis and point the way to systematic catalyst design. We summarize recent work unraveling effects of key design variables of site-isolated catalysts: the metal, metal nuclearity, support, and other ligands on the metals, also considering catalysts with separate, complementary functions on supports. The catalysts were synthesized with the goal of structural simplicity and uniformity to facilitate incisive characterization. Thus, they are essentially molecular species bonded to porous supports chosen for their high degree of uniformity; the supports are crystalline aluminosilicates (zeolites) and MgO. The catalytic species are synthesized in reactions of organometallic precursors with the support surfaces; the precursors include M(L)2(acetylacetonate)1-2, with M = Ru, Rh, Ir, or Au and the ligands L = C2H4, CO, or CH3. Os3(CO)12 and Ir4(CO)12 are used as precursors of supported metal clusters, and some such catalysts are made by ship-in-a-bottle syntheses to trap the clusters in zeolite cages. The simplicity and uniformity of the supported catalysts facilitate precise structure determinations, even in reactive atmospheres and during catalysis. The methods of characterizing catalysts in reactive atmospheres include infrared (IR), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies, and complementary methods include density functional theory and atomic-resolution aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy for imaging of individual metal atoms. IR, NMR, XANES, and microscopy data demonstrate the high degrees of uniformity of well-prepared supported species. The characterizations determine the compositions of surface metal complexes and clusters, including the ligands and the metal

Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization of Cyclopentene Using a Ruthenium Catalyst Confined by a Branched Polymer Architecture

KAUST Repository

Mugemana, Clement; Bukhriakov, Konstantin; Bertrand, Olivier; Vu, Khanh B.; Gohy, Jean-Francois; Hadjichristidis, Nikolaos; Rodionov, Valentin

2016-01-01

Multi-arm polystyrene stars functionalized with Grubbs-type catalysts in their cores were synthesized and used for the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of cyclopentene. The spatial confinement of the catalytic sites and the nanoscale phase separation between polystyrene and the growing polypentenamer chains lead to a dramatic inhibition of the ROMP termination and chain transfer steps. Consequently, cyclopentene polymerizations proceeded fast and with a high degree of conversion even in air. The Grubbs second generation catalyst was oxidatively inactivated under the same conditions. In contrast to conventional small-molecule catalysts, the ultimate degree of conversion of cyclopentene monomer and the polydispersity of the product polypentenamer are not affected by the temperature. This indicates that spatial confinement of the catalyst resulted in a significant change in the activation parameters for the alkene metathesis ring-opening.

Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization of Cyclopentene Using a Ruthenium Catalyst Confined by a Branched Polymer Architecture

KAUST Repository

Mugemana, Clement

2016-03-22

Multi-arm polystyrene stars functionalized with Grubbs-type catalysts in their cores were synthesized and used for the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of cyclopentene. The spatial confinement of the catalytic sites and the nanoscale phase separation between polystyrene and the growing polypentenamer chains lead to a dramatic inhibition of the ROMP termination and chain transfer steps. Consequently, cyclopentene polymerizations proceeded fast and with a high degree of conversion even in air. The Grubbs second generation catalyst was oxidatively inactivated under the same conditions. In contrast to conventional small-molecule catalysts, the ultimate degree of conversion of cyclopentene monomer and the polydispersity of the product polypentenamer are not affected by the temperature. This indicates that spatial confinement of the catalyst resulted in a significant change in the activation parameters for the alkene metathesis ring-opening.

Nitrogen–doped graphitized carbon shell encapsulated NiFe nanoparticles: A highly durable oxygen evolution catalyst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Du, Lei; Luo, Langli; Feng, Zhenxing; Engelhard, Mark; Xie, Xiaohong; Han, Binghong; Sun, Junming; Zhang, Jianghao; Yin, Geping; Wang, Chongmin; Wang, Yong; Shao, Yuyan

2017-09-01

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays a crucial role in various energy conversion devices such as water electrolyzers and metal–air batteries. Precious metal catalysts such as Ir, Ru and their oxides are usually used for enhancing reaction kinetics but are limited by their scarce resource. The challenges associated with alternative non–precious metal catalysts such as transition metal oxides and (oxy)hydroxides etc. are their low electronic conductivity and durability. Herein, we report a highly active (360 mV overpotential at 10 mA cm–2GEO) and durable (no degradation after 20000 cycles) OER catalyst derived from bimetallic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) precursors. This catalyst consists of NiFe nanoparticles encapsulated by nitrogen–doped graphitized carbon shells. The electron-donation/deviation from Fe and tuned electronic structure of metal cores by Ni are revealed to be primary contributors to the enhanced OER activity, whereas N concentration contributes negligibly. We further demonstrated that the structure and morphology of encapsulating carbon shells, which are the key factors influencing the durability, are facilely controlled by the chemical state of precursors.

Nonalloyed carbon-supported PtRu catalysts for PEMFC applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papageorgopoulos, D.C.; Heer, de M.P.; Keijzer, M.; Pieterse, J.A.Z.; Bruijn, de F.A.

2004-01-01

PtRu(1:1)/C catalysts were prepared by a process that was claimed previously to lead to nonalloyed Pt and Ru particles, using twodifferent precursors, Ru nitrosyl nitrate and Ru chloride hydrate. Both X-ray diffraction and characterization by cyclic voltammetrypoint toward Pt and Ru being present as

Unraveling micro- and nanoscale degradation processes during operation of high-temperature polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Hengge, K.; Heinzl, C.; Perchthaler, M.; Varley, D.; Lochner, T.; Scheu, C.

2017-10-01

The work in hand presents an electron microscopy based in-depth study of micro- and nanoscale degradation processes that take place during the operation of high-temperature polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs). Carbon supported Pt particles were used as cathodic catalyst material and the bimetallic, carbon supported Pt/Ru system was applied as anode. As membrane, cross-linked polybenzimidazole was used. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of cross-sections of as-prepared and long-term operated membrane-electrode-assemblies revealed insight into micrometer scale degradation processes: operation-caused catalyst redistribution and thinning of the membrane and electrodes. Transmission electron microscopy investigations were performed to unravel the nanometer scale phenomena: a band of Pt and Pt/Ru nanoparticles was detected in the membrane adjacent to the cathode catalyst layer. Quantification of the elemental composition of several individual nanoparticles and the overall band area revealed that they stem from both anode and cathode catalyst layers. The results presented do not demonstrate any catastrophic failure but rather intermediate states during fuel cell operation and indications to proceed with targeted HT-PEMFC optimization.

Critical Surface Parameters for the Oxidative Coupling of Methane over the Mn-Na-W/SiO2 Catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayek, Naseem S; Lucas, Nishita S; Warwar Damouny, Christine; Gazit, Oz M

2017-11-22

The work here presents a thorough evaluation of the effect of Mn-Na-W/SiO 2 catalyst surface parameters on its performance in the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM). To do so, we used microporous dealuminated β-zeolite (Zeo), or mesoporous SBA-15 (SBA), or macroporous fumed silica (Fum) as precursors for catalyst preparation, together with Mn nitrate, Mn acetate and Na 2 WO 4 . Characterizing the catalysts by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy, N 2 physisorption, X-ray diffraction, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and catalytic testing enabled us to identify critical surface parameters that govern the activity and C 2 selectivity of the Mn-Na-W/SiO 2 catalyst. Although the current paradigm views the phase transition of silica to α-cristobalite as the critical step in obtaining dispersed and stable metal sites, we show that the choice of precursors is equally or even more important with respect to tailoring the right surface properties. Specifically, the SBA-based catalyst, characterized by relatively closed surface porosity, demonstrated low activity and low C 2 selectivity. By contrast, for the same composition, the Zeo-based catalyst showed an open surface pore structure, which translated up to fourfold higher activity and enhanced selectivity. By varying the overall composition of the Zeo catalysts, we show that reducing the overall W concentration reduces the size of the Na 2 WO 4 species and increases the catalytic activity linearly as much as fivefold higher than the SBA catalyst. This linear dependence correlates well to the number of interfaces between the Na 2 WO 4 and Mn 2 O 3 species. Our results combined with prior studies lead us to single out the interface between Na 2 WO 4 and Mn 2 O 3 as the most probable active site for OCM using this catalyst. Synergistic interactions between the various precursors used and the phase transition are discussed in

Pt/XC-72 catalysts coated with nitrogen-doped carbon (Pt/XC-72@C–N) for methanol electro-oxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Jun; Chu, Yuanyuan; Tan, Xiaoyao, E-mail: cestanxy@aliyun.com

2014-03-01

Pt/XC-72 catalysts coated with N-doped carbon (denoted as Pt/XC-72@C–N) for the electro-oxidation of methanol are prepared through a combined microwave-assisted polyol with in-situ carbonization of N-doped carbon coating process using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), 1-vinyl-3-ethylimidazolium nitrate (VEIN) or 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (EMID) ionic liquid as the N-doped carbon precursor. X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive of X-ray, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, cyclic voltammograms and accelerated aging test techniques are applied to characterize the structure and the electro-catalytic activity of the catalysts. The results show that the Pt particles with the average size of around 2.5 nm are highly dispersed in face-centered cubic crystal structure in the carbon support. The structure of the N-doped carbon coating precursor has considerable influence on the electro-catalytic performance of the catalysts. The resultant catalyst with EMID ionic liquid as the N-doped carbon source exhibits 115.9 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}Pt electrochemical surface area (ESA) and 0.66 A mg{sup −1}Pt catalytic activity towards the electro-oxidation of methanol, which are 1.37 times the ESA and 1.35 times the catalytic activity of the PVP-derived catalyst, and 2.02 times the electrochemical surface area and 1.94 times the catalytic activity of the VEIN-derived catalyst. The appropriate amount of the EMID ionic liquid used in the catalyst synthesis process is around 10 uL for 100 mg XC-72 support so as to obtain the highest electro-catalytic activity. - Highlights: • N-doped carbon coated Pt/C catalyst is prepared for methanol electro-oxidation. • Pt/XC-72@C–N exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity over uncoated catalysts. • Ionic liquid with anionic cyano groups is most suitable as N-doped carbon precursor. • The appropriate amount of ionic liquid for coating is around 10 μL for 100 mg carbon.

Atomic Resolution Imaging of Nanoscale Structural Ordering in a Complex Metal Oxide Catalyst

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Yihan; Wang, Qingxiao; Zhao, Lan; Teng, Baiyang; Lu, Weimin; Han, Yu

2012-01-01

The determination of the atomic structure of a functional material is crucial to understanding its "structure-to-property" relationship (e.g., the active sites in a catalyst), which is however challenging if the structure possesses complex

Study on the correlation between the surface active species of Pd/cordierite monolithic catalyst and its catalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, Hengcheng; Zuo, Peiyuan; Liu, Miaomiao

2016-01-01

Two Pd-loading routes and three Pd-precursor matters were adopted to prepare Pd/(Ce,Y)O_2/γ-Al_2O_3/cordierite monolithic catalyst. The surface active species on the catalyst were characterized by XPS, and its catalytic activity for methane combustion was tested, and the dynamics of the catalytic combustion reaction was also discussed. Pd-loading route and Pd-precursor mass have a significant influence on the catalytic activity and surface active species. The sol dipping method is more advanced than the aqueous solution impregnating method. PN-sol catalyst, by sol dipping combined with Pd(NO_3)_2-precursor, has the best catalytic activity. The physical reason is the unique active Pd phase coexisting with active PdO phase on the surface, and thus the Pd3d_5_/_2 binding energy of surface species and apparent activation energy of combustion reaction are considerably decreased. The catalytic activity index, Pd3d_5_/_2 binding energy and apparent activation energy are highly tied each other with exponential relations.

Nonalloyed carbon-supported PtRu catalysts for PEMFC applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papageorgopoulos, D.C.; De Heer, M.P.; Keijzer, M.; Pieterse, J.A.Z.; de Bruijn, F. A.

2004-01-01

PtRu(1:1)/C catalysts were prepared by a process that was claimed previously to lead to non-alloyed Pt and Ru particles, using two different precursors, Ru nitrosyl nitrate and Ru chloride hydrate. Both X-ray diffraction and characterization by cyclic voltammetry point toward Pt and Ru being present

Nitrogen–doped graphitized carbon shell encapsulated NiFe nanoparticles: A highly durable oxygen evolution catalyst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Du, Lei; Luo, Langli; Feng, Zhenxing; Engelhard, Mark; Xie, Xiaohong; Han, Binghong; Sun, Junming; Zhang, Jianghao; Yin, Geping; Wang, Chongmin; Wang, Yong; Shao, Yuyan

2017-09-01

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays a crucial role in various energy conversion devices such as water electrolyzers and metal–air batteries. Precious metal catalysts such as Ir, Ru and their oxides are usually used for enhanced reaction kinetics but are limited by their scarce resource. The challenges associated with alternative non–precious metal catalysts such as transition metal oxides and (oxy)hydroxides etc. are their low electronic conductivity and poor durability. Here, we report OER catalysts of NiFe nanoparticles encapsulated by nitrogen–doped graphitized carbon shells derived from bimetallic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) precursors. The optimal OER catalyst shows excellent activity (360 mV overpotential at 10 mA cm–2GEO) and durability (no obvious degradation after 20 000 cycles). The electron-donation from Fe and tuned electronic structure of metal cores by Ni are revealed to be primary contributors to the enhanced OER activity. We further demonstrated that the structure and morphology of encapsulating carbon shells, which are the key factors influencing the durability, are facilely controlled by chemical state of precursors. Severe metal particle growth probably caused by oxidation of carbon shells and encapsulated nanoparticles is believed to the main mechanism for activity degradation in these catalysts.

Preparation and characterization of stable copper/zinc oxide/alumina catalysts for methanol synthesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoeppener, R H; Doesburg, E B; Scholten, J J

1986-08-15

A series of Cu/ZnO/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ catalysts for the low pressure methanol synthesis has been prepared by coprecipitation with a sodium carbonate solution from solutions of a mixture of the corresponding metal nitrates, followed by drying, calcination and reduction. The catalysts and their precursors were analyzed by techniques like X-ray diffraction, X-ray line broadening, differential thermal analysis, chemical analysis, adsorptive decomposition of N/sub 2/O and B.E.T.-measurements. The catalytic activity for the methanol synthesis was determined in a flow reactor under industrial conditions. Depending on the metal ion ratio in the initial metal nitrate solutions different compounds were formed during coprecipitation, like rosasite, malachite, Cu, Zn-hydrotalcite and a ternary compound which was called roderite. Its structure is unknown and it contains, besides Zn/sup 2+/, up to 28 at% Cu/sup 2+/ and up to 17 at% Al/sup 3+/. Addition of 7 at% Mg/sup 2+/ stabilizes the Cu, Zn-hydrotalcite structure but leads to a drastic decrease in catalytic activity. The rate of methanol production depends on the phase composition of the precursors. Rosasite containing precursors give the highest activity; hydrotalcite proves to be an excellent catalyst stabilizer which evokes the formation of small Cu and ZnO particles. Mg/sup 2+/ inhibits methanol production. 6 figs., 1 tab., 18 refs.

Nanocrystalline Hierarchical ZSM-5: An Efficient Catalyst for the Alkylation of Phenol with Cyclohexene.

Science.gov (United States)

Radhika, N P; Selvin, Rosilda; Kakkar, Rita; Roselin, L Selva

2018-08-01

In this paper, authors report the synthesis of nanocrystalline hierarchical zeolite ZSM-5 and its application as a heterogeneous catalyst in the alkylation of phenol with cyclohexene. The catalyst was synthesized by vacuum-concentration coupled hydrothermal technique in the presence of two templates. This synthetic route could successfully introduce pores of higher hierarchy in the zeolite ZSM-5 structure. Hierarchical ZSM-5 could catalyse effectively the industrially important reaction of cyclohexene with phenol. We ascribe the high efficiency of the catalyst to its conducive structural features such as nanoscale size, high surface area, presence of hierarchy of pores and existence of Lewis sites along with Brønsted acid sites. The effect of various reaction parameters like duration, catalyst amount, reactant mole ratio and temperature were assessed. Under optimum reaction conditions, the catalyst showed up to 65% selectivity towards the major product, cyclohexyl phenyl ether. There was no discernible decline in percent conversion or selectivity even when the catalyst was re-used for up to four runs. Kinetic studies were done through regression analysis and a mechanistic route based on LHHW model was suggested.

Congressionally Directed Project for Passive NOx Removal Catalysts Research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schneider, William [Univ. of Notre Dame, IN (United States)

2014-12-29

The Recipient proposes to produce new scientific and technical knowledge and tools to enable the discovery and deployment of highly effective materials for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from lean combustion exhaust. A second goal is to demonstrate a closely coupled experimental and computational approach to heterogeneous catalysis research. These goals will be met through the completion of four primary technical objectives: First, an in-depth kinetic analysis will be performed on two prominent classes of NOx SCR catalysts, Fe- and Cu-exchanged beta and ZSM-5 zeolites, over a wide range of catalyst formulation and under identical, high conversion conditions as a function of gas phase composition. Second, the nanoscale structure and adsorption chemistry of these high temperature (HT) and low temperature (LT) catalysts will be determined using in situ and operando spectroscopy under the same reaction conditions. Third, first-principles molecular simulations will be used to model the metal-zeolite active sites, their adsorption chemistry, and key steps in catalytic function. Fourth, this information will be integrated into chemically detailed mechanistic and kinetic descriptions and models of the operation of these well- defined NOx SCR catalysts under practically relevant reaction conditions. The new knowledge and models that derive from this work will be published in the scientific literature.

Catalytic cracking of iso-hexene over sapo-34 catalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nawaz, Z.; Shu, Q.

2009-01-01

The catalytic cracking of model feed compound, iso-hexene (2-methyl-1-pentene) was experimentally studied over 100% pure SAPO-34 zeolite catalyst. The critical focus was given to obtain maximum propylene selectivity. The product distributions were analyzed at temperature between 450-600 degree C. time-on-stream (TOS) from 1 to 5 min. and at WHSV = 7.9 h/sub -1/ The reaction behavior was quantified on both direct and indirect carbenium ion mechanisms owing to catalyst's small pore diameter with respect to 2-methyl-l-pentene kinetic diameter. The propylene yield and selectivity obtained was 41.2% and 43.1% respectively. with higher overall olefins selectivity 90.3%. The small pore size and week surface acid sites of 1000 percent pure SAPO-34 catalyst were found to be suitable for light olefins production and eliminate chances of bimolecular reactions. It was observed that both conversion and selectivity were strongly effected by TOS, as coke precursors become dominant and deactivate catalyst at higher TOS. (author)

Nano-scale characterization of the dynamics of the chloroplast Toc translocon.

Science.gov (United States)

Reddick, L Evan; Chotewutmontri, Prakitchai; Crenshaw, Will; Dave, Ashita; Vaughn, Michael; Bruce, Barry D

2008-01-01

Translocons are macromolecular nano-scale machines that facilitate the selective translocation of proteins across membranes. Although common in function, different translocons have evolved diverse molecular mechanisms for protein translocation. Subcellular organelles of endosymbiotic origin such as the chloroplast and mitochondria had to evolve/acquire translocons capable of importing proteins whose genes were transferred to the host genome. These gene products are expressed on cytosolic ribosomes as precursor proteins and targeted back to the organelle by an N-terminal extension called the transit peptide or presequence. In chloroplasts the transit peptide is specifically recognized by the Translocon of the Outer Chloroplast membrane (Toc) which is composed of receptor GTPases that potentially function as gate-like switches, where GTP binding and hydrolysis somehow facilitate preprotein binding and translocation. Compared to other translocons, the dynamics of the Toc translocon are probably more complex and certainly less understood. We have developed biochemical/biophysical, imaging, and computational techniques to probe the dynamics of the Toc translocon at the nanoscale. In this chapter we provide detailed protocols for kinetic and binding analysis of precursor interactions in organeller, measurement of the activity and nucleotide binding of the Toc GTPases, native electrophoretic analysis of the assembly/organization of the Toc complex, visualization of the distribution and mobility of Toc apparatus on the surface of chloroplasts, and conclude with the identification and molecular modeling Toc75 POTRA domains. With these new methodologies we discuss future directions of the field.

Recyclable Aggregates of Mesoporous Titania Synthesized by Thermal Treatment of Amorphous or Peptized Precursors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Cristina Mascolo

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Recyclable aggregates of mesoporous titania with different anatase–rutile ratios have been prepared by thermal treatments of either amorphous or peptized precursors. These last two have been obtained by hydrolysis of either Ti(OC2H54 or of Ti(OC2H54 in mixture with 5 mol % Zr(OC3H74 at room temperature in the presence of NH4OH as a catalyzing agent. The anatase–rutile ratio, the recyclable aggregates of the nano-sized particles, the mesoporosity, the surface area and the crystallinity of the resulting crystallized products of titania can be controlled by the synthesis parameters including: concentration of ammonia catalyst, stirring time and concentration of the peptizing HNO3, drying method of peptized precursors, calcination temperature, and finally the ramp rate up to the titania crystallization temperature. A broad range of synthesis parameters control the crystal sizes of titania particles produced. This allows catalyst preparation with very different crystal size, surface area, anatase to rutile crystal ratio and various mesoporous structures. Drying by lyophilization of precursors reduce the aggregation of the primary particles giving micro-/macroporous structures.

Boehmite-An Efficient and Recyclable Acid-Base Bifunctional Catalyst for Aldol Condensation Reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Reshma, P C Rajan; Vikneshvaran, Sekar; Velmathi, Sivan

2018-06-01

In this work boehmite was used as an acid-base bifunctional catalyst for aldol condensation reactions of aromatic aldehydes and ketones. The catalyst was prepared by simple sol-gel method using Al(NO3)3·9H2O and NH4OH as precursors. The catalyst has been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), UV-visible spectroscopy (DRS), BET surface area analyses. Boehmite is successfully applied as catalyst for the condensation reaction between 4-nitrobenzaldehyde and acetone as a model substrate giving α, β-unsaturated ketones without any side product. The scope of the reaction is extended for various substituted aldehydes. A probable mechanism has been suggested to explain the cooperative behavior of the acidic and basic sites. The catalyst is environmentally friendly and easily recovered from the reaction mixture. Also the catalyst is reusable up to 3 catalytic cycles.

Uniformly active phase loaded selective catalytic reduction catalysts (V_2O_5/TNTs) with superior alkaline resistance performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Haiqiang; Wang, Penglu; Chen, Xiongbo; Wu, Zhongbiao

2017-01-01

Highlights: • VOSO_4 exhibited better synergistic effect with titanate nanotubes than NH_4VO_3. • Ion-exchange reaction occurs between VOSO_4 and titanate nanotubes. • Ion-exchange resulting in uniformly vanadium distribution on titanate nanotubes. • VOSO_4-based catalyst exhibited impressive SCR activity and alkaline resistance. - Abstract: In this work, protonated titanate nanotubes was performed as a potential useful support and different vanadium precursors (NH_4VO_3 and VOSO_4) were used to synthesize deNO_x catalysts. The results showed that VOSO_4 exhibited better synergistic effect with titanate nanotubes than NH_4VO_3, which was caused by the ion-exchange reaction. Then high loading content of vanadium, uniformly active phase distribution, better dispersion of vanadium, more acid sites, better V"5"+/V"4"+ redox cycles and superior oxygen mobility were achieved. Besides, VOSO_4-based titanate nanotubes catalysts also showed enhanced alkaline resistance than particles (P25) based catalysts. It was strongly associated with its abundant acid sites, large surface area, flexible redox cycles and oxygen transfer ability. For the loading on protonated titanate nanotubes, active metal with cation groups was better precursors than anion ones. V_2O_5/TNTs catalyst was a promising substitute for the commercial vanadium catalysts and the work conducted herein provided a useful idea to design uniformly active phase loaded catalyst.

Improved Catalysts for Heavy Oil Upgrading Based on Zeolite Y Nanoparticles Encapsulated Stable Nanoporous Host

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conrad Ingram; Mark Mitchell

2007-03-31

The addition of hydrothermally-aged zeolite Y precursor to an SBA-15 synthesis mixture under a mildly acidic condition resulted in the formation of a mesoporous aluminosilicate catalyst, AlSBA-15. The Al-SBA-15 mesoporous catalyst contains strong Br{umlt o}nsted acid sites and aluminum (Al) stabilized in a totally tetrahedral coordination. The physicochemical characteristics of the catalyst varied as a function of the synthesis conditions. The catalyst possessed surface areas ranging between 690 and 850 m{sup 2}/g, pore sizes ranging from 5.6 to 7.5 nm, and pore volumes up 1.03 cm{sup 3}, which were comparable to the parent SBA-15 synthesized under similar conditions. Two wt % Al was present in the catalyst that was obtained from the reaction mixture that contained the highest Al content. The Al remained stable in totally tetrahedral coordination after calcination at a temperature of 550 C. The Al-SBA-15 mesoporous catalyst showed significant catalytic activity for cumene dealkylation, and the activity increased as the amount of zeolite precursor added to the SBA-15 mixture was increased. In preparation for the final phase of the project, the catalyst was embedded into a psuedoboemite alumina (catapal B) matrix and then formed into pellets. In the final phase of the project, the pelletized catalyst is being evaluated for the conversion of a heavy petroleum feedstock to naphtha and middle distillates. This phase was significantly delayed during the past six months due to a serious malfunction of the fume hoods in the Clark Atlanta University's Research Center for Science and Technology, where the project is being conducted. The fume hood system was repaired and the catalyst evaluation is now underway.

Fischer-Tropsch Cobalt Catalyst Activation and Handling Through Wax Enclosure Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Klettlinger, Jennifer L. S.; Yen, Chia H.; Nakley, Leah M.; Surgenor, Angela D.

2016-01-01

Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthesis is considered a gas to liquid process which converts syn-gas, a gaseous mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, into liquids of various hydrocarbon chain length and product distributions. Cobalt based catalysts are used in F-T synthesis and are the focus of this paper. One key concern with handling cobalt based catalysts is that the active form of catalyst is in a reduced state, metallic cobalt, which oxidizes readily in air. In laboratory experiments, the precursor cobalt oxide catalyst is activated in a fixed bed at 350 ?C then transferred into a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with inert gas. NASA has developed a process which involves the enclosure of active cobalt catalyst in a wax mold to prevent oxidation during storage and handling. This improved method allows for precise catalyst loading and delivery into a CSTR. Preliminary results indicate similar activity levels in the F-T reaction in comparison to the direct injection method. The work in this paper was supported by the NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Subsonics Fixed Wing Project.

Enhanced Activity and Selectivity of Carbon Nanofiber Supported Pd Catalysts for Nitrite Reduction

KAUST Repository

Shuai, Danmeng; Choe, Jong Kwon; Shapley, John R.; Werth, Charles J.

2012-01-01

Pd-based catalyst treatment represents an emerging technology that shows promise to remove nitrate and nitrite from drinking water. In this work we use vapor-grown carbon nanofiber (CNF) supports in order to explore the effects of Pd nanoparticle size and interior versus exterior loading on nitrite reduction activity and selectivity (i.e., dinitrogen over ammonia production). Results show that nitrite reduction activity increases by 3.1-fold and selectivity decreases by 8.0-fold, with decreasing Pd nanoparticle size from 1.4 to 9.6 nm. Both activity and selectivity are not significantly influenced by Pd interior versus exterior CNF loading. Consequently, turnover frequencies (TOFs) among all CNF catalysts are similar, suggesting nitrite reduction is not sensitive to Pd location on CNFs nor Pd structure. CNF-based catalysts compare favorably to conventional Pd catalysts (i.e., Pd on activated carbon or alumina) with respect to nitrite reduction activity and selectivity, and they maintain activity over multiple reduction cycles. Hence, our results suggest new insights that an optimum Pd nanoparticle size on CNFs balances faster kinetics with lower ammonia production, that catalysts can be tailored at the nanoscale to improve catalytic performance for nitrite, and that CNFs hold promise as highly effective catalyst supports in drinking water treatment. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Enhanced Activity and Selectivity of Carbon Nanofiber Supported Pd Catalysts for Nitrite Reduction

KAUST Repository

Shuai, Danmeng

2012-03-06

Pd-based catalyst treatment represents an emerging technology that shows promise to remove nitrate and nitrite from drinking water. In this work we use vapor-grown carbon nanofiber (CNF) supports in order to explore the effects of Pd nanoparticle size and interior versus exterior loading on nitrite reduction activity and selectivity (i.e., dinitrogen over ammonia production). Results show that nitrite reduction activity increases by 3.1-fold and selectivity decreases by 8.0-fold, with decreasing Pd nanoparticle size from 1.4 to 9.6 nm. Both activity and selectivity are not significantly influenced by Pd interior versus exterior CNF loading. Consequently, turnover frequencies (TOFs) among all CNF catalysts are similar, suggesting nitrite reduction is not sensitive to Pd location on CNFs nor Pd structure. CNF-based catalysts compare favorably to conventional Pd catalysts (i.e., Pd on activated carbon or alumina) with respect to nitrite reduction activity and selectivity, and they maintain activity over multiple reduction cycles. Hence, our results suggest new insights that an optimum Pd nanoparticle size on CNFs balances faster kinetics with lower ammonia production, that catalysts can be tailored at the nanoscale to improve catalytic performance for nitrite, and that CNFs hold promise as highly effective catalyst supports in drinking water treatment. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Study on the poisoning effect-of non-vanadium catalysts by potassium

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Huanmu; Liu, Ying; Yu, Xiaowei; Lin, Yasi

2018-02-01

The poisoning effect of catalyst by alkali metals is one of the problems in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO by NH3. Serious deactivation by alkali poisoning have been proved to take place in the commercial vanadium catalyst. Recently, non-vanadium catalysts such as copper oxides, manganese oxides, chromium oxides and cerium oxides have attracted special attentions in SCR application. However, their tolerance in the presence of alkali metals is still doubtful. In this paper, copper oxides, manganese oxides, chromium oxides and cerium oxides supported on TiO2 nanoparticle was prepared by impregnating method. Potassium nitrate was chosen as the precursor of poisoner. Catalytic activities of these catalysts were evaluated before and after the addition of potassium. Some characterization methods including X-ray diffraction and temperature programmed desorption was utilized to reveal the main reason of alkali deactivation.

Treatment of a non-azo dye aqueous solution by CWAO in continuous reactor using a Ni catalyst derived from hydrotalcite-like precursor.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallet, Ana; Besson, Michèle; Ovejero, Gabriel; García, Juan

2012-08-15

Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of a Basic Yellow 11 (BY11) aqueous solution, chosen as a model of a hardly biodegradable non-azo dye was carried out in a continuous-flow trickle-bed reactor, using nickel supported over hydrotalcite precursor calcined at 550°C. An increase in the reaction temperature (120-180°C), and a decrease in dye concentration (1000-3000 ppm) or liquid flow rate (0.1-0.7 mL min(-1)) enhanced the CWAO performance in a 30 and 19% for the variation of the temperature and concentration respectively. After a small leaching observed within the first hours, the catalyst proved to be very stable during the 65-day reaction. The CWAO process was found to be very efficient, achieving BY11 conversion up to 95% and TOC conversion up to 85% at 0.1 mL min(-1) and 180°C under 5 MPa air. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Review of Atomic Layer Deposition for Nanoscale Devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edy Riyanto

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Atomic layer deposition (ALD is a thin film growth technique that utilizes alternating, self-saturation chemical reactions between gaseous precursors to achieve a deposited nanoscale layers. It has recently become a subject of great interest for ultrathin film deposition in many various applications such as microelectronics, photovoltaic, dynamic random access memory (DRAM, and microelectromechanic system (MEMS. By using ALD, the conformability and extreme uniformity of layers can be achieved in low temperature process. It facilitates to be deposited onto the surface in many variety substrates that have low melting temperature. Eventually it has advantages on the contribution to the wider nanodevices.

Synthesis of Carbon Nano tubes Using Anadara Granosa Shells as Catalyst Support

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Zobir Hussein; Mohd Zobir Hussein; Salwani Asyikin Zakarya; Siti Halimah Sarijo

2011-01-01

The synthesis of carbon nano tubes (CNTs) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method using natural calcite prepared from Anadara granosa shells (CS), as metal catalyst support was studied. Hexane and iron were used as carbon precursor and catalyst, respectively. The as synthesised CNTs was characterized using XRD, TEM and FESEM. From the XRD patterns the CNTs peak can be seen more incisive after purification process and from the FESEM micrographs the CNTs can be seen as a bunch of rope-like structures. (author)

Atomic Resolution Imaging of Nanoscale Structural Ordering in a Complex Metal Oxide Catalyst

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Yihan

2012-08-28

The determination of the atomic structure of a functional material is crucial to understanding its "structure-to-property" relationship (e.g., the active sites in a catalyst), which is however challenging if the structure possesses complex inhomogeneities. Here, we report an atomic structure study of an important MoVTeO complex metal oxide catalyst that is potentially useful for the industrially relevant propane-based BP/SOHIO process. We combined aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy with synchrotron powder X-ray crystallography to explore the structure at both nanoscopic and macroscopic scales. At the nanoscopic scale, this material exhibits structural and compositional order within nanosized "domains", while the domains show disordered distribution at the macroscopic scale. We proposed that the intradomain compositional ordering and the interdomain electric dipolar interaction synergistically induce the displacement of Te atoms in the Mo-V-O channels, which determines the geometry of the multifunctional metal oxo-active sites.

Hydroprocessing with self-promoted molybdenum and tungsten sulfide catalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mc Candish, L.E.; Ho, T.C.

1987-01-01

A hydroprocessing process is described comprising contacting a hydrocarbon feed at elevated temperature of at least about 100 0 C and in the presence of hydrogen with a supported, self-promoted catalyst obtained by compositioning one or more catalyst precursors of the formula (ML) (Mo/sub y/W/sub 1-y/O/sub 4/) with an inorganic refractory oxide support and heating the composition in a non-oxidizing atmosphere in the presence of sulfur at elevated temperature for a time sufficient to form the catalyst. M comprises one or more divalent promoter metals, y is any value ranging from 0 to 1, and wherein L is one or more, neutral, nitrogen-containing ligands at least one of which is a chelating polydentate ligand. The contacting occurs for a time sufficient to convert at least a portion of the feed

Tritium labelling of PACAP-38 using a synthetic diiodinated precursor peptide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Martin Holst Friborg; Baun, Michael

2012-01-01

In the interest of developing efficient methods for tritium labelling peptides, we here demonstrate the successful labelling of PACAP-38 (pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide), a 38-mer peptide, using a synthetic diiodinated PACAP-38 precursor. In this example, we employ standard hy...... hydrogenation chemistry with the use of a heterogeneous palladium catalyst and carrier-free tritium gas on a tritium manifold system....

Moessbauer study of CO-precipitated Fischer-Tropsch iron catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, K.R.P.M.; Huggins, F.E.; Mahajan, V.; Huffman, G.P.; Bukur, D.B.; Rao, V.U.S.

1994-01-01

Moessbauer spectroscopy studies of precipitated Fischer-Tropsch (FT) iron catalysts, viz. 100 Fe/5 Cu/4.2 K/x SiO 2 , where x = 0, 8, 16, 24, 25, 40, or 100, have shown that reduction of the oxide precursor in CO gives rise to χ-carbide Fe 5 C 2 whose amount decreases with an increase of SiO 2 content. The χ-carbide is converted into magnetite Fe 3 O 4 while catalyzing the FT synthesis reaction. A correlation between FT activity and the content of χ-carbide in the catalysts was found, which indicated that χ-carbide is active for FT synthesis reaction. (orig.)

Hydrogen production by ethanol partial oxidation over nano-iron oxide catalysts produced by chemical vapour synthesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahmed, Wael Ahmed Abou Taleb Sayed

2011-01-13

This work presents the experimental results of the synthesis of unsupported and supported SiC iron oxide nanoparticles and their catalytic activity towards ethanol partial oxidation. For comparison, further unsupported iron oxide phases were investigated towards the ethanol partial oxidation. These {gamma}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and {alpha}/{gamma}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} phase catalysts were prepared by the CVS method using Fe(CO){sub 5} as precursor, supplied by another author. The {alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and SiC nanoparticles were prepared by the CVS method using a home made hot wall reactor technique at atmospheric pressure. Ferrocene and tetramethylsilane were used as precursor for the production process. Process parameters of precursor evaporation temperature, precursor concentration, gas mixture velocity and gas mixture dilution were investigated and optimised to produce particle sizes in a range of 10 nm. For Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/SiC catalyst series production, a new hot wall reactor setup was used. The particles were produced by simultaneous thermal decomposition of ferrocene and tetramethylsilane in one reactor from both sides. The production parameters of inlet tube distance inside the reactor, precursor evaporation temperature and carrier gas flow were investigated to produce a series of samples with different iron oxide content. The prepared catalysts composition, physical and chemical properties were characterized by XRD, EDX, SEM, BET surface area, FTIR, XPS and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. The catalytic activity for the ethanol gas-phase oxidation was investigated in a temperature range from 260 C to 290 C. The product distributions obtained over all catalysts were analysed with mass spectrometry analysis tool. The activity of bulk Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and SiC nanoparticles was compared with prepared nano-iron oxide phase catalysts. The reaction parameters, such as reaction temperature and O{sub 2}/ethanol ratio were investigated. The catalysts

Impregnation of mesoporous silica for catalyst preparation studied with differential scanning calorimetry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eggenhuisen, T.M.; van Steenbergen, M.J.; Talsma, H.; de Jongh, P.E.; de Jong, K.P.

2009-01-01

Aqueous impregnation of mesoporous silica as a first step in catalyst preparation was studied to investigate the distribution of the metal-precursor solution over the support. The degree of pore-filling after impregnation was determined using the freezing point depression of confined liquids. A

Nanoscale ferroelectrics and multiferroics key processes and characterization issues, and nanoscale effects

CERN Document Server

Alguero, Miguel

2016-01-01

This book reviews the key issues in processing and characterization of nanoscale ferroelectrics and multiferroics, and provides a comprehensive description of their properties, with an emphasis in differentiating size effects of extrinsic ones like boundary or interface effects. Recently described nanoscale novel phenomena are also addressed. Organized into three parts it addresses key issues in processing (nanostructuring), characterization (of the nanostructured materials) and nanoscale effects. Taking full advantage of the synergies between nanoscale ferroelectrics and multiferroics, it covers materials nanostructured at all levels, from ceramic technologies like ferroelectric nanopowders, bulk nanostructured ceramics and thick films, and magnetoelectric nanocomposites, to thin films, either polycrystalline layer heterostructures or epitaxial systems, and to nanoscale free standing objects with specific geometries, such as nanowires and tubes at different levels of development. The book is developed from t...

A Robust Fiber Bragg Grating Hydrogen Gas Sensor Using Platinum-Supported Silica Catalyst Film

OpenAIRE

Marina Kurohiji; Seiji Ichiriyama; Naoki Yamasaku; Shinji Okazaki; Naoya Kasai; Yusuke Maru; Tadahito Mizutani

2018-01-01

A robust fiber Bragg grating (FBG) hydrogen gas sensor for reliable multipoint-leakage monitoring has been developed. The sensing mechanism is based on shifts of center wavelength of the reflection spectra due to temperature change caused by catalytic combustion heat. The sensitive film which consists of platinum-supported silica (Pt/SiO2) catalyst film was obtained using sol-gel method. The precursor solution was composed of hexachloroplatinic acid and commercially available silica precursor...

The Poisoning Effect of Na Doping over Mn-Ce/TiO2 Catalyst for Low-Temperature Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO by NH3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Yang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3, sodium nitrate (NaNO3, and sodium chloride (NaCl were chosen as the precursors to prepare the Na salts deposited Mn-Ce/TiO2 catalysts through an impregnation method. The influence of Na on the performance of the Mn-Ce/TiO2 catalyst for low-temperature selective catalytic reduction of NOx by NH3 was investigated. Experimental results showed that Na salts had negative effects on the activity of Mn-Ce/TiO2 and the precursors of Na salts also affected the catalytic activity. The precursor Na2CO3 had a greater impact on the catalytic activity, while NaNO3 had minimal effect. The characterization results indicated that the significant changes in physical and chemical properties of Mn-Ce/TiO2 were observed after Na was doped on the catalysts. The significant decreases in surface areas and NH3 adsorption amounts were observed after Na was doped on the catalysts, which could be considered as the main reasons for the deactivation of Na deposited Mn-Ce/TiO2.

In situ XAFS studies of the oxygen reduction reaction on carbon supported platinum and platinum nickel nano-scale alloys as cathode catalysts in fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Qingying

Platinum based bimetallic alloys have been investigated by conducting Pt L3 and Ni K edge in situ XAFS measurements on carbon supported Pt and PtNi(1:1) nanoscale catalysts under a wide range of operating potentials. We observed that (1) the Pt-Pt bond distance in PtNi alloys is shorter than that of Pt, and the bond distance between Pt and oxygen adsorbate is longer for PtNi. (2) Pt has a tendency to stay on the surface while Ni is mostly underneath the surface. (3) While a change in oxidation of pure Pt was clearly observed at different potentials, the Pt in the PtNi alloy remained nearly oxygen-free at all potentials, but an accompanying oxidation change of Ni was observed instead. (4) PtNi has higher open circuit voltage than Pt/C. These results indicate that the chemisorption energy between Pt and oxygen adsorbate is reduced in PtNi alloys, which prevents the poison of oxygen adsorbate and hence improves the reactivity. In addition, the strain and ligand effects in PtNi nanoparticle alloys were studied by FEW calculations using experimental data as a guide to understand the factors causing the reduction of chemisorptions energy of Pt. Our calculation indicates that Pt d-band is broader and lower in energy when the bond distance between Pt is shorter, resulting in weaker chemisorption energy between Pt and absorbed oxygen atom on top, and vice verse. Meanwhile, the investigation of ligand effect shows two trends in modifying Pt's properties within alloyed transition metals. The strain effect dominates in PtNi bimetallic system, corresponding to weaker chemisorptions energy and lower white intensity of Pt L3 edge, which is in consistent with our experimental results. The implications of these results afford a good guideline in understanding the reactivity enhancement mechanism and in the context of alloy catalysts design.

MAGNETO-CHEMICAL CHARACTER STUDIES OF NOVEL Fe CATALYSTS FOR COAL LIQUEFACTION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murty A. Akundi; Jian H. Zhang; A.N. Murty; S.V. Naidu

2002-04-01

The objectives of the present study are: (1) To synthesize iron catalysts: Fe/MoO{sub 3}, and Fe/Co/MoO{sub 3} employing two distinct techniques: Pyrolysis with organic precursors and Co-precipitation of metal nitrates; (2) To investigate the magnetic character of the catalysts before and after exposure to CO and CO+H{sub 2} by (a) Mossbauer study of Iron (b) Zerofield Nuclear Magnetic Resonance study of Cobalt, and (c) Magnetic character of the catalyst composite; (3) To study the IR active surface species of the catalyst while stimulating (CO--Metal, (CO+H{sub 2})--Metal) interactions, by FTIR Spectroscopy; and (4) To analyze the catalytic character (conversion efficiency and product distribution) in both direct and indirect liquefaction Process and (5) To examine the correlations between the magnetic and chemical characteristics. This report presents the results of our investigation on (a) the effect of metal loading (b) the effect of intermetallic ratio and (c) the effect of catalyst preparation procedure on (i) the magnetic character of the catalyst composite (ii) the IR active surface species of the catalyst and (iii) the catalytic yields for three different metal loadings: 5%, 15%, and 25% (nominal) for three distinct intermetallic ratios (Fe/Co = 0.3, 1.5, 3.0).

More active and sulfur resistant bimetallic Pd-Ni catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Betti, Carolina; Carrara, Nicolás; Badano, Juan; Lederhos, Cecilia; Vera, Carlos; Quiroga, Mónica, E-mail: mquiroga@fiq.unl.edu.ar [Instituto de Investigaciones en Catálisis y Petroquímica, INCAPE (FIQ-UNL, CONICET), Santa Fe (Argentina)

2018-02-15

The influence of the kind of metal precursor and the sequence of impregnation on the properties of Pd-Ni catalysts was evaluated during the test reaction of selective hydrogenation of styrene to ethylbenzene by means of physicochemical characterization. The focus was put on the final hydrogenating activity and the resistance to deactivation by sulfide compounds (thiophene). The used techniques of characterization were ICP, XPS, XDR, TPR, CO chemisorption and TEM. XPS results indicated the presence of different Pd species: Pd{sup δ-}, Pd{sup 0} and Pd{sup δ+}. In the case of the Ni containing catalysts, Ni{sup 0} and NiO species were also detected. These palladium and nickel species would be responsible of the variation of activity and sulfur resistance of the catalysts. NiClPd catalysts had a higher resistance to deactivation by sulfur poisoning. This was associated to a higher concentration of Pd{sup η+}Cl{sub x}O{sub y} species that would prevent the adsorption of thiophene by both steric and electronic effects. It could also be due to the lower concentration of Pd{sup 0} and Ni{sup 0} on these catalysts, as compared to those shown by the PdNiCl catalysts. Both the Pd{sup 0} and Ni{sup 0} species are more prone to poisoning because of their higher electronic availability. (author)

Electrical properties of a novel lead alkoxide precursor: Lead glycolate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tangboriboon, Nuchnapa; Pakdeewanishsukho, Kittikhun; Jamieson, Alexander; Sirivat, Anuvat; Wongkasemjit, Sujitra

2006-01-01

The reaction of lead acetate trihydrate Pb(CH 3 COO) 2 .3H 2 O and ethylene glycol, using triethylenetetramine (TETA) as a catalyst, provides in one step access to a polymer-like precursor of lead glycolate [-PbOCH 2 CH 2 O-]. On the basis of high-resolution mass spectroscopy, chemical analysis composition, FTIR, 13 C-solid state NMR and TGA, the lead glycolate precursor can be identified as a trimer structure. The FTIR spectrum demonstrates the characteristics of lead glycolate; the peaks at 1086 and 1042 cm -1 can be assigned to the C-O-Pb stretchings. The 13 C-solid state NMR spectrum gives notably only one peak at 68.639 ppm belonging to the ethylene glycol ligand. The phase transformations of lead glycolate and lead acetate trihydrate to lead oxide, their microstructures, and electrical properties were found to vary with increasing temperature. The lead glycolate precursor has superior electrical properties relative to those of lead acetate trihydrate, suggesting that the lead glycolate precursor can possibly be used as a starting material for producing electrical and semiconducting ceramics, viz. ferroelectric, anti-ferroelectric, and piezoelectric materials

The role of low-energy electrons in focused electron beam induced deposition: four case studies of representative precursors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel M. Thorman

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID is a single-step, direct-write nanofabrication technique capable of writing three-dimensional metal-containing nanoscale structures on surfaces using electron-induced reactions of organometallic precursors. Currently FEBID is, however, limited in resolution due to deposition outside the area of the primary electron beam and in metal purity due to incomplete precursor decomposition. Both limitations are likely in part caused by reactions of precursor molecules with low-energy (3, Pt(PF34, Co(CO3NO, and W(CO6. Through these case studies, it is evident that this combination of studies can provide valuable insight into potential mechanisms governing deposit formation in FEBID. Although further experiments and new approaches are needed, these studies are an important stepping-stone toward better understanding the fundamental physics behind the deposition process and establishing design criteria for optimized FEBID precursors.

Morphologies of Sol–Gel Derived Thin Films of ZnO Using Different Precursor Materials and their Nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chandra Sudhir

2007-01-01

Full Text Available AbstractWe have shown that the morphological features of the sol–gel derived thin films of ZnO depend strongly on the choice of the precursor materials. In particular, we have used zinc nitrate and zinc acetate as the precursor materials. While the films using zinc acetate showed a smoother topography, those prepared by using zinc nitrate exhibited dendritic character. Both types of films were found to be crystalline in nature. The crystallite dimensions were confined to the nanoscale. The crystallite size of the nanograins in the zinc nitrate derived films has been found to be smaller than the films grown by using zinc acetate as the precursor material. Selected area electron diffraction patterns in the case of both the precursor material has shown the presence of different rings corresponding to different planes of hexagonal ZnO crystal structure. The results have been discussed in terms of the fundamental considerations and basic chemistry governing the growth kinetics of these sol–gel derived ZnO films with both the precursor materials.

Local structure of Iridium organometallic catalysts covalently bonded to carbon nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Blasco, J.; Cuartero, V.; Subías, G.; Jiménez, M. V.; Pérez-Torrente, J. J.; Oro, L. A.; Blanco, M.; Álvarez, P.; Blanco, C.; Menéndez, R.

2016-05-01

Hybrid catalysts based on Iridium N-heterocyclic carbenes anchored to carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been studied by XAFS spectroscopy. Oxidation of CNT yields a large amount of functional groups, mainly hydroxyl groups at the walls and carboxylic groups at the tips, defects and edges. Different kinds of esterification reactions were performed to functionalize oxidized CNT with imidazolium salts. Then, the resulting products were reacted with an Ir organometallic compound to form hybrid catalysts efficient in hydrogen transfer processes. XANES spectroscopy agree with the presence of Ir(I) in these catalysts and the EXAFS spectra detected differences in the local structure of Ir atoms between the initial Ir organometallic compound and the Ir complexes anchored to the CNT. Our results confirm that the halide atom, present in the Ir precursor, was replaced by oxygen from -OH groups at the CNT wall in the first coordination shell of Ir. The lability of this group accounts for the good recyclability and the good efficiency shown by these hybrid catalysts.

Single Atomic Iron Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction in Acidic Media: Particle Size Control and Thermal Activation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Hanguang; Hwang, Sooyeon; Wang, Maoyu; Feng, Zhenxing; Karakalos, Stavros; Luo, Langli; Qiao, Zhi; Xie, Xiaohong; Wang, Chongmin; Su, Dong; Shao, Yuyan; Wu, Gang (BNL); (Oregon State U.); (SC); (PNNL); (Buffalo)

2017-09-26

It remains a grand challenge to replace platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts with earth-abundant materials for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acidic media, which is crucial for large-scale deployment of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Here, we report a high-performance atomic Fe catalyst derived from chemically Fe-doped zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) by directly bonding Fe ions to imidazolate ligands within 3D frameworks. Although the ZIF was identified as a promising precursor, the new synthetic chemistry enables the creation of well-dispersed atomic Fe sites embedded into porous carbon without the formation of aggregates. The size of catalyst particles is tunable through synthesizing Fe-doped ZIF nanocrystal precursors in a wide range from 20 to 1000 nm followed by one-step thermal activation. Similar to Pt nanoparticles, the unique size control without altering chemical properties afforded by this approach is able to increase the number of PGM-free active sites. The best ORR activity is measured with the catalyst at a size of 50 nm. Further size reduction to 20 nm leads to significant particle agglomeration, thus decreasing the activity. Using the homogeneous atomic Fe model catalysts, we elucidated the active site formation process through correlating measured ORR activity with the change of chemical bonds in precursors during thermal activation up to 1100 °C. The critical temperature to form active sites is 800 °C, which is associated with a new Fe species with a reduced oxidation number (from Fe3+ to Fe2+) likely bonded with pyridinic N (FeN4) embedded into the carbon planes. Further increasing the temperature leads to continuously enhanced activity, linked to the rise of graphitic N and Fe–N species. The new atomic Fe catalyst has achieved respectable ORR activity in challenging acidic media (0.5 M H2SO4), showing a half-wave potential of 0.85 V vs RHE and leaving only a 30 mV gap with Pt/C (60 μgPt/cm2). Enhanced stability

Co, Fe and Ni catalysts supported on coke for direct coal liquefaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jimenez, Jose A; Villalba, Oscar A; Rodriguez, Luis I; Hernandez, Orlando; Agamez, Yasmin Y; Dias Jose de Jesus

2008-01-01

Transition metal catalysts supported on coke were prepared by impregnation with a solution of complex of metal-thiourea, that is produced from salt precursors of cobalt chloride, Nickel chloride or iron sulfate and ammonium. sulphide formation on the support surface was generated by decomposition of the metal complex. The catalysts obtained were used in direct coal liquefaction of a medium volatile bituminous coal (Yerbabuena N 1) from Cundinamarca using a 250 Ml, Parr reactor at 723 K and a hydrogen-donor solvent. The catalytic results show, for all samples, both a good coal conversion and an enhancement of the yield of oils, this indicates that the proposed preparation method of catalyst is effective and that eventually the H 2 S sulphidation conventional process could be replaced

Atomically precise graphene nanoribbon heterojunctions from a single molecular precursor

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Giang D.; Tsai, Hsin-Zon; Omrani, Arash A.; Marangoni, Tomas; Wu, Meng; Rizzo, Daniel J.; Rodgers, Griffin F.; Cloke, Ryan R.; Durr, Rebecca A.; Sakai, Yuki; Liou, Franklin; Aikawa, Andrew S.; Chelikowsky, James R.; Louie, Steven G.; Fischer, Felix R.; Crommie, Michael F.

2017-11-01

The rational bottom-up synthesis of atomically defined graphene nanoribbon (GNR) heterojunctions represents an enabling technology for the design of nanoscale electronic devices. Synthetic strategies used thus far have relied on the random copolymerization of two electronically distinct molecular precursors to yield GNR heterojunctions. Here we report the fabrication and electronic characterization of atomically precise GNR heterojunctions prepared through late-stage functionalization of chevron GNRs obtained from a single precursor. Post-growth excitation of fully cyclized GNRs induces cleavage of sacrificial carbonyl groups, resulting in atomically well-defined heterojunctions within a single GNR. The GNR heterojunction structure was characterized using bond-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy, which enables chemical bond imaging at T = 4.5 K. Scanning tunnelling spectroscopy reveals that band alignment across the heterojunction interface yields a type II heterojunction, in agreement with first-principles calculations. GNR heterojunction band realignment proceeds over a distance less than 1 nm, leading to extremely large effective fields.

Development of porous structure simulator for multi-scale simulation of irregular porous catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koyama, Michihisa; Suzuki, Ai; Sahnoun, Riadh; Tsuboi, Hideyuki; Hatakeyama, Nozomu; Endou, Akira; Takaba, Hiromitsu; Kubo, Momoji; Del Carpio, Carlos A.; Miyamoto, Akira

2008-01-01

Efficient development of highly functional porous materials, used as catalysts in the automobile industry, demands a meticulous knowledge of the nano-scale interface at the electronic and atomistic scale. However, it is often difficult to correlate the microscopic interfacial interactions with macroscopic characteristics of the materials; for instance, the interaction between a precious metal and its support oxide with long-term sintering properties of the catalyst. Multi-scale computational chemistry approaches can contribute to bridge the gap between micro- and macroscopic characteristics of these materials; however this type of multi-scale simulations has been difficult to apply especially to porous materials. To overcome this problem, we have developed a novel mesoscopic approach based on a porous structure simulator. This simulator can construct automatically irregular porous structures on a computer, enabling simulations with complex meso-scale structures. Moreover, in this work we have developed a new method to simulate long-term sintering properties of metal particles on porous catalysts. Finally, we have applied the method to the simulation of sintering properties of Pt on alumina support. This newly developed method has enabled us to propose a multi-scale simulation approach for porous catalysts

Lattice Boltzmann Pore-Scale Investigation of Coupled Physical-electrochemical Processes in C/Pt and Non-Precious Metal Cathode Catalyst Layers in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Li; Wu, Gang; Holby, Edward F; Zelenay, Piotr; Tao, Wen-Quan; Kang, Qinjun

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Nanoscale structures of catalyst layer are reconstructed. • Pore-scale simulation is performed to predict macroscopic transport properties. • Reactive transport in catalyst layer with non-precious metal and Pt catalysts is studied. • Mesopores rather than micropores are required to enhance mass transport. - Abstract: High-resolution porous structures of catalyst layers (CLs) including non-precious metal catalysts (NPMCs) or Pt for proton exchange membrane fuel cells are reconstructed using the quartet structure generation set. The nanoscale structures are analyzed in terms of pore size distribution, specific surface area, and phase connectivity. Pore-scale simulation methods based on the lattice Boltzmann method are developed to predict the macroscopic transport properties in CLs. The non-uniform distribution of ionomer in CL generates more tortuous pathways for reactant transport, greatly reducing the effective diffusivity. The tortuosity of CLs is much higher than that adopted by the Bruggeman equation. Knudsen diffusion plays a significant role in oxygen diffusion and significantly reduces the effective diffusivity. Reactive transport inside the CLs is also investigated. Although the reactive surface area of the non-precious metal catalyst (NPMC) CL is much higher than that of the Pt CL, the oxygen reaction rate is lower in the NPMC CL due to the much lower reaction rate coefficient. Although pores of a few nanometers in size can increase the number of reactive sites in NPMC CLs, they contribute little to enhance the mass transport. Mesopores, which are a few tens of nanometers or larger in size, are shown to be required in order to increase the mass transport rate

Ethylbenzene dehydrogenation over binary FeOx–MeOy/Mg(Al)O catalysts derived from hydrotalcites

KAUST Repository

Balasamy, Rabindran J.; Khurshid, Alam; Al-Ali, Ali A S; Atanda, Luqman A.; Sagata, Kunimasa; Asamoto, Makiko; Yahiro, Hidenori; Nomura, Kiyoshi; Sano, Tsuneji; Takehira, Katsuomi; Al-Khattaf, Sulaiman S.

2010-01-01

A series of FeOx-MeOy/Mg(Al)O catalysts were prepared from hydrotalcite-like compounds as precursors and were tested in the ethylbenzene dehydrogenation to styrene in He atmosphere at 550 °C. The hydrotalcite-like precursors of the metal compositions of Mg3Fe 0.25Me0.25Al0.5 (Me = Cu, Zn, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) were coprecipitated from the nitrates of metal components and calcined to mixed oxides at 550 °C. After the calcination, the mixed oxides showed high surface area of 150-200 m2 gcat -1, and were mainly composed of (MgMe)(Fe3+Al)O periclase in the bulk, whereas the surface was enriched by (MgMe)(Fe3+Al)2O 4 pinel. Among the Me species tested, Co2+ was the most effective, followed by Ni2+. Co2+ addition increased the activity of original FeOx/Mg(Al)O catalyst, whereas Ni2+ increased the activity at the beginning of reaction, but deactivated the catalyst during the reaction. The other metals formed isolated MeOx species in the catalyst, resulting in a decrease in the activity compared to the original FeOx/Mg(Al)O catalyst. The active Fe species exists as metastable Fe3+ on the FeOx/Mg(Al)O catalyst. By the addition of Co2+, the reduction-oxidation between Fe3+ and Fe2+ was facilitated and, moreover, the active Fe3+ species was stabilized. It is likely that the dehydrogenation proceeds on the active Fe3+ species via its reduction-oxidation assisted by Co 2+. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Ethylbenzene dehydrogenation over binary FeOx–MeOy/Mg(Al)O catalysts derived from hydrotalcites

KAUST Repository

Balasamy, Rabindran J.

2010-12-20

A series of FeOx-MeOy/Mg(Al)O catalysts were prepared from hydrotalcite-like compounds as precursors and were tested in the ethylbenzene dehydrogenation to styrene in He atmosphere at 550 °C. The hydrotalcite-like precursors of the metal compositions of Mg3Fe 0.25Me0.25Al0.5 (Me = Cu, Zn, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) were coprecipitated from the nitrates of metal components and calcined to mixed oxides at 550 °C. After the calcination, the mixed oxides showed high surface area of 150-200 m2 gcat -1, and were mainly composed of (MgMe)(Fe3+Al)O periclase in the bulk, whereas the surface was enriched by (MgMe)(Fe3+Al)2O 4 pinel. Among the Me species tested, Co2+ was the most effective, followed by Ni2+. Co2+ addition increased the activity of original FeOx/Mg(Al)O catalyst, whereas Ni2+ increased the activity at the beginning of reaction, but deactivated the catalyst during the reaction. The other metals formed isolated MeOx species in the catalyst, resulting in a decrease in the activity compared to the original FeOx/Mg(Al)O catalyst. The active Fe species exists as metastable Fe3+ on the FeOx/Mg(Al)O catalyst. By the addition of Co2+, the reduction-oxidation between Fe3+ and Fe2+ was facilitated and, moreover, the active Fe3+ species was stabilized. It is likely that the dehydrogenation proceeds on the active Fe3+ species via its reduction-oxidation assisted by Co 2+. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Tailoring the synthesis of supported Pd catalysts towards desired structure and size of metal particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Suresh, Gatla; Radnik, Jörg; Kalevaru, Venkata Narayana; Pohl, Marga-Martina; Schneider, Matthias; Lücke, Bernhard; Martin, Andreas; Madaan, Neetika; Brückner, Angelika

2010-05-14

In a systematic study, the influence of different preparation parameters on phase composition and size of metal crystallites and particles in Pd-Cu/TiO(2) and Pd-Sb/TiO(2) catalyst materials has been explored. Temperature and atmosphere of thermal pretreatment (pure He or 10% H(2)/He), nature of metal precursors (chlorides, nitrates or acetates) as well as of ammonium additives (ammonium sulfate, nitrate, carbonate) and urea were varied with the aim of tailoring the synthesis procedure for the preferential formation of metal particles with similar size and structure as observed recently in active catalysts after long-term equilibration under catalytic reaction conditions in acetoxylation of toluene to benzylacetate. Among the metal precursors and additives, the chloride metal precursors and (NH(4))(2)SO(4) were most suitable. Upon thermal pretreatment of Pd-Sb or Pd-Cu precursors, chloroamine complexes of Pd and Cu are formed, which decompose above 220 degrees C to metallic phases independent of the atmosphere. In He, metallic Pd particles were formed with both the co-components. In H(2)/He flow, Pd-Cu precursors were converted to core-shell particles with a Cu shell and a Pd core, while Sb(1)Pd(1) and Sb(7)Pd(20) alloy phases were formed in the presence of Sb. Metal crystallites of about 40 nm agglomerate to particles of up to 150 nm in He and to even larger size in H(2)/He.

Uniformly active phase loaded selective catalytic reduction catalysts (V{sub 2}O{sub 5}/TNTs) with superior alkaline resistance performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Haiqiang; Wang, Penglu [Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental & Resources Science, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou (China); Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Industrial Boiler & Furnace Flue Gas Pollution Control, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Chen, Xiongbo [South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou 510655 (China); Wu, Zhongbiao, E-mail: zbwu@zju.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental & Resources Science, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou (China); Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Industrial Boiler & Furnace Flue Gas Pollution Control, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • VOSO{sub 4} exhibited better synergistic effect with titanate nanotubes than NH{sub 4}VO{sub 3}. • Ion-exchange reaction occurs between VOSO{sub 4} and titanate nanotubes. • Ion-exchange resulting in uniformly vanadium distribution on titanate nanotubes. • VOSO{sub 4}-based catalyst exhibited impressive SCR activity and alkaline resistance. - Abstract: In this work, protonated titanate nanotubes was performed as a potential useful support and different vanadium precursors (NH{sub 4}VO{sub 3} and VOSO{sub 4}) were used to synthesize deNO{sub x} catalysts. The results showed that VOSO{sub 4} exhibited better synergistic effect with titanate nanotubes than NH{sub 4}VO{sub 3}, which was caused by the ion-exchange reaction. Then high loading content of vanadium, uniformly active phase distribution, better dispersion of vanadium, more acid sites, better V{sup 5+}/V{sup 4+} redox cycles and superior oxygen mobility were achieved. Besides, VOSO{sub 4}-based titanate nanotubes catalysts also showed enhanced alkaline resistance than particles (P25) based catalysts. It was strongly associated with its abundant acid sites, large surface area, flexible redox cycles and oxygen transfer ability. For the loading on protonated titanate nanotubes, active metal with cation groups was better precursors than anion ones. V{sub 2}O{sub 5}/TNTs catalyst was a promising substitute for the commercial vanadium catalysts and the work conducted herein provided a useful idea to design uniformly active phase loaded catalyst.

Influence of Reduction Promoters on Stability of Cobalt/g-Alumina Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Catalysts

OpenAIRE

Gary Jacobs; Wenping Ma; Burtron H. Davis

2014-01-01

This focused review article underscores how metal reduction promoters can impact deactivation phenomena associated with cobalt Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalysts. Promoters can exacerbate sintering if the additional cobalt metal clusters, formed as a result of the promoting effect, are in close proximity at the nanoscale to other cobalt particles on the surface. Recent efforts have shown that when promoters are used to facilitate the reduction of small crystallites with the aim of increasing...

Modeling of cobalt-based catalyst use during CSS for low-temperature heavy oil upgrading

Science.gov (United States)

Kadyrov, R.; Sitnov, S.; Gareev, B.; Batalin, G.

2018-05-01

One of the methods, which is actively used on deposits of heavy oils of the Upper Kungurian (Ufimian) sandstones of the Republic of Tatarstan, is cyclic steam simulation (CSS). This method consists of 3 stages: injection, soaking, and production. Steam is injected into a well at a temperature of 300 to 340° C for a period of weeks to months. Then, the well is allowed to sit for days to weeks to allow heat to soak into the formation. Finally, the hot oil is pumped out of the well for a period of weeks or months. Once the production rate falls off, the well is put through another cycle. The injection of the catalyst solution before the injection of steam opens the possibility for upgrading the heavy oil in the process of aquathermolysis directly in the reservoir. In this paper, the possibility of using a catalyst precursor based on cobalt for upgrading the hydrocarbons of this field in the process of their extraction is represented. SARA analysis on oil saturated sandstones shows an increase in the proportion of saturated hydrocarbons by 11.1% due to the hydrogenation of aromatic hydrocarbons and their derivatives, the content of resins and asphaltenes are remained practically unchanged. A new method for estimating the adsorption of a catalyst based on taking into account the change in the concentration of the base metal before and after simulation of catalyst injection in the thermobaric conditions of the reservoir is proposed. During the study of catalyst adsorption in the rock, when simulating the CSS process, it is found that almost 28% of the cobalt, which is the main element of the catalyst precursor, is retained in the rock.

Innovative sol–gel route in neutral hydroalcoholic condition to obtain antibacterial cotton finishing by zinc precursor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poli, R.; Colleoni, C.; Calvimontes, A.; Polaskova, H.; Dutschk, Victoria; Rosace, G.

2015-01-01

In the present study, a possibility to realize a transparent sol by zinc-based precursors in a neutral medium without acidic or alkaline catalyst was investigated.Moreover, to study the influence of an inorganic–organic hybrid polymer on the proposed antibacterial finishing, the Zn-based sol was

Characterization of deposits formed on catalyst surfaces during hydrotreatment of coal-derived liquids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furimsky, E.

1982-04-01

Loss of catalyst activity is attributed to the formation of polynuclear aromatic structures on the surface. Heavy species containing N and O heteroatoms were also present in deposits. Phenols, aromatic and heterocyclic compounds are considered to be the precursors for the formation of the deposits. (16 refs.)

Microemulsion flame pyrolysis for hopcalite nanoparticle synthesis: a new concept for catalyst preparation

OpenAIRE

Kaskel, Stefan; Biemelt, Tim; Wegner, Karl; Teichert, Johannes

2016-01-01

A new route to highly active hopcalite catalysts via flame spray pyrolysis of an inverse microemulsion precursor is reported. The nitrate derived nanoparticles are around 15 nm in diameter and show excellent conversion of CO under ambient conditions, outperforming commercial reference hopcalite materials produced by co-precipitation.

Microemulsion flame pyrolysis for hopcalite nanoparticle synthesis: a new concept for catalyst preparation.

Science.gov (United States)

Biemelt, T; Wegner, K; Teichert, J; Kaskel, S

2015-04-07

A new route to highly active hopcalite catalysts via flame spray pyrolysis of an inverse microemulsion precursor is reported. The nitrate derived nanoparticles are around 15 nm in diameter and show excellent conversion of CO under ambient conditions, outperforming commercial reference hopcalite materials produced by co-precipitation.

Green synthesis of CuxO nanoscale MOS capacitors processed at low temperatures

KAUST Repository

Al-Shehri, Safeyah

2017-01-10

In this work, we employed two nontoxic green chemistry methods to develop solution-processed copper oxide CuxO thin films at low annealing temperature of 200 °C. The first aqueous precursor of CuxO was prepared by mixing the copper powder with spinach leaves extract, whereas the other solution was formulated using the water-based polyol reduction method of Cu(II) nitrate. The as-prepared precursors were then spun on SiO2/P+ Si substrates to form nanoscale Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) capacitors by which some valuable information about the CuxO semiconductor films and their interfaces with dielectric were acquired. Both fabricated MOS capacitors exhibited p-type polarity with negative flat-band voltages. However, the MOS based on spinach extract-CuxO films showed small hysteresis of 100 mV, which could be attributed to its large grain size that sequentially leads to smooth interface and less trap density.

Green synthesis of CuxO nanoscale MOS capacitors processed at low temperatures

KAUST Repository

Al-Shehri, Safeyah; Al-Senany, Norah; Altuwirqi, Reem; Bayahya, Amani; Alshammari, Fwzah Hamud; Wang, Zhenwei; Al-Jawhari, Hala

2017-01-01

In this work, we employed two nontoxic green chemistry methods to develop solution-processed copper oxide CuxO thin films at low annealing temperature of 200 °C. The first aqueous precursor of CuxO was prepared by mixing the copper powder with spinach leaves extract, whereas the other solution was formulated using the water-based polyol reduction method of Cu(II) nitrate. The as-prepared precursors were then spun on SiO2/P+ Si substrates to form nanoscale Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) capacitors by which some valuable information about the CuxO semiconductor films and their interfaces with dielectric were acquired. Both fabricated MOS capacitors exhibited p-type polarity with negative flat-band voltages. However, the MOS based on spinach extract-CuxO films showed small hysteresis of 100 mV, which could be attributed to its large grain size that sequentially leads to smooth interface and less trap density.

Dynamics at the nanoscale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoneham, A.M.; Gavartin, J.L.

2007-01-01

However fascinating structures may be at the nanoscale, time-dependent behaviour at the nanoscale has far greater importance. Some of the dynamics is random, with fluctuations controlling rate processes and making thermal ratchets possible. Some of the dynamics causes the transfer of energy, of signals, or of charge. Such transfers are especially efficiently controlled in biological systems. Other dynamical processes occur when we wish to control the nanoscale, e.g., to avoid local failures of gate dielectrics, or to manipulate structures by electronic excitation, to use spin manipulation in quantum information processing. Our prime purpose is to make clear the enormous range and variety of time-dependent nanoscale phenomena

Transition metal sulfide promoted molybdenum or tungsten sulfide catalysts and their uses for hydroprocessing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobson, A.J.; Chianelli, R.R.; Pecoraro, T.A.

1987-01-01

A process is described for hydrorefining a hydrocarbon feed which comprises contacting the feed at a temperature of at least about 150 0 C and in the presence of hydrogen with a catalyst obtained by heating one or more precursor salts at elevated temperature of at least about 150 0 C, in the presence of sulfur or one or more sulfur-bearing compounds and under oxygen-free conditions for a time sufficient to form the catalyst. The precursor salt contains a tetrathiometallate anion of Mo, W or mixture thereof and a cation comprising one or more divalent promoter metals which are chelated by at least one neutral, nitrogen-containing polydentate ligand. The divalent promoter metal is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Zn, Cu and mixture thereof. The contacting occurs for a time sufficient to hydrorefine at least a portion of the feed

Synthesis of substituted Calix[6] arene and 18F labeling reaction as catalyst in preparation of 18F-FET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Cheng; Ma Yunchuan; Chen Xiaoxiao; Li Guixia; Li Shilei; Zhang Shuting; He Yong; Qi Chuanmin

2011-01-01

The phase transfer catalyst Substituted Calix[6] arene was prepared and it was used as catalyst to prepare the tumor diagnostic drug 18 F-FET. The results showed that para-sulfonated-calix[6] arene not only catalyzes 19 F substitution reaction, but also catalyzes 18 F labelling reaction with radiochemical yield of 11%. However, para-tert-butyl-calix[6] arene has no catalytic activity for the 19 F substitution reaction nor the 18 F labelling reaction of the precursor of FET. The catalyzing of para-sulfonated-calix[6]arene may be related to it's sulfonate groups, which participated in the coordination reaction and increased the polarity of calyx[6] arene and so on. Although radiochemical yield of the para-sulfonated-calix[6] arene catalyzed 18 F labeling of the precursor of FET was much lower than that obtained by Kryptofix 2. 2. 2, this study still has significant meaning for us to find better substituted Calix[6] arene catalysts by optimizing the reaction conditions. (authors)

Synthesis,Characterization and Application of Benzyl-substituted Cyclopentadienyl lanthanide Complexes as Catalyst Precursors for the Syndiotactic Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

QIAN,Yan-Long(钱延龙); BALA,Muhammad D.; XIE,Xiao-Min(谢小敏); HUANG,Ji-Ling(黄吉玲)

2004-01-01

Benzyl-substituted cyclopentadienyl lanthanide complexes were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, MS and IR spectroscopy. The analytical data point out the formation of monomeric, unsolvated complexes.In conjunction with Al(Et)3 as co-catalyst, the title complexes are efficient catalysts for the syndiotactic polymerization of methyl methacrylate. For the complex (C6H5CH2C5H4)2YCI, under the optimum polymerization conditions (60 ℃, n(MMA):n(catalyst):n(co-catalyst)= 1000:1:10), a predominantly syndiotactic (rr=66%) polymer of high molecular weight (Mη = 105000) was obtained.

Vanadium oxides supported on hydrotalcite-type precursors: the effect of acid-base properties on the oxidation of isopropanol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. M. Meira

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Vanadium oxide supported on hydrotalcite-type precursors was studied in the oxidation of isopropanol. Hydrotalcites with different y = Mg/Al ratios were synthesized by the method of coprecipitation nitrates of Mg and Al cations with K2CO3 as precipitant. The decomposition of these hydrotalcite precursors at 450°C yielded homogeneous MgyAlOx mixed oxides that contain the Al+3 cations totally incorporated into the MgO framework. The materials were characterized by chemical analysis, BET superficial area, X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR and the reaction of isopropanol, a probe molecule used to evaluate the acid-base properties. The results of TPR showed that the reducibility of V+5 decreased with the increase in magnesium loading in catalysts. The X-ray diffraction patterns of Al-rich hydrotalcite precursors showed the presence of crystalline phases of brucite and gibbsite. It was shown that chemical composition, texture, acid-base properties of the active sites and also Mg/Al ratio strongly affect the formation of the products in the oxidation of isopropanol. The Al-rich catalysts were much more active than the Mg-rich ones, converting isopropanol mainly to propylene.

Vanadium oxides supported on hydrotalcite-type precursors: the effect of acid base properties on the oxidation of isopropanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meira, D.M.; Cortez, G.G. [Faculdade de Engenharia Quimica de Lorena, Lorena, SP (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Quimica. Lab. de Catalise II]. E-mail: cortez@dequi.faenquil.br; Monteiro, W.R.; Rodrigues, J.A.J. [Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), Sao Jose dos Campos, SP (Brazil). Lab. Associado de Combustao e Propulsao]. E-mail: jajr@lcp.inpe.br

2006-07-15

Vanadium oxide supported on hydrotalcite-type precursors was studied in the oxidation of isopropanol. Hydrotalcites with different y = Mg/Al ratios were synthesized by the method of coprecipitation nitrates of Mg and Al cations with K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} as precipitant. The decomposition of these hydrotalcite precursors at 450 deg C yielded homogeneous MgyAlOx mixed oxides that contain the Al{sup +3} cations totally incorporated into the MgO framework. The materials were characterized by chemical analysis, BET superficial area, X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and the reaction of isopropanol, a probe molecule used to evaluate the acid-base properties. The results of TPR showed that the reducibility of V{sup +5} decreased with the increase in magnesium loading in catalysts. The X-ray diffraction patterns of Al-rich hydrotalcite precursors showed the presence of crystalline phases of brucite and gibbsite. It was shown that chemical composition, texture, acid-base properties of the active sites and also Mg/Al ratio strongly affect the formation of the products in the oxidation of isopropanol. The Al-rich catalysts were much more active than the Mg-rich ones, converting isopropanol mainly to propylene. (author)

Nanosized spinel oxide catalysts for CO-oxidation prepared via CoMnMgAl quaternary hydrotalcite route

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mokhtar, M., E-mail: mmoustafa@kau.edu.s [Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, 21589 Jeddah, P.O. Box 80203 (Saudi Arabia); Basahel, S.N.; Al-Angary, Y.O. [Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, 21589 Jeddah, P.O. Box 80203 (Saudi Arabia)

2010-03-18

Catalytic activity of the Co-Mn-Mg-Al mixed oxide spinel catalysts was examined in CO oxidation by O{sub 2}. The prepared catalysts were characterized by chemical analysis (ICP), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal analysis (TG, DTG), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), surface area measurements, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).The calcined hydrotalcite-like precursor was composed of spinel-like Co-Mn-Mg-Al mixed oxide as the only XRD crystalline phases. The nanosized spinel oxide catalysts produced by calcination of hydrotalcites showed higher S{sub BET} than CoMn-hydrotalcite samples as calcination led to dehydroxylation and carbonate decomposition of anions in interlayer spaces. All the catalysts showed 100% CO conversion at high temperature even those calcined at 800 {sup o}C. A catalyst with Co/Mn = 4 and calcined at 500 {sup o}C showed 100% CO conversion at 160 {sup o}C. Moreover, this catalyst exhibited quite good durability without deactivation in 60 h stability test.

Hydrophilic cobalt sulfide nanosheets as a bifunctional catalyst for oxygen and hydrogen evolution in electrolysis of alkaline aqueous solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Mingchao; Zhang, Zhongyi; Zhang, Hu; Zhang, Hui; Zhang, Xiaodong; Zhang, Lixue; Wang, Shicai

2018-01-01

Hydrophilic medium and precursors were used to synthesize a hydrophilic electro-catalyst for overall water splitting. The cobalt sulfide (Co 3 S 4 ) catalyst exhibits a layered nanosheet structure with a hydrophilic surface, which can facilitate the diffusion of aqueous substrates into the electrode pores and towards the active sites. The Co 3 S 4 catalyst shows excellent bifunctional catalytic activity for both the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline solution. The assembled water electrolyzer based on Co 3 S 4 exhibits better performance and stability than that of Pt/C-RuO 2 catalyst. Thereforce the hydrophilic Co 3 S 4 is a highly promising bifunctional catalyst for the overall water splitting reaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Silica-Supported Catalyst for Enantioselective Arylation of Aldehydes under Batch and Continuous-Flow Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Satoshi; Nakaya, Naoyuki; Akai, Junichiro; Kanaori, Kenji; Harada, Toshiro

2018-05-04

A silica-supported 3-aryl H 8 -BINOL-derived titanium catalyst exhibited high performance in the enantioselective arylation of aromatic aldehydes using Grignard and organolithium reagents not only under batch conditions but also under continuous-flow conditions. Even with a simple pipet reactor packed with the heterogeneous catalyst, the enantioselective production of chiral diarylmethanols could be achieved through a continuous introduction of aldehydes and mixed titanium reagents generated from the organometallic precursors. The pipet reactor could be used repeatedly in different reactions without appreciable deterioration of the activity.

Recent developments of nano-structured materials as the catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, SungYeon; Kim, HuiJung; Chung, Yong-Ho

2018-04-01

Developments of high efficient materials for electrocatalyst are significant topics of numerous researches since a few decades. Recent global interests related with energy conversion and storage lead to the expansion of efforts to find cost-effective catalysts that can substitute conventional catalytic materials. Especially, in the field of fuel cell, novel materials for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) have been noticed to overcome disadvantages of conventional platinum-based catalysts. Various approaching methods have been attempted to achieve low cost and high electrochemical activity comparable with Pt-based catalysts, including reducing Pt consumption by the formation of hybrid materials, Pt-based alloys, and not-Pt metal or carbon based materials. To enhance catalytic performance and stability, numerous methods such as structural modifications and complex formations with other functional materials are proposed, and they are basically based on well-defined and well-ordered catalytic active sites by exquisite control at nanoscale. In this review, we highlight the development of nano-structured catalytic materials for ORR based on recent findings, and discuss about an outlook for the direction of future researches.

Vapour phase dehydration of glycerol to acrolein over tungstated zirconia catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Rao Ginjupalli, Srinivasa; Mugawar, Sowmya; Rajan N., Pethan; Kumar Balla, Putra; Chary Komandur, V. R.

2014-08-01

Tetragonal (TZ) and monoclinic (MZ) polymorphs of zirconia supports were synthesised by sol-gel method followed by variation of the calcination temperature. Tungstated (10 wt% WO3) supported on the zirconia polymorphs were prepared by impregnation method by using ammonium metatungstate precursor. The physico-chemical properties of the calcined catalysts were characterised by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), surface area and pore size distribution measurements to gain insight into the effect of morphology of the catalyst textural properties, and structure. The surface acidic properties have been determined by NH3 TPD method and also with FT-IR spectra of pyridine adsorption. Vapour phase dehydration of glycerol to acrolein was employed to investigate the catalytic functionalities. Glycerol conversion and acrolein selectivity was mainly dependent on the fraction of moderate acid sites with majority of them are due to Brønsted acidic sites. Monoclinic zirconia based catalysts have shown the highest activity and acrolein selectivity compared to the corresponding tetragonal zirconia catalysts.

Vapour phase dehydration of glycerol to acrolein over tungstated zirconia catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao Ginjupalli, Srinivasa; Mugawar, Sowmya; Rajan, Pethan N.; Kumar Balla, Putra; Chary Komandur, V.R.

2014-01-01

Tetragonal (TZ) and monoclinic (MZ) polymorphs of zirconia supports were synthesised by sol–gel method followed by variation of the calcination temperature. Tungstated (10 wt% WO 3 ) supported on the zirconia polymorphs were prepared by impregnation method by using ammonium metatungstate precursor. The physico-chemical properties of the calcined catalysts were characterised by X-ray diffraction, UV–vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), surface area and pore size distribution measurements to gain insight into the effect of morphology of the catalyst textural properties, and structure. The surface acidic properties have been determined by NH 3 TPD method and also with FT-IR spectra of pyridine adsorption. Vapour phase dehydration of glycerol to acrolein was employed to investigate the catalytic functionalities. Glycerol conversion and acrolein selectivity was mainly dependent on the fraction of moderate acid sites with majority of them are due to Brønsted acidic sites. Monoclinic zirconia based catalysts have shown the highest activity and acrolein selectivity compared to the corresponding tetragonal zirconia catalysts.

Vapour phase dehydration of glycerol to acrolein over tungstated zirconia catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rao Ginjupalli, Srinivasa; Mugawar, Sowmya; Rajan, Pethan N.; Kumar Balla, Putra; Chary Komandur, V.R., E-mail: kvrchary@iict.res.in

2014-08-01

Tetragonal (TZ) and monoclinic (MZ) polymorphs of zirconia supports were synthesised by sol–gel method followed by variation of the calcination temperature. Tungstated (10 wt% WO{sub 3}) supported on the zirconia polymorphs were prepared by impregnation method by using ammonium metatungstate precursor. The physico-chemical properties of the calcined catalysts were characterised by X-ray diffraction, UV–vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), surface area and pore size distribution measurements to gain insight into the effect of morphology of the catalyst textural properties, and structure. The surface acidic properties have been determined by NH{sub 3} TPD method and also with FT-IR spectra of pyridine adsorption. Vapour phase dehydration of glycerol to acrolein was employed to investigate the catalytic functionalities. Glycerol conversion and acrolein selectivity was mainly dependent on the fraction of moderate acid sites with majority of them are due to Brønsted acidic sites. Monoclinic zirconia based catalysts have shown the highest activity and acrolein selectivity compared to the corresponding tetragonal zirconia catalysts.

Deuterium absorption in Mg70Al30 thin films with bilayer catalysts: A comparative neutron reflectometry study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poirier, Eric; Harrower, Chris T.; Kalisvaart, Peter; Bird, Adam; Teichert, Anke; Wallacher, Dirk; Grimm, Nico; Steitz, Roland; Mitlin, David; Fritzsche, Helmut

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Mg 70 Al 30 thin films studied for hydrogen absorption using in situ neutron reflectometry. → Films with Ta/Pd, Ti/Pd and Ni/Pd bilayer catalysts systematically compared. → Measurements reveals deuterium spillover from the catalysts to the MgAl phase. → The use of Ti-Pd bilayer offers best results in terms of amount absorbed and kinetics. → Key results cross-checked with X-ray reflectometry. - Abstract: We present a neutron reflectometry study of deuterium absorption in thin films of Al-containing Mg alloys capped with a Ta/Pd, Ni/Pd and Ti/Pd-catalyst bilayer. The measurements were performed at room temperature over the 0-1 bar pressure range under quasi-equilibrium conditions. The modeling of the measurements provided a nanoscale representation of the deuterium profile in the layers at different stages of the absorption process. The absorption mechanism observed was found to involve spillover of atomic deuterium from the catalyst layer to the Mg alloy phase, followed by the deuteration of the Mg alloy. Complete deuteration of the Mg alloy occurs in a pressure range between 100 and 500 mbar, dependent on the type of bilayer catalyst. The use of a Ti/Pd bilayer catalyst yielded the best results in terms of both storage density and kinetic properties.

Electrocatalytic activity of atomic layer deposited Pt-Ru catalysts onto N-doped carbon nanotubes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Johansson, A.-C.; Larsen, J.V.; Verheijen, M.A.; Haugshøj, K.B.; Clausen, H.; Kessels, W.M.M.; Christensen, L.H.; Thomsen, E.V.

2014-01-01

Pt-Ru catalysts of various compositions, between 0 and 100 at.% of Ru, were deposited onto N-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs) by atomic layer deposition (ALD) at 250 C. The Pt and Ru precursors were trimethyl(methylcyclopentadienyl)platinum (MeCpPtMe3) and

CaO Nanocatalyst for Transesterification Reaction of Palm Oil to Biodiesel: Effect of Precursor’s Concentration on the Catalyst Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan, N.; Ismail, K. N.; Hamid, K. H. Ku; Hadi, Abdul

2018-05-01

Depletion of fossil fuel sources in a few decades due to industrialization and motorization has led to a keen interest in the production of alternative fuels like biodiesel. Research on the development and improvement of more efficient transesterification process for biodiesel production has attain great attention in the last decade. The using of low cost catalyst is one of the main focuses on the biodiesel production. As a basic heterogeneous catalyst, CaO has been examined in the transesterification of vegetable oils for biodiesel production. In this research, calcium oxide (CaO-X) catalysts were prepared by sol-gel method at different Ca2+ precursor concentration (X = 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 M). The crystalline structure and morphology of the synthesized catalysts were characterized by means of x-ray diffraction (XRD) and N2 adsorption-desorption analysis. All the synthesized catalysts were then applied to transesterification reaction of palm oil to produce biodiesel. The characterization by x-ray diffraction demonstrate CaO-1.0 was partially hydrated due to the incomplete reaction during synthesis. As a matter of fact, formation of H2O on the surface of CaO causes lower basic strength of the catalysts, thus responsible in lowering the catalytic activity. It is demonstrated that CaO-2.0 exhibits mesoporous structure with least chemisorb amount of H2O on the catalysts surface has a very active catalytic activity. It was found that 2.0M of calcium precursor has high catalytic activity and 81% FAME yield was obtained within 3h reaction.

Catalysts synthesized by selective deposition of Fe onto Pt for the water-gas shift reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aragao, Isaias Barbosa; Ro, Insoo; Liu, Yifei; Ball, Madelyn; Huber, George W.; Zanchet, Daniela; Dumesic, James A.

2018-03-01

FePt bimetallic catalysts with intimate contact between the two metals were synthesized by controlled surface reactions (CSR) of (cyclohexadiene)iron tricarbonyl with hydrogen-treated supported Pt nanoparticles. Adsorption of the iron precursor on a Pt/SiO2 catalyst was studied, showing that the Fe loading could be increased by performing multiple CSR cycles, and the efficiency of this process was linked to the renewal of adsorption sites by a reducing pretreatment. The catalytic activity of these bimetallic catalysts for the water gas shift reaction was improved due to promotion by iron, likely linked to H2O activation on FeOx species at or near the Pt surface, mostly in the (II) oxidation state.

Atomic layer deposition: an enabling technology for the growth of functional nanoscale semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Biyikli, Necmi; Haider, Ali

2017-09-01

In this paper, we present the progress in the growth of nanoscale semiconductors grown via atomic layer deposition (ALD). After the adoption by semiconductor chip industry, ALD became a widespread tool to grow functional films and conformal ultra-thin coatings for various applications. Based on self-limiting and ligand-exchange-based surface reactions, ALD enabled the low-temperature growth of nanoscale dielectric, metal, and semiconductor materials. Being able to deposit wafer-scale uniform semiconductor films at relatively low-temperatures, with sub-monolayer thickness control and ultimate conformality, makes ALD attractive for semiconductor device applications. Towards this end, precursors and low-temperature growth recipes are developed to deposit crystalline thin films for compound and elemental semiconductors. Conventional thermal ALD as well as plasma-assisted and radical-enhanced techniques have been exploited to achieve device-compatible film quality. Metal-oxides, III-nitrides, sulfides, and selenides are among the most popular semiconductor material families studied via ALD technology. Besides thin films, ALD can grow nanostructured semiconductors as well using either template-assisted growth methods or bottom-up controlled nucleation mechanisms. Among the demonstrated semiconductor nanostructures are nanoparticles, nano/quantum-dots, nanowires, nanotubes, nanofibers, nanopillars, hollow and core-shell versions of the afore-mentioned nanostructures, and 2D materials including transition metal dichalcogenides and graphene. ALD-grown nanoscale semiconductor materials find applications in a vast amount of applications including functional coatings, catalysis and photocatalysis, renewable energy conversion and storage, chemical sensing, opto-electronics, and flexible electronics. In this review, we give an overview of the current state-of-the-art in ALD-based nanoscale semiconductor research including the already demonstrated and future applications.

ZrO2/bamboo leaves ash (BLA) Catalyst in Biodiesel Conversion of Rice Bran Oil

Science.gov (United States)

Fatimah, Is; Taushiyah, Ana; Badriatun Najah, Fitri; Azmi, Ulil

2018-04-01

Preparation, characterization and catalytic activity of ZrO2/bamboo leaves ash (BLA) catalyst for conversion of rice bran oil to biodiesel have been investigated. The catalyst was prepared by impregnation method of ZrOCl2 as ZrO2 precursor with BLA at a theoretical content of 20% wt. followed by calcination. The physicochemical properties of the catalyst material were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR and surface acidity measurement. Activity test of materials in biodiesel conversion of rice bran oil was used by reflux method and microwave (MW) assisted method. Reaction variables studied in the investigation were the effect of catalyst weight and time of MW irradiation compared with the use reflux method. The results showed that ZrO2/BLA catalyst exhibited competitively effective and efficient processes for the production of biodiesel. The reflux method demonstrated an higher conversion (%) compared to MW method, however MW method showed the better reusable properties.

Metaloxide--ZrO2 catalysts for the esterification and transesterification of free fatty acids and triglycerides to obtain bio-diesel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Manhoe; Salley, Steven O.; Ng, K. Y. Simon

2016-09-06

Mixed metal oxide catalysts (ZnO, CeO, La2O3, NiO, Al203, SiO2, TiO2, Nd2O3, Yb2O3, or any combination of these) supported on zirconia (ZrO2) or hydrous zirconia are provided. These mixed metal oxide catalysts can be prepared via coprecipitation, impregnation, or sol-gel methods from metal salt precursors with/without a Zirconium salt precursor. Metal oxides/ZrO2 catalyzes both esterification and transesterification of oil containing free fatty acids in one batch or in single stage. In particular, these mixed metal oxides supported or added on zirconium oxide exhibit good activity and selectivity for esterification and transesterification. The low acid strength of this catalyst can avoid undesirable side reaction such as alcohol dehydration or cracking of fatty acids. Metal oxides/ZrO2 catalysts are not sensitive to any water generated from esterification. Thus, esterification does not require a water free condition or the presence of excess methanol to occur when using the mixed metal oxide catalyst. The FAME yield obtained with metal oxides/ZrO2 is higher than that obtained with homogeneous sulfuric acid catalyst. Metal oxides/ZrO2 catalasts can be prepared as strong pellets and in various shapes for use directly in a flow reactor. Furthermore, the pellet has a strong resistance toward dissolution to aqueous or oil phases.

TiO2 nanotubes supported NiW hydrodesulphurization catalysts: Characterization and activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palcheva, R.; Dimitrov, L.; Tyuliev, G.; Spojakina, A.; Jiratova, K.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► NiW catalysts supported on TiO 2 nanotubes, titania and alumina. ► The best results are obtained with NiW/TiO 2 nanotubes in hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of thiophene. ► Active phase is Ni-WO x S y . ► Electronic promotion of W by Ti. - Abstract: High surface area TiO 2 nanotubes (Ti-NT) synthesized by alkali hydrothermal method were used as a support for NiW hydrodesulphurization catalyst. Nickel salt of 12-tungstophosphoric acid – Ni 3/2 PW 12 O 40 was applied as oxide precursor of the active components. The catalyst was characterized by S BET , XRD, UV–vis DRS, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, TPR and HRTEM. The results obtained were compared with those for the NiW catalysts prepared over high surface area titania and alumina supports. A polytungstate phase evidenced by Raman spectroscopy was observed indicating the destruction of the initial heteropolyanion. The catalytic experiments revealed two times higher thiophene conversion on NiW catalyst supported on Ti-NT than those of catalysts supported on alumina and titania. Increased HDS activity of the NiW catalyst supported on Ti-NT could be related to a higher amount of W oxysulfide entities interacting with Ni sulfide particles as consequence of the electronic effects of the Ti-NT observed with XPS analysis.

MORE ACTIVE AND SULFUR RESISTANT BIMETALLIC Pd-Ni CATALYSTS

OpenAIRE

Betti, Carolina; Carrara, Nicolás; Badano, Juan; Lederhos, Cecilia; Vera, Carlos; Quiroga, Mónica

2018-01-01

The influence of the kind of metal precursor and the sequence of impregnation on the properties of Pd-Ni catalysts was evaluated during the test reaction of selective hydrogenation of styrene to ethylbenzene by means of physicochemical characterization. The focus was put on the final hydrogenating activity and the resistance to deactivation by sulfided compounds (thiophene). The used techniques of characterization were ICP, XPS, XDR, TPR, CO chemisorption and TEM. XPS results indicated the pr...

Technology development for iron F-T catalysts. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frame, R.R.; Gala, H.B.

1994-08-01

The objectives of this work were twofold. The first objective was to design and construct a pilot plant for preparing precipitated iron oxide F-T precursors and demonstrate that the rate of production from this plant is equivalent to 100 lbs/day of dried metal oxide. Secondly, these precipitates were to be used to prepare catalysts capable of achieving 88% CO + H{sub 2} conversion with {le} 5 mole percent selectivity to methane + ethane.

Synthesis and characterization of CNTs using polypropylene waste as precursor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bajad, Ganesh S. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur 440010 (India); Tiwari, Saurabh K. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076 (India); Vijayakumar, R.P., E-mail: vijayakumarrp@che.vnit.ac.in [Department of Chemical Engineering, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur 440010 (India)

2015-04-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A facile method for producing CNTs from polypropylene waste is proposed. • Optimization of Ni/Mo mole ratio using RSM suggests the adequacy of cubic model. • Process parameters were optimized by RSM using Box–Behnken four factorial design. • Maximum desirability of one suggested that 514% of CNTs would yield over Ni{sub 4}Mo{sub 0.2}MgO{sub 1}. • Increase in Ni/Mo ratio from 0.5 to 20, inner diameter of CNTs decreases from 25 to 2 nm. - Abstract: We study the synthesis of MWCNTs using polypropylene waste as a precursor and Ni/Mo/MgO as a catalyst by the combustion technique. Molar ratios of Ni, Mo and MgO in the Ni/Mo/MgO catalyst were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) to obtain the maximum yield of CNTs. The mole ratio 4/0.2/1 was found to yield more carbon product. Further, process parameters such as combustion temperature, combustion time, polymer and catalyst weight were optimized by RSM using Box–Behnken three-level and four-factorial design. The best possible combination of process parameters (combustion time of 10 min, combustion temperature of 800 °C, polymer weight of 5 g and catalyst weight of 150 mg) for maximum yield of CNTs was obtained. HRTEM indicates that the diameter of CNTs depends on the catalyst composition used for the synthesis of CNTs. The results of the study indicate a facile method for producing CNTs from polypropylene waste.

Synthesis and characterization of CNTs using polypropylene waste as precursor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bajad, Ganesh S.; Tiwari, Saurabh K.; Vijayakumar, R.P.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A facile method for producing CNTs from polypropylene waste is proposed. • Optimization of Ni/Mo mole ratio using RSM suggests the adequacy of cubic model. • Process parameters were optimized by RSM using Box–Behnken four factorial design. • Maximum desirability of one suggested that 514% of CNTs would yield over Ni 4 Mo 0.2 MgO 1 . • Increase in Ni/Mo ratio from 0.5 to 20, inner diameter of CNTs decreases from 25 to 2 nm. - Abstract: We study the synthesis of MWCNTs using polypropylene waste as a precursor and Ni/Mo/MgO as a catalyst by the combustion technique. Molar ratios of Ni, Mo and MgO in the Ni/Mo/MgO catalyst were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) to obtain the maximum yield of CNTs. The mole ratio 4/0.2/1 was found to yield more carbon product. Further, process parameters such as combustion temperature, combustion time, polymer and catalyst weight were optimized by RSM using Box–Behnken three-level and four-factorial design. The best possible combination of process parameters (combustion time of 10 min, combustion temperature of 800 °C, polymer weight of 5 g and catalyst weight of 150 mg) for maximum yield of CNTs was obtained. HRTEM indicates that the diameter of CNTs depends on the catalyst composition used for the synthesis of CNTs. The results of the study indicate a facile method for producing CNTs from polypropylene waste

High Throughput In Situ XAFS Screening of Catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsapatsaris, Nikolaos; Beesley, Angela M.; Weiher, Norbert; Tatton, Helen; Schroeder, Sven L. M.; Dent, Andy J.; Mosselmans, Frederick J. W.; Tromp, Moniek; Russu, Sergio; Evans, John; Harvey, Ian; Hayama, Shu

2007-01-01

We outline and demonstrate the feasibility of high-throughput (HT) in situ XAFS for synchrotron radiation studies. An XAS data acquisition and control system for the analysis of dynamic materials libraries under control of temperature and gaseous environments has been developed. The system is compatible with the 96-well industry standard and coupled to multi-stream quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS) analysis of reactor effluents. An automated analytical workflow generates data quickly compared to traditional individual spectrum acquisition and analyses them in quasi-real time using an HT data analysis tool based on IFFEFIT. The system was used for the automated characterization of a library of 91 catalyst precursors containing ternary combinations of Cu, Pt, and Au on γ-Al2O3, and for the in situ characterization of Au catalysts supported on Al2O3 and TiO2

Solar Energy Technologies Program Peer Review: Center for Nanoscale Energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Philip Boudjouk; Larry Pederson; Doug Schulz

2010-05-26

The purpose of this project is to develop plant-derived polymers with high potential for replacing petroleum-derived polymers. Important considerations include reduced swelling, lower price, equal or greater strength, and improved processability. Polymer precursors and other high value chemicals are derived by selective oxidation of renewable resources including oil seeds and cellulosics. High throughput combinatorial methods were applied to optimize oxidative catalysis as well as to formulate polymer families. Long chain dicarboxylic acids have been derived in >80% yields from fatty acids found in oil seeds by selective oxidative cleavage using tungsten-based and other catalysts. Furan dicarboxylic acids have been synthesized in high yields by selective catalytic oxidation of cellulosic materials. This product is a precursor to a new class of polyamide polymers. A series terephthalamide/adipamide copolymers have been prepared from long-chain dicarboxylic acids derived from renewable feedstocks. Compositions have been identified that exhibit significant processing advantages over commercial nylons.

Niobium-based catalysts prepared by reactive radio-frequency magnetron sputtering and arc plasma methods as non-noble metal cathode catalysts for polymer electrolyte fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohnishi, Ryohji; Katayama, Masao; Takanabe, Kazuhiro; Kubota, Jun; Domen, Kazunari

2010-01-01

Two vacuum methods, reactive radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering and arc plasma deposition, were used to prepare niobium-based catalysts for an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as non-noble metal cathodes for polymer electrode fuel cells (PEFCs). Thin films with various N and O contents, denoted as NbO x and Nb-O-N, were prepared on glassy carbon plates by RF magnetron sputtering with controlled partial pressures of oxygen and nitrogen. Electrochemical measurements indicated that the introduction of the nitrogen species into the thin film resulted in improved ORR activity compared to the oxide-only film. Using an arc plasma method, niobium was deposited on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrates, and the sub-nanoscale surface morphology of the deposited particles was investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). To prepare practical cathode catalysts, niobium was deposited on carbon black (CB) powders by arc plasma method. STM and transmission electron microscopy observations of samples on HOPG and CB indicated that the prepared catalysts were highly dispersed at the atomic level. The onset potential of oxygen reduction on Nb-O-N/CB was 0.86 V vs. a reversible hydrogen electrode, and the apparent current density was drastically improved by the introduction of nitrogen.

Cluster-derived Ir-Sn/SiO2 catalysts for the catalytic dehydrogenation of propane: A spectroscopic study

KAUST Repository

Gallo, Alessandro

2013-01-01

Ir-Sn bimetallic silica-based materials have been prepared via deposition of the molecular organometallic clusters (NEt4)2[Ir 4(CO)10(SnCl3)2] and NEt 4[Ir6(CO)15(SnCl3)] or via deposition of Sn organometallic precursor Sn(n-C4H9) 4 onto pre-formed Ir metal particles. These solids possess promising properties, in terms of selectivity, as catalysts for propane dehydrogenation to propene. Detailed CO-adsorption DRIFTS, XANES and EXAFS characterization studies have been performed on these systems in order to compare the structural and electronic evolution of systems in relation to the nature of the Ir-Sn bonds present in the precursor compounds and to propose a structural model of the Ir-Sn species present at the silica surface of the final catalyst. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Efficient Pd@MIL-101(Cr) hetero-catalysts for 2-butyne-1,4-diol hydrogenation exhibiting high selectivity

KAUST Repository

Yin, Dongdong

2017-01-05

Pd@MIL-101(Cr) hetero-catalysts have been successfully prepared using the metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) approach, by choosing [Pd(η-CH)(η-CH)] as a volatile precursor, and the hydrothermally stable metal-organic framework, MIL-101(Cr) as a support. The prepared Pd@MIL-101(Cr) hetero-catalysts characterized with various analytical techniques, exhibited highly monodispersed immobilized Pd nanoparticles in the MIL-101(Cr) cavities, while retaining the pristine crystallinity and porosity. The intact hybrid Pd@MIL-101(Cr) has been demonstrated to be an efficient catalyst for 2-butyne-1,4-diol hydrogenation with excellent activity, stability and selectivity (2-butene-1,4-diol (>94%)).

Rocket Science at the Nanoscale.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jinxing; Rozen, Isaac; Wang, Joseph

2016-06-28

Autonomous propulsion at the nanoscale represents one of the most challenging and demanding goals in nanotechnology. Over the past decade, numerous important advances in nanotechnology and material science have contributed to the creation of powerful self-propelled micro/nanomotors. In particular, micro- and nanoscale rockets (MNRs) offer impressive capabilities, including remarkable speeds, large cargo-towing forces, precise motion controls, and dynamic self-assembly, which have paved the way for designing multifunctional and intelligent nanoscale machines. These multipurpose nanoscale shuttles can propel and function in complex real-life media, actively transporting and releasing therapeutic payloads and remediation agents for diverse biomedical and environmental applications. This review discusses the challenges of designing efficient MNRs and presents an overview of their propulsion behavior, fabrication methods, potential rocket fuels, navigation strategies, practical applications, and the future prospects of rocket science and technology at the nanoscale.

Homogeneous and Supported Niobium Catalysts as Lewis Acid and Radical Catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wayne Tikkanen

2006-12-31

The synthesis of tetrachlorotetraphenylcyclopentadienyl group 5 metal complexes has been accomplished through two routes, one a salt metathesis with lithiumtetraphenylcyclopentadiende and the other, reaction with trimethyltintetraphenylcyclopentadiene. The reactants and products have been characterized by {sup 1}H and {sup 13}C({sup 1}H) NMR spectroscopy. The niobium complex promotes the silylcyanation of butyraldehyde. The grafting of metal complexes to silica gel surfaces has been accomplished using tetrakisdimethylamidozirconium as the metal precursor. The most homogeneous binding as determined by CP-MAS {sup 13}C NMR and infrared spectroscopy was obtained with drying at 500 C at 3 mtorr vacuum. The remaining amido groups can be replaced by reaction with alcohols to generate surface bound metal alkoxides. These bound catalysts promote silylcyanation of aryl aldehydes and can be reused three times with no loss of activity.

Efficient Pd@MIL-101(Cr) hetero-catalysts for 2-butyne-1,4-diol hydrogenation exhibiting high selectivity

KAUST Repository

Yin, Dongdong; Li, Chuang; Ren, Hangxing; Shekhah, Osama; Liu, Jinxuan; Liang, Changhai

2017-01-01

Pd@MIL-101(Cr) hetero-catalysts have been successfully prepared using the metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) approach, by choosing [Pd(η-CH)(η-CH)] as a volatile precursor, and the hydrothermally stable metal-organic framework, MIL-101

Effect of different precursors in the chemical synthesis of ZnO nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gusatti, M.; Barroso, G.S.; Souza, D.A.R.; Rosario, J.A.; Lima, R.B.; Silva, L.A.; Riella, H.G.; Kuhnen, N.C.; Campos, C.E.M.

2010-01-01

This work aims to evaluate the effect of ZnCl 2 and Zn(NO 3 ) 2 .6H 2 O precursors in the synthesis of ZnO nanocrystals. The materials were obtained at a temperature of 90 deg C by a simple solochemical route. The resulting samples were characterized with respect to the determination of the formed phases, particle size and morphology, using the techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These characterization techniques confirmed that the sample obtained with Zn(NO 3 ) 2. 6H 2 O has hexagonal crystal structure of ZnO and dimensions in the nanoscale. However, the material formed with ZnCl 2 was composed of a mixture of the ZnO phase and another correspondent to the Zn 5 (OH) 8 Cl 2 .H 2 O phase. For both precursors, the predominant morphology of the obtained ZnO nanocrystals is rod- like structure.(author)

Cu–Co–O nano-catalysts as a burn rate modifier for composite solid propellants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Chaitanya Kumar Rao

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Nano-catalysts containing copper–cobalt oxides (Cu–Co–O have been synthesized by the citric acid (CA complexing method. Copper (II nitrate and Cobalt (II nitrate were employed in different molar ratios as the starting reactants to prepare three types of nano-catalysts. Well crystalline nano-catalysts were produced after a period of 3 hours by the calcination of CA–Cu–Co–O precursors at 550 °C. The phase morphologies and crystal composition of synthesized nano-catalysts were examined using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR methods. The particle size of nano-catalysts was observed in the range of 90 nm–200 nm. The prepared nano-catalysts were used to formulate propellant samples of various compositions which showed high reactivity toward the combustion of HTPB/AP-based composite solid propellants. The catalytic effects on the decomposition of propellant samples were found to be significant at higher temperatures. The combustion characteristics of composite solid propellants were significantly improved by the incorporation of nano-catalysts. Out of the three catalysts studied in the present work, CuCo-I was found to be the better catalyst in regard to thermal decomposition and burning nature of composite solid propellants. The improved performance of composite solid propellant can be attributed to the high crystallinity, low agglomeration and lowering the decomposition temperature of oxidizer by the addition of CuCo-I nano-catalyst.

High activity PtRu/C catalysts synthesized by a modified impregnation method for methanol electro-oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Liang; Liu Changpeng; Liao Jianhui; Lu Tianhong; Xing Wei; Zhang Jiujun

2009-01-01

A modified impregnation method was used to prepare highly dispersive carbon-supported PtRu catalyst (PtRu/C). Two modifications to the conventional impregnation method were performed: one was to precipitate the precursors ((NH 4 ) 2 PtCl 6 and Ru(OH) 3 ) on the carbon support before metal reduction; the other was to add a buffer into the synthetic solution to stabilize the pH. The prepared catalyst showed a much higher activity for methanol electro-oxidation than a catalyst prepared by the conventional impregnation method, even higher than that of current commercially available, state-of-the-art catalysts. The morphology of the prepared catalyst was characterized using TEM and XRD measurements to determine particle sizes, alloying degree, and lattice parameters. Electrochemical methods were also used to ascertain the electrochemical active surface area and the specific activity of the catalyst. Based on XPS measurements, the high activity of this catalyst was found to originate from both metallic Ru (Ru 0 ) and hydrous ruthenium oxides (RuO x H y ) species on the catalyst surface. However, RuO x H y was found to be more active than metallic Ru. In addition, the anhydrous ruthenium oxide (RuO 2 ) species on the catalyst surface was found to be less active.

CATALYTIC PERFORMANCES OF Fe2O3/TS-1 CATALYST IN PHENOL HYDROXYLATION REACTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Didik Prasetyoko

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Hydroxylation reaction of phenol into diphenol, such as hydroquinone and catechol, has a great role in many industrial applications. Phenol hydroxylation reaction can be carried out using Titanium Silicalite-1 (TS-1 as catalyst and H2O2 as an oxidant. TS-1 catalyst shows high activity and selectivity for phenol hydroxylation reaction. However, its hydrophobic sites lead to slow H2O2 adsorption toward the active site of TS-1. Consequently, the reaction rate of phenol hydroxylation reaction is tends to be low. Addition of metal oxide Fe2O3 enhanced hydrophilicity of TS-1 catalyst. Liquid phase catalytic phenol hydroxylation using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant was carried out over iron (III oxide-modified TS-1 catalyst (Fe2O3/TS-1, that were prepared by impregnation method using iron (III nitrate as precursor and characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption, pyridine adsorption, and hydrophilicity techniques. Catalysts 1Fe2O3/TS-1 showed maximum catalytic activity of hydroquinone product. In this research, the increase of hydroquinone formation rate is due to the higher hydrophilicity of Fe2O3/TS-1 catalysts compare to the parent catalyst, TS-1.   Keywords: Fe2O3/TS-1, hydrophilic site, phenol hydroxylation

Cross-Aldol condensation of isobutyraldehyde and formaldehyde using phase transfer catalyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azhar Hashmi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The hydroxypivaldehyde (HPA precursor intermediate for the synthesis of neopentyl glycol (NPG is prepared by novel cross Aldol condensation of isobutyraldehyde and formaldehyde at 20 °C using benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide, a basic phase transfer catalyst. A feed mole ratio of 1.1:1.0:0.04 (isobutyraldehyde:formaldehyde:benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide afforded hydroxypivaldehyde as white solid in almost quantitative yield with ∼100% selectivity.

Cross-Aldol condensation of isobutyraldehyde and formaldehyde using phase transfer catalyst

OpenAIRE

Azhar Hashmi

2016-01-01

The hydroxypivaldehyde (HPA) precursor intermediate for the synthesis of neopentyl glycol (NPG) is prepared by novel cross Aldol condensation of isobutyraldehyde and formaldehyde at 20 °C using benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide, a basic phase transfer catalyst. A feed mole ratio of 1.1:1.0:0.04 (isobutyraldehyde:formaldehyde:benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide) afforded hydroxypivaldehyde as white solid in almost quantitative yield with ∼100% selectivity.

Fischer-Tropsch Performance of an SiO2-Supported Co-Based Catalyst Prepared by Hydrogen Dielectric-Barrier Discharge Plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu Tingjun; Huang Chengdu; Lv Jing; Li Zhenhua

2014-01-01

A silica-supported cobalt catalyst was prepared by hydrogen dielectric-barrier discharge (H 2 -DBD) plasma. Compared to thermal hydrogen reduction, H 2 -DBD plasma treatment can not only fully decompose the cobalt precursor but also partially reduce the cobalt oxides at lower temperature and with less time. The effect of the discharge atmosphere on the property of the plasma-prepared catalyst and the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis activity was studied. The results indicate that H 2 -DBD plasma treatment is a promising alternative for preparing Co/SiO 2 catalysts from the viewpoint of energy savings and efficiency

The challenges of treating high strength wastewaters: CWAO using MWNT supported ruthenium catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

GarcIa, J.; Gomes, H.T.; Figueiredo, J.L.; Faria, J.L.; Garcia, J.; Serp, P.; Kalck, P.

2005-01-01

High strength wastewaters containing aromatic compounds are normally not efficiently treated by conventional methods, including the common biological treatment. In these cases a more sophisticated approach is necessary to attain the desired levels of purification. Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) using carbon based catalysts is employed worldwide as effective pre-treatment of effluents with these characteristics. Carbon materials are preferred as active catalysts or support for preparing them due to their morphological and structural characteristics. In the last 10 years, due to a tremendous development in materials production and processing, carbon nano-structures are becoming more accessible and common widening their range of applications [1]. In this context, the scope of the present work is to illustrate a potential use of multi-walled carbon nano-tubes (MWNT) supported ruthenium catalysts for catalytic wet air oxidation of aniline polluted wastewaters. The metal was supported by incipient wetness and excess impregnation, starting from liquid solutions of three different Ru precursors. Impregnation was carried out on modified MWNT, namely on MWNT-COOH (HNO 3 modified) and MWNT-COONa (HNO 3 /Na 2 CO 3 modified). For the 1% weight Ru/MWNT catalysts, the order of activities decreased in the sequence Ru(COD)(COT)≥RuCl 3 ≥Ru(C 5 H 5 ) 2 . The conversion of aniline after 45 min of reaction was 100% for the catalyst prepared with Ru(COD)(COT). The influence of the Ru precursor, preparation method and the support surface modification was studied comparing the conversion of aniline obtained for the different prepared Ru/MWNT catalysts (Figure 1). MWNT as support material, provide a significant metal dispersion with very small Ru nanoparticles (Figure 2) being observed. This will induce an efficient surface contact between the aniline molecule and the active sites [2]. The excellent catalytic performances of Ru/MWNT are explained in terms of the high dispersion of

Synthesis and Mechanism of Tetracalcium Phosphate from Nanocrystalline Precursor

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Jianguo Liao

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP, Ca4(PO42O was prepared by the calcination of coprecipitated mixture of nanoscale hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca10(PO46(OH2 and calcium carbonate crystal (CaCO3, followed by cooling in the air or furnace. The effect of calcination temperature on crystal structure and phase composition of the coprecipitation mixture was characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM, thermal analysis-thermogravimetry (DTA-TG, X-ray diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, and Raman spectroscopy (RS. The obtained results indicated that the synthesized mixture consisted of nanoscale HA and CaCO3 with uniform distribution throughout the composite. TTCP was observed in the air quenching samples when the calcination temperature was above 1185°C. With the increase of the calcination temperature, the amount of the intermediate products in the air quenching samples decreased and cannot be detected when calcination temperature reached 1450°C. Unexpectedly, the mixture of HA and calcium oxide was observed in the furnace cooling samples. Clearly, the calcination temperature and cooling methods are critical for the synthesis of high-purity TTCP. The results indicate that the nanosize of precursors can decrease the calcination temperature, and TTCP can be calcinated by low temperature.

Development of CuxFe/Al2O3 catalysts for the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide guided by magnetic methods, Moessbauer and infrared spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boellaard, E.; Geus, J.W.; Bruggen, J.M. van; Kraan, A.M. van der

1993-01-01

A copper-iron catalyst for the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide has been prepared using a supported stoichiometric cyanide complex. Conversion of the cyanide precursor to a metallic catalyst appeared to be a precious process. Copper and iron in the bimetallic particles easily separate by thermal treatment and upon exposure to carbon monoxide, as revealed from Moessbauer and infrared spectroscopy. During Fischer-Tropsch reaction the catalyst exhibits a rapid decline of activity. Magnetisation measurements on spent catalysts indicate that the deactivation is caused by a fast conversion of metallic iron to initially unstable carbides which transform ultimately to more stable carbides. (orig.)

Nanoscale Ionic Liquids

Science.gov (United States)

2006-11-01

Technical Report 11 December 2005 - 30 November 2006 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Nanoscale Ionic Liquids 5b. GRANT NUMBER FA9550-06-1-0012...Title: Nanoscale Ionic Liquids Principal Investigator: Emmanuel P. Giannelis Address: Materials Science and Engineering, Bard Hall, Cornell University...based fluids exhibit high ionic conductivity. The NFs are typically synthesized by grafting a charged, oligomeric corona onto the nanoparticle cores

Nickel oxide and carbon nanotube composite (NiO/CNT) as a novel cathode non-precious metal catalyst in microbial fuel cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jianjian; Zhu, Nengwu; Yang, Tingting; Zhang, Taiping; Wu, Pingxiao; Dang, Zhi

2015-10-15

Comparing with the precious metal catalysts, non-precious metal catalysts were preferred to use in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) due to the low cost and high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) efficiency. In this study, the transmission electron microscope and X-ray diffraction as well as Raman investigation revealed that the prepared nanoscale NiO was attached on the surface of CNT. Cyclic voltammogram and rotating ring-disk electrode tests showed that the NiO/CNT composite catalyst had an apparent oxygen reduction peak and 3.5 electron transfer pathway was acquired under oxygen atmosphere. The catalyst performance was highly dependent on the percentage of NiO in the CNT nanocomposites. When 77% NiO/CNT nano-sized composite was applied as cathode catalyst in membrane free single-chamber air cathode MFC, a maximum power density of 670 mW/m(2) and 0.772 V of OCV was obtained. Moreover, the MFC with pure NiO (control) could not achieve more than 0.1 V. All findings suggested that NiO/CNT could be a potential cathode catalyst for ORR in MFCs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Iron Fischer-Tropsch Catalysts Prepared by Solvent-Deficient Precipitation (SDP: Effects of Washing, Promoter Addition Step, and Drying Temperature

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Kyle M. Brunner

2015-07-01

Full Text Available A novel, solvent-deficient precipitation (SDP method for catalyst preparation in general and for preparation of iron FT catalysts in particular is reported. Eight catalysts using a 23 factorial design of experiments to identify the key preparation variables were prepared. The catalysts were characterized by electron microprobe, N2 adsorption, TEM, XRD, and ICP. Results show that the morphology of the catalysts, i.e., surface area, pore volume, pore size distribution, crystallite sizes, and promoter distribution are significantly influenced by (1 whether or not the precursor catalyst is washed, (2 the promoter addition step, and (3 the drying condition (temperature. Consequently, the activity, selectivity, and stability of the catalysts determined from fixed-bed testing are also affected by these three variables. Unwashed catalysts prepared by a one-step method and dried at 100 °C produced the most active catalysts for FT synthesis. The catalysts of this study prepared by SDP compared favorably in activity, productivity, and stability with Fe FT catalysts reported in the literature. It is believed that this facile SDP approach has promise for development of future FT catalysts, and also offers a potential alternate route for the preparation of other catalysts for various other applications.

Facile Synthesis of Highly Aligned Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes from Polymer Precursors

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Catherine Y. Han

2009-01-01

Full Text Available We report a facile one-step approach which involves no flammable gas, no catalyst, and no in situ polymerization for the preparation of well-aligned carbon nanotube array. A polymer precursor is placed on top of an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO membrane containing regular nanopore arrays, and slow heating under Ar flow allows the molten polymer to wet the template through adhesive force. The polymer spread into the nanopores of the template to form polymer nanotubes. Upon carbonization the resulting multi-walled carbon nanotubes duplicate the nanopores morphology precisely. The process is demonstrated for 230, 50, and 20 nm pore membranes. The synthesized carbon nanotubes are characterized with scanning/transmission electron microscopies, Raman spectroscopy, and resistive measurements. Convenient functionalization of the nanotubes with this method is demonstrated through premixing CoPt nanoparticles in the polymer precursors.

Facile synthesis of highly aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes from polymer precursors.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, C. Y.; Xiao, Z.-L.; Wang, H. H.; Lin, X.-M.; Trasobares, S.; Cook, R. E.; Richard J. Daley Coll.; Northern Illinois Univ.; Univ. de Cadiz

2009-01-01

We report a facile one-step approach which involves no flammable gas, no catalyst, and no in situ polymerization for the preparation of well-aligned carbon nanotube array. A polymer precursor is placed on top of an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane containing regular nanopore arrays, and slow heating under Ar flow allows the molten polymer to wet the template through adhesive force. The polymer spread into the nanopores of the template to form polymer nanotubes. Upon carbonization the resulting multi-walled carbon nanotubes duplicate the nanopores morphology precisely. The process is demonstrated for 230, 50, and 20 nm pore membranes. The synthesized carbon nanotubes are characterized with scanning/transmission electron microscopies, Raman spectroscopy, and resistive measurements. Convenient functionalization of the nanotubes with this method is demonstrated through premixing CoPt nanoparticles in the polymer precursors.

Deuterium absorption in Mg{sub 70}Al{sub 30} thin films with bilayer catalysts: A comparative neutron reflectometry study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poirier, Eric [National Research Council Canada/Canadian Neutron Beam Centre, Bldg. 459, Chalk River Laboratories, Chalk River, ON, K0J 1J0 (Canada); Harrower, Chris T.; Kalisvaart, Peter [Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta and National Research Council Canada/National Institute for Nanotechnology, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M9 (Canada); Bird, Adam [National Research Council Canada/Canadian Neutron Beam Centre, Bldg. 459, Chalk River Laboratories, Chalk River, ON, K0J 1J0 (Canada); Teichert, Anke [Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Instituut voor Kern-en Stralingsfysica and INPAC, K.U. Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Laboratorium voor Vaste-Stoffysica en Magnetisme and INPAC, K.U. Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Wallacher, Dirk; Grimm, Nico; Steitz, Roland [Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Mitlin, David [Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta and National Research Council Canada/National Institute for Nanotechnology, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M9 (Canada); Fritzsche, Helmut, E-mail: Helmut.Fritzsche@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca [National Research Council Canada/Canadian Neutron Beam Centre, Bldg. 459, Chalk River Laboratories, Chalk River, ON, K0J 1J0 (Canada)

2011-05-05

Highlights: > Mg{sub 70}Al{sub 30} thin films studied for hydrogen absorption using in situ neutron reflectometry. > Films with Ta/Pd, Ti/Pd and Ni/Pd bilayer catalysts systematically compared. > Measurements reveals deuterium spillover from the catalysts to the MgAl phase. > The use of Ti-Pd bilayer offers best results in terms of amount absorbed and kinetics. > Key results cross-checked with X-ray reflectometry. - Abstract: We present a neutron reflectometry study of deuterium absorption in thin films of Al-containing Mg alloys capped with a Ta/Pd, Ni/Pd and Ti/Pd-catalyst bilayer. The measurements were performed at room temperature over the 0-1 bar pressure range under quasi-equilibrium conditions. The modeling of the measurements provided a nanoscale representation of the deuterium profile in the layers at different stages of the absorption process. The absorption mechanism observed was found to involve spillover of atomic deuterium from the catalyst layer to the Mg alloy phase, followed by the deuteration of the Mg alloy. Complete deuteration of the Mg alloy occurs in a pressure range between 100 and 500 mbar, dependent on the type of bilayer catalyst. The use of a Ti/Pd bilayer catalyst yielded the best results in terms of both storage density and kinetic properties.

Effect of Gas Flowrate on Nucleation Mechanism of MWCNTs for a Compound Catalyst

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S. Shukrullah

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Activation of the catalyst particles during a CVD process can be anticipated from the carbon feeding rate. In this study, Fe2O3/Al2O3 catalyst was synthesized with uniformly dispersed iron over alumina support for onward production of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs in a fluidized bed chemical CVD reactor. The effect of the ethylene flowrate on catalytic activity of the compound catalyst and morphology of the as-grown MWCNTs was also investigated in this study. The dispersed active phases of the catalyst and optimized gas flowrate helped in improving the tube morphology and prevented the aggregation of the as-grown MWCNTs. The flowrates, below 100 sccm, did not provide sufficient reactants to interact with the catalyst for production of defect-free CNT structures. Above 100 sccm, concentration of the carbon precursor did not show notable influence on decomposition rate of the gas molecules. The most promising results on growth and structural properties of MWCNTs were gained at ethylene flowrate of 100 sccm. At this flowrate, the ratio of G and D intensity peaks (IG/ID was deliberated about 1.40, which indicates the growth of graphitic structures of MWCNTs.

Friction laws at the nanoscale.

Science.gov (United States)

Mo, Yifei; Turner, Kevin T; Szlufarska, Izabela

2009-02-26

Macroscopic laws of friction do not generally apply to nanoscale contacts. Although continuum mechanics models have been predicted to break down at the nanoscale, they continue to be applied for lack of a better theory. An understanding of how friction force depends on applied load and contact area at these scales is essential for the design of miniaturized devices with optimal mechanical performance. Here we use large-scale molecular dynamics simulations with realistic force fields to establish friction laws in dry nanoscale contacts. We show that friction force depends linearly on the number of atoms that chemically interact across the contact. By defining the contact area as being proportional to this number of interacting atoms, we show that the macroscopically observed linear relationship between friction force and contact area can be extended to the nanoscale. Our model predicts that as the adhesion between the contacting surfaces is reduced, a transition takes place from nonlinear to linear dependence of friction force on load. This transition is consistent with the results of several nanoscale friction experiments. We demonstrate that the breakdown of continuum mechanics can be understood as a result of the rough (multi-asperity) nature of the contact, and show that roughness theories of friction can be applied at the nanoscale.

Rational design of Mg-Al mixed oxide-supported bimetallic catalysts for dry reforming of methane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsyganok, Andrey I. [Centre for Catalysis Research and Innovation, Department of Chemistry, University of Ottawa, D' Iorio Hall, 10 Marie Curie Street, Ottawa, Ont. (Canada); Inaba, Mieko [Natural Gas Technology Development Team, Teikoku Oil Co., 9-23-30 Kitakarasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-0061 (Japan); Tsunoda, Tatsuo; Uchida, Kunio; Suzuki, Kunio; Hayakawa, Takashi [Institute for Materials and Chemical Process, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 5, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8565 (Japan); Takehira, Katsuomi [Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8527 (Japan)

2005-09-18

A novel synthetic strategy for preparing bimetallic Ru-M (M=Cr, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) catalysts, supported on Mg-Al mixed oxide, has been introduced. It was based on a 'memory effect', i.e. on the ability of Mg-Al mixed oxide to reconstruct a layered structure upon rehydration with an aqueous solution. By repeated calcinations-rehydration cycles, layered double hydroxide (LDH) precursors of catalysts containing two different metals were synthesized. Bimetallic catalysts were then generated (1) in situ from LDH under methane reforming reaction conditions and (2) from mixed metal oxides obtained by preliminary LDH calcination. Among all the LDH-derived catalysts, a Ru{sup 0.1%}-Ni{sup 5.0%}/MgAlO{sub x} sample revealed the highest activity and selectivity to syngas, a suitable durability and a low coking capacity. A promoting effect of ruthenium on catalytic function of supported nickel was demonstrated. Preliminary LDH calcination was shown to markedly affect the catalytic activity of the derived catalysts and especially their coking properties.

Multi-Directional Growth of Aligned Carbon Nanotubes Over Catalyst Film Prepared by Atomic Layer Deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhou Kai

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The structure of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs severely depends on the properties of pre-prepared catalyst films. Aiming for the preparation of precisely controlled catalyst film, atomic layer deposition (ALD was employed to deposit uniform Fe2O3 film for the growth of CNT arrays on planar substrate surfaces as well as the curved ones. Iron acetylacetonate and ozone were introduced into the reactor alternately as precursors to realize the formation of catalyst films. By varying the deposition cycles, uniform and smooth Fe2O3 catalyst films with different thicknesses were obtained on Si/SiO2 substrate, which supported the growth of highly oriented few-walled CNT arrays. Utilizing the advantage of ALD process in coating non-planar surfaces, uniform catalyst films can also be successfully deposited onto quartz fibers. Aligned few-walled CNTs can be grafted on the quartz fibers, and they self-organized into a leaf-shaped structure due to the curved surface morphology. The growth of aligned CNTs on non-planar surfaces holds promise in constructing hierarchical CNT architectures in future.

A Novel Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles Supported on Hybrid Polymer/Metal Oxide as Catalysts for p-Chloronitrobenzene Hydrogenation

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Cristian H. Campos

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This contribution reports a novel preparation of gold nanoparticles on polymer/metal oxide hybrid materials (Au/P[VBTACl]-M metal: Al, Ti or Zr and their use as heterogeneous catalysts in liquid phase hydrogenation of p-chloronitrobenzene. The support was prepared by in situ radical polymerization/sol gel process of (4-vinyl-benzyltrimethylammonium chloride and 3-(trimethoxysilylpropyl methacrylate in conjunction with metal-alkoxides as metal oxide precursors. The supported catalyst was prepared by an ion exchange process using chloroauric acid (HAuCl4 as gold precursor. The support provided the appropriate environment to induce the spontaneous reduction and deposition of gold nanoparticles. The hybrid material was characterized. TEM and DRUV-vis results indicated that the gold forms spherical metallic nanoparticles and that their mean diameter increases in the sequence, Au/P[VBTACl]-Zr > Au/P[VBTACl]-Al > Au/P[VBTACl]-Ti. The reactivity of the Au catalysts toward the p-CNB hydrogenation reaction is attributed to the different particle size distributions of gold nanoparticles in the hybrid supports. The kinetic pseudo-first-order constant values for the catalysts in the hydrogenation reaction increases in the order, Au/P[VBTACl]-Al > Au/P[VBTACl]-Zr > Au/P[VBTACl]-Ti. The selectivity for all the catalytic systems was greater than 99% toward the chloroaniline target product. Finally the catalyst supported on the hybrid with Al as metal oxide could be reused at least four times without loss in activity or selectivity for the hydrogenation of p-CNB in ethanol as solvent.

Templating Routes to Supported Oxide Catalysts by Design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Notestein, Justin M. [Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)

2016-09-08

The rational design and understanding of supported oxide catalysts requires at least three advancements, in order of increasing complexity: the ability to quantify the number and nature of active sites in a catalytic material, the ability to place external controls on the number and structure of these active sites, and the ability to assemble these active sites so as to carry out more complex functions in tandem. As part of an individual investigator research program that is integrated with the Northwestern University Institute for Catalysis in Energy Processes (ICEP) as of 2015, significant advances were achieved in these three areas. First, phosphonic acids were utilized in the quantitative assessment of the number of active and geometrically-available sites in MO_x-SiO₂ catalysts, including nanocrystalline composites, co-condensed materials, and grafted structures, for M=Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, and Ta. That work built off progress in understanding supported Fe, Cu, and Co oxide catalysts from chelating and/or multinuclear precursors to maximize surface reactivity. Secondly, significant progress was made in the new area of using thin oxide overcoats containing ‘nanocavities’ from organic templates as a method to control the dispersion and thermal stability of subsequently deposited metal nanoparticles or other catalytic domains. Similar methods were used to control surface reactivity in SiO₂-Al₂O₃ acid catalysts and to control reactant selectivity in Al₂O₃-TiO₂ photocatalysts. Finally, knowledge gained from the first two areas has been combined to synthesize a tandem catalyst for hydrotreating reactions and an orthogonal tandem catalyst system where two subsequent reactions in a reaction network are independently controlled by light and heat. Overall, work carried out under this project significantly advanced the knowledge of synthesis-structure-function relationships in supported

Structure of alumina supported vanadia catalysts for oxidative dehydrogenation of propane prepared by flame spray pyrolysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høj, Martin; Jensen, Anker Degn; Grunwaldt, Jan-Dierk

2013-01-01

.%. The catalysts were subsequently characterized by BET surface area, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, UV–vis diffuse reflectance and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) as well as measurement of the catalytic performance. The catalysts had specific surface areas from 143 to 169 m2/g corresponding to average......A series of five vanadia on alumina catalysts for oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propene were synthesized by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) using vanadium(III)acetylacetonate and aluminium(III)acetylacetonate dissolved in toluene as precursors. The vanadium loading was 2, 3, 5, 7.5 and 10wt...... X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy showed that the vanadia can be reduced when operating at low oxygen concentrations. The catalyst performance was determined in fixed bed reactors with an inlet gas composition of C3H8/O2/N2=5/25/70. The main products were propene, CO and CO2...

Hydrophobic catalyst applications in the nuclear field and in environmental studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ionita, Gheorghe; Popescu, Irina; Stefanescu, Ioan; Varlam, Carmen

2002-01-01

The paper presents methods of preparation and applications of hydrophobic platinum catalysts in nuclear field and environmental protection. These catalysts allow the transport of gaseous reactants and reaction products to and from catalytic active centers since the pore blocking by water is avoided. Hence the activity and stability of the catalysts increase and isotopic exchange columns with simpler internal structure can be achieved. The aim of the paper is: 1. to give a data base regarding the preparation methods of the optimal catalyst type; 2. to indicate the utilization and operation procedures of hydrophobic catalysts with mixed and simple packings; 3. to evaluate the performances and applications of hydrophobic catalysts. Over one hundred of hydrophobic catalysts of the active metal/support type were prepared in our laboratory. Hydrophobic features were obtained by different methods like these: - coating a hydrophilic conventional catalyst with a hydrophobic agent such as silicone or teflon; - supporting the active metal directly into the pores of a hydrophobic support; - mixing the teflon powder with a hydrophilic conventional catalyst; coating the support with teflon followed by the impregnation with the precursor of the active metal. The most important application of these catalysts is detritiation of the heavy water used as moderator and coolant in CANDU type reactors. Build-up of tritium in heavy water following the neutron capture by deuterium leads to a reduction in the moderating properties and at the same time leads to a contamination hazard for both operation personnel and environment. Tritium recovery leads this way to both improving the moderating qualities of the heavy water and obtaining valuable pure tritium of high importance in fusion research and other laboratory studies. One gram of tritium costs about USD 10,000. The physical chemical process is water-hydrogen catalyzed isotopic exchange. Also discussed in the paper is the separation of

"Nanorust"-catalyzed benign oxidation of amines for selective synthesis of nitriles.

Science.gov (United States)

Jagadeesh, Rajenahally V; Junge, Henrik; Beller, Matthias

2015-01-01

Organic nitriles constitute key precursors and central intermediates in organic synthesis. In addition, nitriles represent a versatile motif found in numerous medicinally and biologically important compounds. Generally, these nitriles are synthesized by traditional cyanation procedures using toxic cyanides. Herein, we report the selective and environmentally benign oxidative conversion of primary amines for the synthesis of structurally diverse aromatic, aliphatic and heterocyclic nitriles using a reusable "nanorust" (nanoscale Fe2 O3 )-based catalysts applying molecular oxygen. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Solar-Driven Hydrogen Peroxide Production Using Polymer-Supported Carbon Dots as Heterogeneous Catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Gogoi, Satyabrat; Karak, Niranjan

2017-10-01

Safe, sustainable, and green production of hydrogen peroxide is an exciting proposition due to the role of hydrogen peroxide as a green oxidant and energy carrier for fuel cells. The current work reports the development of carbon dot-impregnated waterborne hyperbranched polyurethane as a heterogeneous photo-catalyst for solar-driven production of hydrogen peroxide. The results reveal that the carbon dots possess a suitable band-gap of 2.98 eV, which facilitates effective splitting of both water and ethanol under solar irradiation. Inclusion of the carbon dots within the eco-friendly polymeric material ensures their catalytic activity and also provides a facile route for easy catalyst separation, especially from a solubilizing medium. The overall process was performed in accordance with the principles of green chemistry using bio-based precursors and aqueous medium. This work highlights the potential of carbon dots as an effective photo-catalyst.

Precursor type affecting surface properties and catalytic activity of sulfated zirconia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zarubica Aleksandra R.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Zirconium-hydroxide precursor samples are synthesized from Zr-hydroxide, Zr-nitrate, and Zr-alkoxide, by precipitation/impregnation, as well as by a modified sol-gel method. Precursor samples are further sulphated for the intended SO4 2- content of 4 wt.%, and calcined at 500-700oC. Differences in precursors’ origin and calcination temperature induce the incorporation of SO4 2- groups into ZrO2 matrices by various mechanisms. As a result, different amounts of residual sulphates are coupled with other structural, as well as surface properties, resulting in various catalytic activities of sulphated zirconia samples. Catalyst activity and selectivity are a complex synergistic function of tetragonal phase fraction, sulphates contents, textural and surface characteristics. Superior activity of SZ of alkoxide origin can be explained by a beneficial effect of meso-pores owing to a better accommodation of coke deposits.

Preparation and application of zirconium sulfate supported on SAPO-34 molecular sieve as solid acid catalyst for esterification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Dongyan, E-mail: xdy0156@sina.com; Ma, Hong; Cheng, Fei

2014-05-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • SAPO-34 supported zirconium sulfate solid acid catalyst was prepared. • Esterification of acetic acid with ethanol can be catalyzed by ZS/SAPO-34. • The hydration of ZS is vital to the acidic property and catalytic performance. • The ZS/SAPO-34 catalyst treated at 200 °C shows good reusability. - Abstract: Zirconium sulfate (ZS) was supported on SAPO-34 molecular sieve by using an incipient wetness impregnation method with zirconium sulfate as the precursor. The as-prepared catalysts were used as solid acid catalyst for esterification reaction of acetic acid with ethanol. The influence of calcination temperature on the acidic property, catalytic activity, and reusability of ZS/SAPO-34 catalysts were mainly investigated. FT-IR, SEM, EDS and TG analysis have been carried out to demonstrate the characteristics of ZS/SAPO-34 catalysts. It was found that the 30 wt%ZS/SAPO-34 catalysts display the property of superacid irrespective of calcination temperature. The ZS/SAPO-34 catalyst treated at 200 °C can enhance the interaction between the supported ZS and SAPO-34 and keep the catalyst remaining substantially active after several reaction cycles. However, further increasing calcination temperature will cause the transfer of ZS from hydrate to anhydrous phase, and thus the decrease of activity.

Preparation and application of zirconium sulfate supported on SAPO-34 molecular sieve as solid acid catalyst for esterification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Dongyan; Ma, Hong; Cheng, Fei

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • SAPO-34 supported zirconium sulfate solid acid catalyst was prepared. • Esterification of acetic acid with ethanol can be catalyzed by ZS/SAPO-34. • The hydration of ZS is vital to the acidic property and catalytic performance. • The ZS/SAPO-34 catalyst treated at 200 °C shows good reusability. - Abstract: Zirconium sulfate (ZS) was supported on SAPO-34 molecular sieve by using an incipient wetness impregnation method with zirconium sulfate as the precursor. The as-prepared catalysts were used as solid acid catalyst for esterification reaction of acetic acid with ethanol. The influence of calcination temperature on the acidic property, catalytic activity, and reusability of ZS/SAPO-34 catalysts were mainly investigated. FT-IR, SEM, EDS and TG analysis have been carried out to demonstrate the characteristics of ZS/SAPO-34 catalysts. It was found that the 30 wt%ZS/SAPO-34 catalysts display the property of superacid irrespective of calcination temperature. The ZS/SAPO-34 catalyst treated at 200 °C can enhance the interaction between the supported ZS and SAPO-34 and keep the catalyst remaining substantially active after several reaction cycles. However, further increasing calcination temperature will cause the transfer of ZS from hydrate to anhydrous phase, and thus the decrease of activity

Characterization of a surface modified carbon cryogel and a carbon supported Pt catalyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BILJANA M. BABIĆ

2007-08-01

Full Text Available A carbon cryogel, synthesized by carbonization of a resorcinol/formaldehyde cryogel and oxidized in nitric acid, was used as catalyst support for Pt nano-particles. The Pt/C catalyst was prepared by a modified polyol synthesis method in an ethylene glycol (EG solution. Characterization by nitrogen adsorption showed that the carbon cryogel support and the Pt/C catalyst were mesoporous materials with high specific surface areas (SBET > 400 m2 g-1 and large mesoporous volumes. X-Ray diffraction of the catalyst demonstrated the successful reduction of the Pt precursor to metallic form. TEM Images of the Pt/C catalyst and Pt particle size distribution showed that the mean Pt particle size was about 3.3 nm. Cyclic voltammetry (CV experiments at various scan rates (from 2 to 200 mV s-1 were performed in 0.5 mol dm-3 HClO4 solution. The large capacitance of the oxidized carbon cryogel electrode, which arises from a combination of the double-layer capacitance and pseudocapacitance, associated with the participation of surface redox-type reactions was demonstrated. For the oxidized carbon cryogel, the total specific capacitance determined by 1/C vs. ν0.5 extrapolation method was found to be 386 F g-1. The hydrogen oxidation reaction at the investigated Pt/C catalyst proceeded as an electrochemically reversible, two-electron direct discharge reaction.

Ni-SiO2 Catalysts for the Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane: Varying Support Properties by Flame Spray Pyrolysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emma C. Lovell

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Silica particles were prepared by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP as a support for nickel catalysts. The impact of precursor feed rate (3, 5 and 7 mL/min during FSP on the silica characteristics and the ensuing effect on catalytic performance for the carbon dioxide, or dry, reforming of methane (DRM was probed. Increasing the precursor feed rate: (i progressively lowered the silica surface area from ≈340 m2/g to ≈240 m2/g; (ii altered the silanol groups on the silica surface; and (iii introduced residual carbon-based surface species to the sample at the highest feed rate. The variations in silica properties altered the (5 wt % nickel deposit characteristics which in turn impacted on the DRM reaction. As the silica surface area increased, the nickel dispersion increased which improved catalyst performance. The residual carbon-based species also appeared to improve nickel dispersion, and in turn catalyst activity, although not to the same extent as the change in silica surface area. The findings illustrate both the importance of silica support characteristics on the catalytic performance of nickel for the DRM reaction and the capacity for using FSP to control these characteristics.

Hydrocracking for oriented conversion of heavy oils. Recent trends for catalyst development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bertoncini, F.; Bonduelle, A.; Simon, L.J. [IFP Energies nouvelles, Lyon Establishment, Solaize (France). Catalysis and separation Division; Raybaud, P.; Dulot, H. [IFP Energies nouvelles, Lyon Establishment, Solaize (France). Process Desing Modeling Division

2011-07-01

As a result of the global economic crisis since the end of 2008, HCK operators have been looking to increase the profitability of the unit by processing heavier feed streams, including sourer VGO. These feeds present the drawbacks of increased H{sub 2} consumption, lower products yields and quality, and reduction in cycle lengths. Along with optimised process parameters, catalysts manufacturers are also investigating novel formulations to deal with challenging feeds. This lecture briefly summarizes the market trends (fuel demand, refinery's product specification) and the driving forces for HCK catalyst development in order to face these new challenges. Finally, this lecture highlights the innovating trends for HCK catalyst's development. Overview of various ideas developed recently in our research laboratory about (i) rational approaches for the atomic scale design of active phases (morphology, preparation, inhibitor effects), (ii) new preparations of transition metal sulphides for maximising the hydrogenating function (precursors, activation,.), (iii) rational approaches of HCK acidic supports for maximizing the selectivity and (iv) better understanding of HCK reactions. These improvements will be discussed in term of improvement of activity and selectivity of HCK catalyst to cope with future market needs. (orig.)

Monolithic Au/CeO2 nanorod framework catalyst prepared by dealloying for low-temperature CO oxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaolong; Duan, Dong; Li, Guijing; Feng, Wenjie; Yang, Sen; Sun, Zhanbo

2018-03-01

Monolithic Au/CeO2 nanorod frameworks (NFs) with porous structure were prepared by dealloying melt-spun Al89.7Ce10Au0.3 ribbons. After calcination in O2, a 3D Au/CeO2 NF catalyst with large surface area was obtained and used for low-temperature CO oxidation. The small Au clusters/nanoparticles (NPs) were in situ supported and highly dispersed on the nanorod surface, creating many nanoscale contact interfaces. XPS results demonstrated that high-concentration oxygen vacancy and Au δ+/Au0 co-existed in the calcined sample. The Au/CeO2 nanorod catalyst calcined at 400 °C exhibited much higher catalytic activity for CO oxidation compared with the dealloyed sample and bare CeO2 nanorods. Moreover, its complete reaction temperature was as low as 91 °C. The designed Au/CeO2 NF catalyst not only possessed extreme sintering resistance but also exhibited high performance owing to the enhanced interaction between the Au clusters/NPs and CeO2 nanorod during calcination.

Fabrication of Single, Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes in 3D Nanoscale Architectures

Science.gov (United States)

Kaul, Anupama B.; Megerian, Krikor G.; Von Allmen, Paul A.; Baron, Richard L.

2010-01-01

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and high-throughput manufacturing techniques for integrating single, aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into novel 3D nanoscale architectures have been developed. First, the PECVD growth technique ensures excellent alignment of the tubes, since the tubes align in the direction of the electric field in the plasma as they are growing. Second, the tubes generated with this technique are all metallic, so their chirality is predetermined, which is important for electronic applications. Third, a wafer-scale manufacturing process was developed that is high-throughput and low-cost, and yet enables the integration of just single, aligned tubes with nanoscale 3D architectures with unprecedented placement accuracy and does not rely on e-beam lithography. Such techniques should lend themselves to the integration of PECVD grown tubes for applications ranging from interconnects, nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), sensors, bioprobes, or other 3D electronic devices. Chemically amplified polyhydroxystyrene-resin-based deep UV resists were used in conjunction with excimer laser-based (lambda = 248 nm) step-and-repeat lithography to form Ni catalyst dots = 300 nm in diameter that nucleated single, vertically aligned tubes with high yield using dc PECVD growth. This is the first time such chemically amplified resists have been used, resulting in the nucleation of single, vertically aligned tubes. In addition, novel 3D nanoscale architectures have been created using topdown techniques that integrate single, vertically aligned tubes. These were enabled by implementing techniques that use deep-UV chemically amplified resists for small-feature-size resolution; optical lithography units that allow unprecedented control over layer-to-layer registration; and ICP (inductively coupled plasma) etching techniques that result in near-vertical, high-aspect-ratio, 3D nanoscale architectures, in conjunction with the use of materials that are

The challenges of treating high strength wastewaters: CWAO using MWNT supported ruthenium catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

GarcIa, J.; Gomes, H.T.; Figueiredo, J.L.; Faria, J.L. [Porto Univ., Lab. de Catalise e Materiais, Dept. de Engenharia Quimica, Faculdade de Engenharia (Portugal); Garcia, J. [Madrid Univ. Complutense, Grupo de Catalisis y Operaciones de Separacion, Dept. de Ingenieria Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias (Spain); Serp, P.; Kalck, P. [Ecole Nationale Superieure des Ingenieurs en Arts Chimiques et Technologiques, Lab. de Catalyse, Chimie Fine et Polymeres, 31 - Toulouse (France)

2005-07-01

High strength wastewaters containing aromatic compounds are normally not efficiently treated by conventional methods, including the common biological treatment. In these cases a more sophisticated approach is necessary to attain the desired levels of purification. Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) using carbon based catalysts is employed worldwide as effective pre-treatment of effluents with these characteristics. Carbon materials are preferred as active catalysts or support for preparing them due to their morphological and structural characteristics. In the last 10 years, due to a tremendous development in materials production and processing, carbon nano-structures are becoming more accessible and common widening their range of applications [1]. In this context, the scope of the present work is to illustrate a potential use of multi-walled carbon nano-tubes (MWNT) supported ruthenium catalysts for catalytic wet air oxidation of aniline polluted wastewaters. The metal was supported by incipient wetness and excess impregnation, starting from liquid solutions of three different Ru precursors. Impregnation was carried out on modified MWNT, namely on MWNT-COOH (HNO{sub 3} modified) and MWNT-COONa (HNO{sub 3}/Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} modified). For the 1% weight Ru/MWNT catalysts, the order of activities decreased in the sequence Ru(COD)(COT){>=}RuCl{sub 3}{>=}Ru(C{sub 5}H{sub 5}){sub 2}. The conversion of aniline after 45 min of reaction was 100% for the catalyst prepared with Ru(COD)(COT). The influence of the Ru precursor, preparation method and the support surface modification was studied comparing the conversion of aniline obtained for the different prepared Ru/MWNT catalysts (Figure 1). MWNT as support material, provide a significant metal dispersion with very small Ru nanoparticles (Figure 2) being observed. This will induce an efficient surface contact between the aniline molecule and the active sites [2]. The excellent catalytic performances of Ru/MWNT are explained

Formation and Yield of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Synthesized via Chemical Vapour Deposition Routes Using Different Metal-Based Catalysts of FeCoNiAl, CoNiAl and FeNiAl-LDH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohd Zobir Hussein

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs were prepared via chemical vapor deposition (CVD using a series of different catalysts, derived from FeCoNiAl, CoNiAl and FeNiAl layered double hydroxides (LDHs. Catalyst-active particles were obtained by calcination of LDHs at 800 °C for 5 h. Nitrogen and hexane were used as the carrier gas and carbon source respectively, for preparation of MWCNTs using CVD methods at 800 °C. MWCNTs were allowed to grow for 30 min on the catalyst spread on an alumina boat in a quartz tube. The materials were subsequently characterized through X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, surface area analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It was determined that size and yield of MWCNTs varied depending on the type of LDH catalyst precursor that is used during synthesis. MWCNTs obtained using CoNiAl-LDH as the catalyst precursor showed smaller diameter and higher yield compared to FeCoNiAl and FeNiAl LDHs.

Highly selective oxidation of styrene to benzaldehyde over a tailor-made cobalt oxide encapsulated zeolite catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jiangyong; Wang, Zihao; Jian, Panming; Jian, Ruiqi

2018-05-01

A tailor-made catalyst with cobalt oxide particles encapsulated into ZSM-5 zeolites (Co 3 O 4 @HZSM-5) was prepared via a hydrothermal method with the conventional impregnated Co 3 O 4 /SiO 2 catalyst as the precursor and Si source. Various characterization results show that the Co 3 O 4 @HZSM-5 catalyst has well-organized structure with Co 3 O 4 particles compatibly encapsulated in the zeolite crystals. The Co 3 O 4 @HZSM-5 catalyst was employed as an efficient catalyst for the selective oxidation of styrene to benzaldehyde with hydrogen peroxide as a green and economic oxidant. The effect of various reaction conditions including reaction time, reaction temperature, different kinds of solvents, styrene/H 2 O 2 molar ratio and catalyst dosage on the catalytic performance were systematically investigated. Under the optimized reaction condition, the yield of benzaldehyde can achieve 78.9% with 96.8% styrene conversion and 81.5% benzaldehyde selectivity. Such an excellent catalytic performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect between the confined reaction environment and the proper acidic property. In addition, the reaction mechanism with Co 3 O 4 @HZSM-5 as the catalyst for the selective oxidation of styrene to benzaldehyde was reasonably proposed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modification by SiO2 of Alumina Support for Light Alkane Dehydrogenation Catalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giyjaz E. Bekmukhamedov

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Due to the continuously rising demand for C3–C5 olefins it is important to improve the performance of catalysts for dehydrogenation of light alkanes. In this work the effect of modification by SiO2 on the properties of the alumina support and the chromia-alumina catalyst was studied. SiO2 was introduced by impregnation of the support with a silica sol. To characterize the supports and the catalysts the following techniques were used: low-temperature nitrogen adsorption; IR-spectroscopy; magic angle spinning 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance; temperature programmed desorption and reduction; UV-Vis-, Raman- and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR-spectroscopy. It was shown that the modifier in amounts of 2.5–7.5 wt % distributed on the support surface in the form of SiOx-islands diminishes the interaction between the alumina support and the chromate ions (precursor of the active component. As a result, polychromates are the compounds predominantly stabilized on the surface of the modified support; under thermal activation of the catalyst and are reduced to the amorphous Cr2O3. This in turn leads to an increase in the activity of the catalyst in the dehydrogenation of isobutane.

Effect of catalyst preparation on the yield of carbon nanotube growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobar, Mariano; Rubiolo, Gerardo; Candal, Roberto; Goyanes, Silvia

2009-01-01

Multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on catalytic iron nanoparticles dispersed in a silica matrix, prepared by sol gel method. In this contribution, variation of gelation condition on catalyst structure and its influence on the yield of carbon nanotubes growth was studied. The precursor utilized were tetraethyl-orthosilicate and iron nitrate. The sols were dried at two different temperatures in air (25 or 80 deg. C) and then treated at 450 deg. C for 10 h. The xerogels were introduced into the chamber and reduced in a hydrogen/nitrogen (10%v/v) atmosphere at 600 deg. C. MWCNTs were formed by deposition of carbon atoms from decomposition of acetylene at 700 deg. C. The system gelled at RT shows a yield of 100% respect to initial catalyst mass whereas the yield of that gelled at 80 deg. C was lower than 10%. Different crystalline phases are observed for both catalysts in each step of the process. Moreover, TPR analysis shows that iron oxide can be efficiently reduced to metallic iron only in the system gelled at room temperature. Carbon nanotubes display a diameter of about 25-40 nm and several micron lengths. The growth mechanism of MWCNTs is base growth mode for both catalysts.

Effect of catalyst preparation on the yield of carbon nanotube growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Escobar, Mariano, E-mail: mescobar@df.uba.a [Dep. Quimica Inorganica, Analitica y Quimica Fisica, FCEyN, UBA, Ciudad Universitaria (1428), Bs As (Argentina); LP and MC, Dep. Fisica, FCEyN, UBA (Argentina); Rubiolo, Gerardo [Unidad de Actividad Materiales, CNEA, Av Gral Paz 1499, San Martin (1650), Bs As (Argentina); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET) (Argentina); Candal, Roberto [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET) (Argentina); Instituto de Fisico-quimica de Materiales, Ambiente y Energia (INQUIMAE), CONICET - UBA (Argentina); Goyanes, Silvia [LP and MC, Dep. Fisica, FCEyN, UBA (Argentina); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET) (Argentina)

2009-10-01

Multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on catalytic iron nanoparticles dispersed in a silica matrix, prepared by sol gel method. In this contribution, variation of gelation condition on catalyst structure and its influence on the yield of carbon nanotubes growth was studied. The precursor utilized were tetraethyl-orthosilicate and iron nitrate. The sols were dried at two different temperatures in air (25 or 80 deg. C) and then treated at 450 deg. C for 10 h. The xerogels were introduced into the chamber and reduced in a hydrogen/nitrogen (10%v/v) atmosphere at 600 deg. C. MWCNTs were formed by deposition of carbon atoms from decomposition of acetylene at 700 deg. C. The system gelled at RT shows a yield of 100% respect to initial catalyst mass whereas the yield of that gelled at 80 deg. C was lower than 10%. Different crystalline phases are observed for both catalysts in each step of the process. Moreover, TPR analysis shows that iron oxide can be efficiently reduced to metallic iron only in the system gelled at room temperature. Carbon nanotubes display a diameter of about 25-40 nm and several micron lengths. The growth mechanism of MWCNTs is base growth mode for both catalysts.

Oxidation catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Ceyer, Sylvia T.; Lahr, David L.

2010-11-09

The present invention generally relates to catalyst systems and methods for oxidation of carbon monoxide. The invention involves catalyst compositions which may be advantageously altered by, for example, modification of the catalyst surface to enhance catalyst performance. Catalyst systems of the present invention may be capable of performing the oxidation of carbon monoxide at relatively lower temperatures (e.g., 200 K and below) and at relatively higher reaction rates than known catalysts. Additionally, catalyst systems disclosed herein may be substantially lower in cost than current commercial catalysts. Such catalyst systems may be useful in, for example, catalytic converters, fuel cells, sensors, and the like.

Catalytic Combustion of Low Concentration Methane over Catalysts Prepared from Co/Mg-Mn Layered Double Hydroxides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongfeng Liu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A series of Co/Mg-Mn mixed oxides were synthesized through thermal decomposition of layered double hydroxides (LDHs precursors. The resulted catalysts were then subjected for catalytic combustion of methane. Experimental results revealed that the Co4.5Mg1.5Mn2LDO catalyst possessed the best performance with the T90=485°C. After being analyzed via XRD, BET-BJH, SEM, H2-TPR, and XPS techniques, it was observed that the addition of cobalt had significantly improved the redox ability of the catalysts whilst certain amount of magnesium was essential to guarantee the catalytic activity. The presence of Mg was helpful to enhance the oxygen mobility and, meanwhile, improved the dispersion of Co and Mn oxides, preventing the surface area loss after calcination.

Densification of Silica Spheres: A New Pathway to Nano-Dimensioned Zeolite-Based Catalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Machoke, Albert Gonche Fortunatus; Apeleo Zubiri, Benjamin; Leonhardt, Rainer; Marthala, Venkata Ramana Reddy; Schmiele, Martin; Unruh, Tobias; Hartmann, Martin; Spiecker, Erdman; Schwieger, Wilhelm

2017-08-16

Nanosized materials are expected to play a unique role in the development of future catalytic processes. Herein, pre-prepared and geometrically well-defined amorphous silica spheres are densified into silica-rich zeolites with nanosized dimensions. After the densification, the obtained nanosized zeolites exhibit the same spherical morphology like the starting precursor but characterized by a drastically reduced size, higher density, and high crystallinity. The phase transformation into crystalline zeolite material and the densification effect are achieved through a well-controlled steam-assisted treatment of the larger precursor particles so that the transformation process proceeds always towards the center of the spheres, just like a shrinking process. Furthermore, this procedure is applicable also to commercially available silica particles, as well as aluminum-containing systems (precursors) leading to acidic nano-catalysts with improved catalytic performance. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Improvement of activated carbons as oxygen reduction catalysts in neutral solutions by ammonia gas treatment and their performance in microbial fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Watson, Valerie J.; Nieto Delgado, Cesar; Logan, Bruce E.

2013-01-01

Commercially available activated carbon (AC) powders from different precursor materials (peat, coconut shell, coal, and hardwood) were treated with ammonia gas at 700 C to improve their performance as oxygen reduction catalysts in neutral p

A novel process for heavy residue hydroconversion using a recoverable pseudo-homogenous catalyst PHC system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romocki, S.M.; Rhodey, W.G. [Mobis Energy Inc., Calgary, AB (Canada)

2008-10-15

This paper described a pseudo-homogenous catalyst (PHC) designed to refine heavy hydrocarbon residues containing sulfur, nitrogen, metals, and asphaltene impurities known to clog pores and deactivate traditional hydrocrackers. The heavy residue hydroconversion (HRH) process incorporated a single particle, chemically generated PHC uniformly distributed in the feed. Thermal decomposition within the reaction system of a water-in-oil emulsion containing ammonium paramolybdate was used to form molybdenum oxide, which was then sulfided within the feed in order to create an ultra-dispersed suspension of catalytically active molybdenum disulfide particles measuring between 2 and 9 nm. A proprietary online catalyst recovery and regeneration step was used to maintain high catalyst activity. The molybdenum was then recovered from a purge stream and then reintroduced to the catalyst preparation area as a catalyst precursor. After being conditioned, the feed was combined with hydrogen and a water-oil catalyst emulsion and introduced into a furnace. Heavy components were cracked, hydrogenated and converted to lighter products. The high performance catalyst system was able to convert 95 per cent of residues at pressures below 7.3 Mpa and at reaction temperatures ranging between 400 and 460 degrees C. The catalyst was tested at a pilot plant using Athabasca vacuum bottoms. It was concluded that the HRH process is now being successfully used to produce 200 barrels of heavy oil per day. Designs for commercial installations are now being prepared. 4 refs., 2 tabs., 2 figs.

Dispersed catalysts for transforming extra heavy crude oil into transportable upgraded crude: phase identification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez, S.; Canizales, E.; Machin, I. [Gerencia Depttal de Investigacion Estrategica en Refinacion PDVSA Intevep (Venezuela); Segovia, X.; Rivas, A.; Lopez, E.; Pena, J.P.; Rojas, J.D.; Sardella, R. [Gerencia Depttal de Infraestructura y Mejoramiento en Faja Petrolifera PDVSA Intevep (Venezuela)

2011-07-01

A new technology to convert extra heavy crude oil into transportable upgraded crude has been developed. A water/oil emulsion composed of steam and catalyst precursors is introduced in the feed which then generates unsupported dispersed catalyst in situ under thermal decomposition. The aim of this paper is to characterize the particles. The study was conducted in a laboratory and on a pilot scale on three different vacuum residues using high resolution transmission electron microscopy and a transmission electron microscope. Results showed that the particles were formed by oxides and inorganic sulphur based in transition metals and their sizes ranged between 5 and 120 nm; in addition, good dispersion was observed. This study demonstrated that the process involved in the generation of dispersed catalyst is extremely complex and showed that further work with heavy crude oils and its residua is required to understand the mechanisms involved.

Synthesis, characterization and optimization of platinum-alloy nanoparticle catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Ratndeep

Renewable hydrogen-fuelled proton exchange membrane (PEMFC) fuel cells have consistently demonstrated great promise as a future source of energy due to their high conversion efficiency, lower temperature of operation and lack of greenhouse emissions. One of the major impediments in the commercialization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells is the insufficient catalytic reactivity and higher cost of Pt electrocatalysts which are utilized for the electroreduction of oxygen from air. This dissertation focuses primarily on a family of Pt alloy fuel cell electrocatalysts referred to as de-alloyed core-shell electrocatalysts. These materials are bimetallic or multimetallic nanoparticles, mostly supported on conductive supports which were first described in a dissertation by Dr. S. Koh earlier in 2009.1 De-alloyed Pt nanoparticle electrocatalysts are formed from base metal rich binary Pt-M and ternary Pt-M1-M 2 (M, M1, M2 = Cu, Co, Ni, Fe and Cr) alloy nanoparticle precursors. The precursors are transformed and activated by electrochemical selective dissolution of the less noble metal component of the precursors (de-alloying). They have shown exceptional activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in idealized electrochemical half cell measurements, in particular rotating disk electrode experiments. However, these materials were never tested or implemented in realistic Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEA) and single PEM fuel cells. The objective of this work was to implement de-alloyed Pt particle catalysts in realistic fuel cell electrode layers as well as a detailed characterization of their behavior and stability. The major challenges of MEA implementation consists of the behavior of the new nanostructured electrocatalysts inside the complex three-phase interface of polymer membrane ionomer, liquid water, metal catalyst, support, and reactant gas. Activity measurements were followed by medium and long-term durability analysis by potential cycling of the membrane

Preparation of a Ni-MgO-Al2O3 catalyst with high activity and resistance to potassium poisoning during direct internal reforming of methane in molten carbonate fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Won-Jun; Jung, You-Shick; Shim, Jae-Oh; Roh, Hyun-Seog; Yoon, Wang Lai

2018-02-01

Steam reforming of methane (SRM) is conducted using a series of Ni-MgO-Al2O3 catalysts for direct internal reforming (DIR) in molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). Ni-MgO-Al2O3 catalysts are prepared by the homogeneous precipitation method with a variety of MgO loading amounts ranging from 3 to 15 wt%. In addition, each precursor concentrations are systemically changed (Ni: 1.2-4.8 mol L-1; Mg: 0.3-1.2 mol L-1; Al: 0.4-1.6 mol L-1) at the optimized composition (10 wt% MgO). The effects of MgO loading and precursor concentration on the catalytic performance and resistance against poisoning of the catalyst by potassium (K) are investigated. The Ni-MgO-Al2O3 catalyst with 10 wt% MgO and the original precursor concentration (Ni: 1.2 mol L-1; Mg: 0.3 mol L-1; Al: 0.4 mol L-1) exhibits the highest CH4 conversion and resistance against K poisoning even at the extremely high gas space velocity (GHSV) of 1,512,000 h-1. Excellent SRM performance of the Ni-MgO-Al2O3 catalyst is attributed to strong metal (Ni) to alumina support interaction (SMSI) when magnesium oxide (MgO) is co-precipitated with the Ni-Al2O3. The enhanced interaction of the Ni with MgO-Al2O3 support is found to protect the active Ni species against K poisoning.

Novel synthesis of highly durable and active Pt catalyst encapsulated in nitrogen containing carbon for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyunjoon; Sung, Yung-Eun; Choi, Insoo; Lim, Taeho; Kwon, Oh Joong

2017-09-01

Novel synthesis of a Pt catalyst encapsulated in a N-containing carbon layer for use in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is described in this study. A Pt-aniline complex, formed by mixing Pt precursor and aniline monomer, was used as the source of Pt, C, and N. Heat treatment of the Pt-aniline complex with carbon black yielded 5 nm Pt nanoparticles encapsulated by a N-containing carbon layer originating from aniline carbonization. The synthesized Pt catalyst exhibited higher mass specific activity to oxygen reduction reaction than that shown by conventional Pt/C catalyst because pyridinic N with graphitic carbon in the carbon layer provided active sites for oxygen reduction reaction in addition to those provided by Pt. In single cell testing, initial performance of the synthesized catalyst was limited because the thick catalyst layer increased resistance related to mass transfer. However, it was observed that the carbon layer successfully prevented Pt nanoparticles from growing via agglomeration and Ostwald ripening under fuel cell operation, thereby improving durability. Furthermore, a mass specific performance of the synthesized catalyst higher than that of a conventional Pt/C catalyst was achieved by modifying the synthesized catalyst's layer thickness.

Nanoscale thermal transport

Science.gov (United States)

Cahill, David G.; Ford, Wayne K.; Goodson, Kenneth E.; Mahan, Gerald D.; Majumdar, Arun; Maris, Humphrey J.; Merlin, Roberto; Phillpot, Simon R.

2003-01-01

Rapid progress in the synthesis and processing of materials with structure on nanometer length scales has created a demand for greater scientific understanding of thermal transport in nanoscale devices, individual nanostructures, and nanostructured materials. This review emphasizes developments in experiment, theory, and computation that have occurred in the past ten years and summarizes the present status of the field. Interfaces between materials become increasingly important on small length scales. The thermal conductance of many solid-solid interfaces have been studied experimentally but the range of observed interface properties is much smaller than predicted by simple theory. Classical molecular dynamics simulations are emerging as a powerful tool for calculations of thermal conductance and phonon scattering, and may provide for a lively interplay of experiment and theory in the near term. Fundamental issues remain concerning the correct definitions of temperature in nonequilibrium nanoscale systems. Modern Si microelectronics are now firmly in the nanoscale regime—experiments have demonstrated that the close proximity of interfaces and the extremely small volume of heat dissipation strongly modifies thermal transport, thereby aggravating problems of thermal management. Microelectronic devices are too large to yield to atomic-level simulation in the foreseeable future and, therefore, calculations of thermal transport must rely on solutions of the Boltzmann transport equation; microscopic phonon scattering rates needed for predictive models are, even for Si, poorly known. Low-dimensional nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes, are predicted to have novel transport properties; the first quantitative experiments of the thermal conductivity of nanotubes have recently been achieved using microfabricated measurement systems. Nanoscale porosity decreases the permittivity of amorphous dielectrics but porosity also strongly decreases the thermal conductivity. The

Catalytic conversion of 11CO2 and 11CO into synthesis precursors for 11C labelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patt, J.T.

1994-03-01

The positron emitter carbon-11 (T 1/2 =20.3 min) is an ideal radio nuclide for tracers in positron emission tomography (PET). In this study catalytic methods for the synthesis of [ 11 C]alcohols have been investigated. The formation of [ 11 C]methanol has been studied on Pd/Al 2 O 3 and Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts with respect to CO and CO 2 carrier addition to the synthesis gas. Carbon monoxide was identified as the precursor of methanol formation on the Pd/Al 2 O 3 -catalyst. In contrast on the Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 -catalyst methanol was formed on a reaction pathway via an adsorbed CO 2 -species. A n.c.a.-[ 11 C]methanol synthesis basing on the Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 -catalyst has been developed by substitution of the oxygen containing components CO and CO 2 in the synthesis gas by N 2 O. The radiochemical yield, the low selectivity of [ 11 C]methanol production and the rather slow kinetics of this process were arguments against the practical use of this process in the synthesis of 11 C-labelling agents. (orig.)

Revealing the Formation of Copper Nanoparticles from a Homogeneous Solid Precursor by Electron Microscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van den Berg, Roy; Elkjær, Christian Fink; Gommes, Cedric J.

2016-01-01

The understanding of processes leading to the formation of nanometer-sized particles is important for tailoring of their size, shape and location. The growth mechanisms and kinetics of nanoparticles from solid precursors are, however, often poorly described. Here we employ transmission electron...... microscopy (TEM) to examine the formation of copper nanoparticles on a silica support during the reduction by H2 of homogeneous copper phyllosilicate platelets, as a prototype precursor for a coprecipitated catalyst. Specifically, time-lapsed TEM image series acquired of the material during the reduction...... process provide a direct visualization of the growth dynamics of an ensemble of individual nanoparticles and enable a quantitative evaluation of the nucleation and growth of the nanoparticles. This quantitative information is compared with kinetic models and found to be best described by a nucleation...

New Ir Bis-Carbonyl Precursor for Water Oxidation Catalysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Daria L. [Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225; Beltrán-Suito, Rodrigo [Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225; Thomsen, Julianne M. [Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225; Hashmi, Sara M. [Department of Chemical and Environmental; Materna, Kelly L. [Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225; Sheehan, Stafford W. [Catalytic Innovations LLC, 70 Crandall; Mercado, Brandon Q. [Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225; Brudvig, Gary W. [Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225; Crabtree, Robert H. [Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225

2016-02-05

This paper introduces IrI(CO)2(pyalc) (pyalc = (2-pyridyl)-2-propanoate) as an atom-efficient precursor for Ir-based homogeneous oxidation catalysis. This compound was chosen to simplify analysis of the water oxidation catalyst species formed by the previously reported Cp*IrIII(pyalc)OH water oxidation precatalyst. Here, we present a comparative study on the chemical and catalytic properties of these two precursors. Previous studies show that oxidative activation of Cp*Ir-based precursors with NaIO4 results in formation of a blue IrIV species. This activation is concomitant with the loss of the placeholder Cp* ligand which oxidatively degrades to form acetic acid, iodate, and other obligatory byproducts. The activation process requires substantial amounts of primary oxidant, and the degradation products complicate analysis of the resulting IrIV species. The species formed from oxidation of the Ir(CO)2(pyalc) precursor, on the other hand, lacks these degradation products (the CO ligands are easily lost upon oxidation) which allows for more detailed examination of the resulting Ir(pyalc) active species both catalytically and spectroscopically, although complete structural analysis is still elusive. Once Ir(CO)2(pyalc) is activated, the system requires acetic acid or acetate to prevent the formation of nanoparticles. Investigation of the activated bis-carbonyl complex also suggests several Ir(pyalc) isomers may exist in solution. By 1H NMR, activated Ir(CO)2(pyalc) has fewer isomers than activated Cp*Ir complexes, allowing for advanced characterization. Future research in this direction is expected to contribute to a better structural understanding of the active species. A diol crystallization agent was needed for the structure determination of 3.

Solution Structures of Highly Active Molecular Ir Water-Oxidation Catalysts from Density Functional Theory Combined with High-Energy X-ray Scattering and EXAFS Spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ke R; Matula, Adam J; Kwon, Gihan; Hong, Jiyun; Sheehan, Stafford W; Thomsen, Julianne M; Brudvig, Gary W; Crabtree, Robert H; Tiede, David M; Chen, Lin X; Batista, Victor S

2016-05-04

The solution structures of highly active Ir water-oxidation catalysts are elucidated by combining density functional theory, high-energy X-ray scattering (HEXS), and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. We find that the catalysts are Ir dimers with mono-μ-O cores and terminal anionic ligands, generated in situ through partial oxidation of a common catalyst precursor. The proposed structures are supported by (1)H and (17)O NMR, EPR, resonance Raman and UV-vis spectra, electrophoresis, etc. Our findings are particularly valuable to understand the mechanism of water oxidation by highly reactive Ir catalysts. Importantly, our DFT-EXAFS-HEXS methodology provides a new in situ technique for characterization of active species in catalytic systems.

New Ag(I)-iminophosphorane coordination polymers as efficient catalysts precursors for the MW-assisted Meyer-Schuster rearrangement of propargylic alcohols in water.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Álvarez, Joaquín; Díez, Josefina; Vidal, Cristian; Vicent, Cristian

2013-06-03

Treatment of the N-thiophosphorylated iminophosphorane ligands (PTA)═NP(═S)(OR)2 [PTA = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane, 3a and 3b] and (DAPTA)═NP(═S)(OR)2 [DAPTA = 3,7-diacetyl-1,3,7-triaza-5-bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane, 4a and 4b] with an equimolecular amount of AgSbF6 leads to high-yield formation of the new one-dimensional coordination polymers [Ag{μ(2)-N,S-(PTA)═NP(═S)(OR)2}]x[SbF6]x (5a and 5b) and [Ag{μ(2)-O,S-(DAPTA)═NP(═S)(OR)2}]x[SbF6]x (6a and 6b), respectively. These new (iminophosphorane)silver(I) coordination polymers are efficient catalyst precursors for the Meyer-Schuster isomerization of both terminal and internal alkynols. Reactions proceeded in water, under aerobic conditions and using microwave irradiation as heating source, to afford the corresponding α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds in excellent yields, without the addition of any cocatalyst. Remarkably, it should be noted that this catalytic system can be recycled up to 10 consecutive runs (1st cycle 45 min, 99%; 10th cycle 6 h, 97%). ESI-MS analysis of 5a in water has been carried out providing valuable insight into the monomeric active species responsible for catalytic activity in water.

Second-Order Biomimicry: In Situ Oxidative Self-Processing Converts Copper(I)/Diamine Precursor into a Highly Active Aerobic Oxidation Catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

McCann, Scott D; Lumb, Jean-Philip; Arndtsen, Bruce A; Stahl, Shannon S

2017-04-26

A homogeneous Cu-based catalyst system consisting of [Cu(MeCN) 4 ]PF 6 , N , N '-di- tert -butylethylenediamine (DBED), and p -( N , N -dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) mediates efficient aerobic oxidation of alcohols. Mechanistic study of this reaction shows that the catalyst undergoes an in situ oxidative self-processing step, resulting in conversion of DBED into a nitroxyl that serves as an efficient cocatalyst for aerobic alcohol oxidation. Insights into this behavior are gained from kinetic studies, which reveal an induction period at the beginning of the reaction that correlates with the oxidative self-processing step, EPR spectroscopic analysis of the catalytic reaction mixture, which shows the buildup of the organic nitroxyl species during steady state turnover, and independent synthesis of oxygenated DBED derivatives, which are shown to serve as effective cocatalysts and eliminate the induction period in the reaction. The overall mechanism bears considerable resemblance to enzymatic reactivity. Most notable is the "oxygenase"-type self-processing step that mirrors generation of catalytic cofactors in enzymes via post-translational modification of amino acid side chains. This higher-order function within a synthetic catalyst system presents new opportunities for the discovery and development of biomimetic catalysts.

Sulfonic-based precursors (SAPs for silica mesostructures: Advances in synthesis and applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadegh Rostamnia*

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Sulfonic acid-based precursors (SAP play an important role in tailoring mesoporous silica’s and convert them to a solid acid catalyst with a Bronsted-type nature. These kinds of solid acids contribute to sustainable and green chemistry by their heterogeneous, recyclable, and high efficiency features. Therefore, knowing the properties and reactivity of SAPs can guide us to manufacture a sulfonated mesostructures compatible with reaction type and conditions. In the present review, some of the important SAPs, their reactivity and mechanism of functionalization are discussed.

Patterning high explosives at the nanoscale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nafday, Omkar A.; Pitchimani, Rajasekar; Weeks, Brandon L. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States); Haaheim, Jason [NanoInk Inc., 8025 Lamon Ave., Skokie, IL 60077 (United States)

2006-10-15

For the first time, we have shown that spin coating and Dip pen nanolithography (DPN trademark) are simple methods of preparing energetic materials such as PETN and HMX on the nanoscale, requiring no heating of the energetic material. Nanoscale patterning has been demonstrated by the DPN method while continuous thin films were produced using the spin coating method. Results are presented for preparing continuous PETN thin films of nanometer thickness by the spin coating method and for controlling the architecture of arbitrary nanoscale patterns of PETN and HMX by the DPN method. These methods are simple for patterning energetic materials and can be extended beyond PETN and HMX, opening the door for fundamental studies at the nanoscale. (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Crystalline mesoporous zirconia catalysts having stable tetragonal pore wall structure

Science.gov (United States)

Sachtler, W.M.H.; Huang, Y.Y.

1998-07-28

Methods are disclosed for the preparation of new sulfated mesoporous zirconia materials/catalysts with crystalline pore walls of predominantly tetragonal crystal structure, characterized by nitrogen physical sorption measurement, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and catalytic tests using n-butane isomerization to iso-butane and alkylation of 1-naphthol with 4-tert-butylstyrene as probe reactions. Sulfate deposition is preferred for the transformation of a mesoporous precursor with amorphous pore walls into a material with crystalline pore walls maintaining the mesoporous characteristics. 17 figs.

Catalyst free growth of CNTs by CVD on nanoscale rough surfaces of silicon substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Damodar, D.; Sahoo, R. K.; Jacob, C.

2013-06-01

Catalyst free growth of carbon nanotubes (CNT) has been achieved using atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) on surface modified Si(111) substrates. The effect of the substrate surface has been observed by partially etching with KOH (potassium hydroxide) solution which is an anisotropic etchant. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the formation of CNTs over most of the area of the substrate where substrates were anisotropically etched. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe the internal structure of the CNTs. Raman spectroscopy further confirmed the formation of the carbon nanostructures and also their graphitic crystallinity.

Nanoscale Metal Oxide Semiconductors for Gas Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Gary W.; Evans, Laura; Xu, Jennifer C.; VanderWal, Randy L.; Berger, Gordon M.; Kulis, Michael J.

2011-01-01

A report describes the fabrication and testing of nanoscale metal oxide semiconductors (MOSs) for gas and chemical sensing. This document examines the relationship between processing approaches and resulting sensor behavior. This is a core question related to a range of applications of nanotechnology and a number of different synthesis methods are discussed: thermal evaporation- condensation (TEC), controlled oxidation, and electrospinning. Advantages and limitations of each technique are listed, providing a processing overview to developers of nanotechnology- based systems. The results of a significant amount of testing and comparison are also described. A comparison is made between SnO2, ZnO, and TiO2 single-crystal nanowires and SnO2 polycrystalline nanofibers for gas sensing. The TECsynthesized single-crystal nanowires offer uniform crystal surfaces, resistance to sintering, and their synthesis may be done apart from the substrate. The TECproduced nanowire response is very low, even at the operating temperature of 200 C. In contrast, the electrospun polycrystalline nanofiber response is high, suggesting that junction potentials are superior to a continuous surface depletion layer as a transduction mechanism for chemisorption. Using a catalyst deposited upon the surface in the form of nanoparticles yields dramatic gains in sensitivity for both nanostructured, one-dimensional forms. For the nanowire materials, the response magnitude and response rate uniformly increase with increasing operating temperature. Such changes are interpreted in terms of accelerated surface diffusional processes, yielding greater access to chemisorbed oxygen species and faster dissociative chemisorption, respectively. Regardless of operating temperature, sensitivity of the nanofibers is a factor of 10 to 100 greater than that of nanowires with the same catalyst for the same test condition. In summary, nanostructure appears critical to governing the reactivity, as measured by electrical

Novel catalysts and photoelectrochemical system for solar fuel production

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yan

spectroscopy (XAS). The photocatalytic activities of as-made nanoparticles were investigated using a well-studied visible light driven [Ru(bpy)3]2+-persulfate system. In both Clark electrode and reactor/gas chromatography (GC) systems, Mn-substituted Co3O 4 nanoparticles exhibited the highest turnover frequency (TOF) among all the three kinds of catalysts. The data presented in this paper suggest that the photocatalytic oxygen evolution activity of Co3O 4 spinel catalyst can be further enhanced by Mn3+ substitution at the octahedral sites. The second part of this piece of work was carried out to further investigate cobalt oxide based photocatalytic oxygen evolution catalyst. A new strategy was developed to synthesize nonsupported cobalt oxide nanocubanes through an in situ phase transformation mechanism using a layered Co(OH)(OCH3) precursor. Under sonication, the precursor was exfoliated and transformed into cobalt oxide nanocubanes in the presence of NaHCO 3-Na2SiF6 buffer solution. The resulting cobalt catalyst with an average particle size less than 2 nm exhibited a turnover frequency of 0.0023 per second per cobalt in photocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction. X-ray absorption results suggested that a unique nanocubane structure, where 13 cobalt atoms fully coordinated with oxygen atoms and hydroxide groups in an octahedral arrangement to form 8 Co4O4 cubanes, may be responsible for the exceptionally high oxygen evolution catalysis activity. This thesis work is completed with the development of a photoanode-driven photoelectrochemical cell for CO2 reduction. A NiOx decorated Si photoanode and nanoporous Ag cathode were employed. With an external bias of 2.0 V, a current density at cathode of 10 mA/cm2 and Faradaic efficiency of 70% for CO2 to CO was achieved. Compared to a normal electrochemical cell, the photoelectrochemical cell saves 0.4 V electrical energy by absorbing photo-energy. In addition, post-test photoanodes were carefully characterized by SEM, XAS, and XPS

Characterization and evaluation of Pt-Ru catalyst supported on multi-walled carbon nanotubes by electrochemical impedance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ocampo, A.L.; Miranda-Hernandez, M.; Sebastian, P.J. [Centro de Investigacion en Energia-UNAM, Temixco, 62580 Morelos (Mexico); Morgado, J.; Montoya, J.A. [IMP, Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas 152, 07730 D.F. Mexico (Mexico)

2006-10-06

In this work the authors present the results of a systematic characterization and evaluation of the carbon nanotube supported Pt-Ru (Pt-Ru/CNT) for its use as methanol oxidation catalyst. Its activity was compared with that of Pt and Pt-Ru catalysts supported on Vulcan and synthesized from carbonyl precursors, and another commercial Pt-Ru catalyst. The cyclic voltammetry, CO stripping and electrochemical impedance techniques were employed to determine the electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts. The electrochemical studies were performed in 0.5M H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} containing different concentrations of methanol (0.05-1M). The results showed a noticeable influence of the catalyst support (CNT) on the performance of the catalyst for CO oxidation. The electrochemical impedance studies allowed us to separate the different steps in the methanol oxidation reaction and to control these steps or reactions by varying the applied potential and the methanol concentration. At low methanol concentration and potentials the de-hydrogenation of methanol predominated. But, at high potential and methanol concentrations, the CO oxidation predominated. These results allowed us to clearly describe at what potential and concentration ranges the bi-functional effect of Ru becomes evident. Our results indicated that the CO oxidation occurs both on Pt and Ru. Compared to other catalysts, Pt-Ru supported on carbon nanotubes showed superior catalytic activity for CO and methanol oxidation. (author)

New organometallic salts as precursors for the functionalization of carbon nanotubes with metallic nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alonso-Nunez, G., E-mail: galonso@cnyn.unam.mx; Garza, L. Morales de la; Rogel-Hernandez, E.; Reynoso, E. [Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnologia (Mexico); Licea-Claverie, A.; Felix-Navarro, R. M. [Instituto Tecnologico de Tijuana, Centro de Graduados e Investigacion (Mexico); Berhault, G. [UMR 5256 CNRS-Universite de Lyon, Institut de Recherches sur la Catalyse et l' Environnement de Lyon (France); Paraguay-Delgado, F. [Centro de Investigacion en Materiales Avanzados S. C. (Mexico)

2011-09-15

New organometallic salts were synthesized in aqueous solution and were used as precursors for the functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNT) by metallic nanoparticles. The precursors were obtained by reaction between HAuCl{sub 4}, (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}PtCl{sub 6}, (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}PdCl{sub 6}, or (NH{sub 4}){sub 3}RhCl{sub 6} with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The as-obtained (CTA){sub n}Me{sub x}Cl{sub y} salts (with Me = Au, Pt, Pd, Rh) were characterized by Fourier-transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, {sup 1}H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. These precursors were then used to synthesize metallic nanoparticles of Au, Pt, Pd, and Rh over multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). Characterization by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and thermogravimetric analysis under air reveals that the CNT-supported catalysts exhibit high loading and good dispersion of the metallic nanoparticles with small average particle sizes. The present preparation procedure therefore allows obtaining high densities of small metallic nanoparticles at the surface of MWCNT.

Comparison of Cobalt based Catalysts Supported on MWCNT and SBA-15 Supporters for Fischer-tropsch Synthesis by Using Novel Vortex Type Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yakubov, A.; Shahrun, M.S.; Kutty, M.G.; Hamid, S.B.A.; Piven, V.

2011-01-01

10 and 40 wt% Co/ Multi wall Carbon Nano tubes (MWCNT) and 10 and 40 wt% Co/ Santa Barbara Amorphous-15 (SBA) catalysts were prepared via incipient wetness impregnation and characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy equipped with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM and EDX), N 2 adsorption-desorption (BET), X-ray Diffractometry (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Temperature- Programmed Reduction and H 2 desorption TPD/RO. Co(NO 3 ) 2 * 6H 2 O was used as a cobalt precursor. 200 ml hastelloy autoclave reactor was implemented to see the performance of the catalysts. This report presents details about the catalyst synthesis and reactor study. (author)

Controllable synthesis of Co3O4 nanocrystals as efficient catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Baoying; Zhang, Yihe; Du, Ruifeng; Liu, Lei; Yu, Xuelian

2018-03-01

The electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has received great attention due to its importance in fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Here, we present a simple approach to prepare non-noble metal catalyst-Co3O4 nanocrystals (NCs). The particle size and shape were simply controlled by different types and concentrations of metal precursor. Furthermore, different sizes and shapes of Co3O4 NCs are explored as electrocatalysts for ORR, and it has been observed that particles with a similar shape, and smaller particle size led to greater catalytic current densities because of the greater surface area. For particles with a comparable size, the shape or crystalline structure governed the activity of the electrocatalytic reactions. Most importantly, the 9 nm-Co3O4 were demonstrated to act as low-cost catalysts for the ORR with a similar performance to that of Pt catalysts.

Nanoscale drug delivery for targeted chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Xin, Yong; Huang, Qian; Tang, Jian-Qin; Hou, Xiao-Yang; Zhang, Pei; Zhang, Long Zhen; Jiang, Guan

2016-08-28

Despite significant improvements in diagnostic methods and innovations in therapies for specific cancers, effective treatments for neoplastic diseases still represent major challenges. Nanotechnology as an emerging technology has been widely used in many fields and also provides a new opportunity for the targeted delivery of cancer drugs. Nanoscale delivery of chemotherapy drugs to the tumor site is highly desirable. Recent studies have shown that nanoscale drug delivery systems not only have the ability to destroy cancer cells but may also be carriers for chemotherapy drugs. Some studies have demonstrated that delivery of chemotherapy via nanoscale carriers has greater therapeutic benefit than either treatment modality alone. In this review, novel approaches to nanoscale delivery of chemotherapy are described and recent progress in this field is discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

NANOSCALE BIOSENSORS IN ECOSYSTEM EXPOSURE RESEARCH

Science.gov (United States)

This powerpoint presentation presented information on nanoscale biosensors in ecosystem exposure research. The outline of the presentation is as follows: nanomaterials environmental exposure research; US agencies involved in nanosensor research; nanoscale LEDs in biosensors; nano...

Fabrication of doped Titania (TiO2) nanofibers to serve as catalysts in NH₃-Selective CatalyticReduction (SCR)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marani, Debora; Silva, Rafael Hubert; Dankeaw, Apiwat

2016-01-01

conversion efficiencies are obtained andassociated with the unique features deriving from the synergism among the doping approach, the nanoscaleconfinement, and the nano-fibrous texture. A novel concept of self-supported, lightweight and ultra-compactdesign SCR reactor is defined....... of either one or moredimensions into the nanoscale level. Among others the large surface-to-volume ratio is a feature that greatlyincreases the reactivity of the nanomaterials towards gaseous species when compared with the non-nanodimensional materials. With this regards, catalysis is one of those...... applications that unquestionable benefitsfrom this novel feature. In addition, when nanofibers (1D nanostructure) are used as catalysts, the furtheradvantage of a self-supported wide open and well-interconnected porous structure is achieved.Herein we demonstrate nanofibers as catalysts for the removal...

Green Synthesis of Three-Dimensional Hybrid N-Doped ORR Electro-Catalysts Derived from Apricot Sap

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramesh Karunagaran

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Rapid depletion of fossil fuel and increased energy demand has initiated a need for an alternative energy source to cater for the growing energy demand. Fuel cells are an enabling technology for the conversion of sustainable energy carriers (e.g., renewable hydrogen or bio-gas into electrical power and heat. However, the hazardous raw materials and complicated experimental procedures used to produce electro-catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR in fuel cells has been a concern for the effective implementation of these catalysts. Therefore, environmentally friendly and low-cost oxygen reduction electro-catalysts synthesised from natural products are considered as an attractive alternative to currently used synthetic materials involving hazardous chemicals and waste. Herein, we describe a unique integrated oxygen reduction three-dimensional composite catalyst containing both nitrogen-doped carbon fibers (N-CF and carbon microspheres (N-CMS synthesised from apricot sap from an apricot tree. The synthesis was carried out via three-step process, including apricot sap resin preparation, hydrothermal treatment, and pyrolysis with a nitrogen precursor. The nitrogen-doped electro-catalysts synthesised were characterised by SEM, TEM, XRD, Raman, and BET techniques followed by electro-chemical testing for ORR catalysis activity. The obtained catalyst material shows high catalytic activity for ORR in the basic medium by facilitating the reaction via a four-electron transfer mechanism.

Green Synthesis of Three-Dimensional Hybrid N-Doped ORR Electro-Catalysts Derived from Apricot Sap.

Science.gov (United States)

Karunagaran, Ramesh; Coghlan, Campbell; Shearer, Cameron; Tran, Diana; Gulati, Karan; Tung, Tran Thanh; Doonan, Christian; Losic, Dusan

2018-01-28

Rapid depletion of fossil fuel and increased energy demand has initiated a need for an alternative energy source to cater for the growing energy demand. Fuel cells are an enabling technology for the conversion of sustainable energy carriers (e.g., renewable hydrogen or bio-gas) into electrical power and heat. However, the hazardous raw materials and complicated experimental procedures used to produce electro-catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells has been a concern for the effective implementation of these catalysts. Therefore, environmentally friendly and low-cost oxygen reduction electro-catalysts synthesised from natural products are considered as an attractive alternative to currently used synthetic materials involving hazardous chemicals and waste. Herein, we describe a unique integrated oxygen reduction three-dimensional composite catalyst containing both nitrogen-doped carbon fibers (N-CF) and carbon microspheres (N-CMS) synthesised from apricot sap from an apricot tree. The synthesis was carried out via three-step process, including apricot sap resin preparation, hydrothermal treatment, and pyrolysis with a nitrogen precursor. The nitrogen-doped electro-catalysts synthesised were characterised by SEM, TEM, XRD, Raman, and BET techniques followed by electro-chemical testing for ORR catalysis activity. The obtained catalyst material shows high catalytic activity for ORR in the basic medium by facilitating the reaction via a four-electron transfer mechanism.

PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATIONS AND MODIFICATION OF Ni-Pd/NATURAL ZEOLITE CATALYSTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wega Trisunaryanti

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Preparation, and modification of Ni-Pd/natural zeolite as well as their characterizations had been carried out. The aim of this research for the fututure is to prepare the best characters catalyst for the conversion of waste plastics fraction to gasoline fraction (C5-C12 hydrocarbons. The preparation of catalysts was performed by reacting a natural zeolite with the precursor of Ni(NO32. 9H2O and PdCl2 in an ammonia solution (25%. The modifications were performed by varying the rasio of Ni/Pd loaded to the zeolite, whereas the Pd was previously loaded and total metal content was 1 wt.% based on the zeolite. The characterization of catalysts included determination of acidity gravimetrically by adsorption of ammonia or pyridine vapour  base method, metal content by Atomic Adsorption Spectrophotometer (AAS and X-ray Fluoresence (XRF and crystallinity by X-ray Diffraction (XRD. The treatment of catalysts using Etilene Diamine Tetra Acetic acid  (EDTA was performed to study the metal distribution on the outer or inner surface of the zeolite. The characterization results showed that the loading of metals to the zeolite increased its acidity and decreased its spesific surface area, however, did not defect its crystallnity.  The metals loaded on the zeolite were distributed inside the pore and at outer surface of the zeolite. For all catalyst samples, the acidities determined using ammonia were higher than those of pyridine, and the acidities determined before the EDTA treatment was lower than those after the treatment.  Metal contents of the zeolite before the EDTA treatment were higher than those after the treatment. The EDTA treatment enhanced the crystallinity of the sampel. The relationship between the metal rasio towards the acidity of the catalyst samples were in variation. Catalyst samples produced in this research have good characters, thus promisingly can be used for conversion process of waste plastics to gasoline fraction.    Keywords

Atomic Layer Deposition on Porous Materials: Problems with Conventional Approaches to Catalyst and Fuel Cell Electrode Preparation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tzia Ming Onn

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Atomic layer deposition (ALD offers exciting possibilities for controlling the structure and composition of surfaces on the atomic scale in heterogeneous catalysts and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC electrodes. However, while ALD procedures and equipment are well developed for applications involving flat surfaces, the conditions required for ALD in porous materials with a large surface area need to be very different. The materials (e.g., rare earths and other functional oxides that are of interest for catalytic applications will also be different. For flat surfaces, rapid cycling, enabled by high carrier-gas flow rates, is necessary in order to rapidly grow thicker films. By contrast, ALD films in porous materials rarely need to be more than 1 nm thick. The elimination of diffusion gradients, efficient use of precursors, and ligand removal with less reactive precursors are the major factors that need to be controlled. In this review, criteria will be outlined for the successful use of ALD in porous materials. Examples of opportunities for using ALD to modify heterogeneous catalysts and SOFC electrodes will be given.

Spintronics in nanoscale devices

CERN Document Server

Hedin, Eric R

2013-01-01

By exploiting the novel properties of quantum dots and nanoscale Aharonov-Bohm rings together with the electronic and magnetic properties of various semiconductor materials and graphene, researchers have conducted numerous theoretical and computational modeling studies and experimental tests that show promising behavior for spintronics applications. Spin polarization and spin-filtering capabilities and the ability to manipulate the electron spin state through external magnetic or electric fields have demonstrated the promise of workable nanoscale devices for computing and memory applications.

Effect of temperature in hydrocracking of light cycle oil on a noble metal-supported catalyst for fuel production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gutierrez, A.; Arandes, J.M.; Castano, P.; Olazar, M.; Bilbao, J. [Universidad del Pais Vasco (UPV-EHU), Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica, Bilbao (Spain); Barona, A. [Universidad del Pais Vasco (UPV-EHU), Escuela de Ingenieria, Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica y Medio Ambiente, Alda, Urkijo s/n, Bilbao (Spain)

2012-04-15

The effect of temperature has been studied in hydrocracking of light cycle oil (LCO), byproduct of fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) units on a bifunctional catalyst (Pt-Pd/HY zeolite). The increase in both temperature and H{sub 2} partial pressure have an important attenuating effect on catalyst deactivation, given that they decrease sulfur equilibrium adsorption and enhance hydrocracking of coke precursors. Therefore, the catalyst maintains significant hydrodesulfurization and hydrocracking activity. As the temperature is increased, hydrocracking conversion and naphtha selectivity increase, although there is no significant dearomatization of the medium distillate fraction in the range of the studied experimental conditions. 400 C is the more suitable temperature for obtaining a high yield of naphtha with a high content of i-paraffins. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

A single source precursor route to group 13 homo- and heterometallic oxides as highly active supports for gold-catalyzed aerobic epoxidation of trans-stilbene

KAUST Repository

Mishra, Shashank K.; Mendez, Violaine; Jeanneau, Erwann; Caps, Valerie; Daniè le, Sté phane

2012-01-01

A new Mitsubishi-type of star-shaped homoleptic derivative of indium(III), In4(mdea)6 (2, mdeaH2 = N-methyldiethanolamine) , was synthesized by the chloro-aminoalkoxo exchange reaction of a heteroleptic complex In6Cl6(mdea)6 (1) and used as a facile single source molecular precursor for the sol-gel preparation of high surface area indium oxide. Successful deposition of gold nanoparticles (1 wt.-%) of average size 3.3 nm on the above metal oxide by using HAuCl4· 3H2O afforded a highly efficient Au/In2O3 catalyst for the aerobic epoxidation of trans-stilbene at low temperature. The above single source precursor approach was further extended to obtain other group 13 homo- and heterometallic oxides, namely, α-Ga2O 3, β-Ga2O3 and Al4Ga 2O9, as highly active supports for gold catalysts. The obtained Au/M2O3 (M = Ga, In) and Au/Al4Ga 2O9 catalysts were thoroughly characterized by using several physicochemical techniques such as XRD, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A comparative study of the above catalysts for the model aerobic oxidation of stilbene in methylcyclohexane was undertaken. Highly efficient catalysts for aerobic oxidation reactions were obtained by depositing gold nanoparticles on group 13 mono- or mixed metal oxides prepared from the hydrolysis of well-characterized homo- and heterometallic N-methyldiethanolaminate derivatives. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A single source precursor route to group 13 homo- and heterometallic oxides as highly active supports for gold-catalyzed aerobic epoxidation of trans-stilbene

KAUST Repository

Mishra, Shashank K.

2012-12-14

A new Mitsubishi-type of star-shaped homoleptic derivative of indium(III), In4(mdea)6 (2, mdeaH2 = N-methyldiethanolamine) , was synthesized by the chloro-aminoalkoxo exchange reaction of a heteroleptic complex In6Cl6(mdea)6 (1) and used as a facile single source molecular precursor for the sol-gel preparation of high surface area indium oxide. Successful deposition of gold nanoparticles (1 wt.-%) of average size 3.3 nm on the above metal oxide by using HAuCl4· 3H2O afforded a highly efficient Au/In2O3 catalyst for the aerobic epoxidation of trans-stilbene at low temperature. The above single source precursor approach was further extended to obtain other group 13 homo- and heterometallic oxides, namely, α-Ga2O 3, β-Ga2O3 and Al4Ga 2O9, as highly active supports for gold catalysts. The obtained Au/M2O3 (M = Ga, In) and Au/Al4Ga 2O9 catalysts were thoroughly characterized by using several physicochemical techniques such as XRD, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A comparative study of the above catalysts for the model aerobic oxidation of stilbene in methylcyclohexane was undertaken. Highly efficient catalysts for aerobic oxidation reactions were obtained by depositing gold nanoparticles on group 13 mono- or mixed metal oxides prepared from the hydrolysis of well-characterized homo- and heterometallic N-methyldiethanolaminate derivatives. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effects of Precursor-Substrate Distances on the Growth of GaN Nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongbin Cheng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available GaN nanowires were synthesized through the Ni-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition (CVD method using Ga2O3/GaN mixtures as gallium sources, and precursor-substrate distances were investigated as the important factor for the growth of GaN nanowires. The microstructure, composition, and photoluminescence property were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectra. The results showed that single crystalline GaN nanowires with the diameter of about 90 nm and the length up to tens of micrometers had been grown thickly across Si (100 substrates with uniform density. Moreover, the variations of the GaN nanowire morphology, density, and size were largely attributed to substrate positions which would influence Ga precursor density in the carrier gas, the saturation degree of gaseous reactants, and the catalyst activity, respectively, in the fabrication of GaN nanowires by the vapour liquid solid mechanism.

Molecular heterogeneous catalysts derived from bipyridine-based organosilica nanotubes for C-H bond activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shengbo; Wang, Hua; Li, Mei; Han, Jinyu; Liu, Xiao; Gong, Jinlong

2017-06-01

Heterogeneous metal complex catalysts for direct C-H activation with high activity and durability have always been desired for transforming raw materials into feedstock chemicals. This study described the design and synthesis of one-dimensional organosilica nanotubes containing 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) ligands in the framework (BPy-NT) and their post-synthetic metalation to provide highly active and robust molecular heterogeneous catalysts. By adjusting the ratios of organosilane precursors, very short BPy-NT with ∼50 nm length could be controllably obtained. The post-synthetic metalation of bipyridine-functionalized nanotubes with [IrCp*Cl(μ-Cl)] 2 (Cp* = η 5 -pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) and [Ir(cod)(OMe)] 2 (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) afforded solid catalysts, IrCp*-BPy-NT and Ir(cod)-BPy-NT, which were utilized for C-H oxidation of heterocycles and cycloalkanes as well as C-H borylation of arenes. The cut-short nanotube catalysts displayed enhanced activities and durability as compared to the analogous homogeneous catalysts and other conventional heterogeneous catalysts, benefiting from the isolated active sites as well as the fast transport of substrates and products. After the reactions, a detailed characterization of Ir-immobilized BPy-NT via TEM, SEM, nitrogen adsorption, UV/vis, XPS, and 13 C CP MAS NMR indicated the molecular nature of the active species as well as stable structures of nanotube scaffolds. This study demonstrates the potential of BPy-NT with a short length as an integration platform for the construction of efficient heterogeneous catalytic systems for organic transformations.

Synthesis and characterization of catalysts for the selective transformation of biomass-derived materials

Science.gov (United States)

Ghampson, Isaac Tyrone

The experimental work in this thesis focuses on generating catalysts for two intermediate processes related to the thermal conversion of lignocellulosic biomass: the synthesis and characterization of mesoporous silica supported cobalt catalysts for the Fischer-Tropsch reaction, and an exploration of the reactivity of bulk and supported molybdenum-based nitride catalysts for the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of guaiacol, a lignin model compound. The first section of the work details the synthesis of a series of silica-supported cobalt Fischer-Tropsch catalysts with pore diameters ranging from 2-23 nm. Detailed X-ray diffraction measurements were used to determine the composition and particle diameters of the metal fraction, analyzed as a three-phase system containing Cofcc, Cohcp and CoO particles. Catalyst properties were determined at three stages in catalyst history: (1) after the initial calcination step to thermally decompose the catalyst precursor into Co3O4, (2) after the hydrogen reduction step to activate the catalyst to Co and (3) after the FT reaction. From the study, it was observed that larger pore diameters supported higher turnover frequency; smaller pore diameters yielded larger mole fraction of CoO; XRD on post-reduction and post-FTS catalyst samples indicated significant changes in dispersivity after reduction. In the next section, the catalytic behaviors of unsupported, activated carbon-, alumina-, and SBA-15 mesoporous silica-supported molybdenum nitride catalysts were evaluated for the hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol (2-methoxy phenol) at 300°C and 5 MPa. The nitride catalysts were prepared by thermal decomposition of bulk and supported ammonium heptamolybdate to form MoO 3 followed by nitridation in either flowing ammonia or a nitrogen/hydrogen mixture. The catalytic properties were strongly affected by the nitriding and purging treatment as well as the physical and chemical properties of support. The overall reaction was influenced by the

Role of iron catalyst impregnated by solvent swelling method in pyrolytic removal of coal nitrogen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hayashi, J.; Kusakabe, K.; Morooka, S.; Nielsen, M.; Furimsky, E. [Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan). Dept. of Chemical Science and Technology

1995-11-01

Organometallic iron precursors, ferrocene and ferric acetate, were impregnated into Illinois No. 6 (IL), Wyoming (WY) and Yallourn (YL) coals by solvent swelling technique in THF, ethanol, and a THF/ethanol binary solvent. Then iron-impregnated coals were pyrolyzed in a flow of helium at atmospheric pressure in a fixed bed and a thermobalance. Conversion of coal nitrogen to N{sub 2} was 20, 38 and 30% respectively, for original IL, WY, and YL coals. Iron formed from both precursors lowered the onset temperature of N{sub 2} evolution by 20-100{degree}C. When ferrocene was impregnated in coals at a concentration of 1.7-1.8 wt% as Fe, nitrogen conversion was increased to 52, 71 and 68% for IL, WY and YL coals, respectively. Ferric acetate impregnated into IL coal from THF/ethanol solution increased the nitrogen conversion much more than that from ethanol solution. The expansion of microporous coal structure by the swelling was essential for better dispersion of the catalyst precursor. The evolution of HCN as well as NH{sub 3} was effectively suppressed above 600{degree}C by the presence of iron but not influenced significantly by combinations of catalyst precursors and solvents. The increase in N{sub 2} yield was compensated by the decrease in nitrogen emitted as HCN and NH{sub 3} and in tar and char. The increase in CO evolution from the iron-impregnated IL coal at 600-800{degree}C was explained by catalytic rearrangement of aromatic structure of char, accompanying the removal of nitrogen as N{sub 2}. In a range of 600-750{degree}C, the evolution of CO as well as N{sub 2} from the other coals increased remarkably with a significant decrease in CO{sub 2} gasification in char microproes. 32 refs., 9 figs., 3 tabs.

Novel low temperature NOx storage-reduction catalysts for diesel light-duty engine emissions based on hydrotalcite compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fornasari, G.; Trifiro, F.; Vaccari, A.; Prinetto, F.; Ghiotti, G.; Centi, G.

2002-01-01

A series of Pt and Pt,Cu supported catalysts were prepared by wet impregnation of Mg-Al supports obtained from hydrotalcite-type (HT) precursor compounds. These novel NO x storage-reduction (NO x SR) catalysts show improved performances in NO x storage than Pt,Ba/alumina NO x SR catalysts at reaction temperatures lower than 200C. These catalysts show also improved resistance to deactivation by SO 2 . The effect is attributed to the formation of well dispersed Mg(Al)O particles which show good NO x storage properties. The promoted low temperature activity is explained by the lower basicity of the Mg(Al)O mixed oxide in comparison to BaO, which induces on one hand a lower inhibition on Pt activity (NO to NO 2 oxidation and/or hydrocarbon oxidation) due to electronic effect, and on the other hand a lower thermal stability of the stored NO x . The presence of Cu slightly inhibits activity at low temperature, although improves activity and resistance to deactivation at 300C. On these catalysts FT-IR characterization evidences the formation of a Pt-Cu alloy after reduction

Synthesis and Electrochemical Evaluation of Carbon Supported Pt-Co Bimetallic Catalysts Prepared by Electroless Deposition and Modified Charge Enhanced Dry Impregnation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Meynard M. Tengco

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Carbon-supported bimetallic Pt-Co cathode catalysts have been previously identified as higher activity alternatives to conventional Pt/C catalysts for fuel cells. In this work, a series of Pt-Co/C catalysts were synthesized using electroless deposition (ED of Pt on a Co/C catalyst prepared by modified charge enhanced dry impregnation. X-ray diffraction (XRD and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM characterization of the base catalyst showed highly dispersed particles. A basic ED bath containing PtCl62− as the Pt precursor, dimethylamine borane as reducing agent, and ethylenediamine as stabilizing agent successfully targeted deposition of Pt on Co particles. Simultaneous action of galvanic displacement and ED resulted in Pt-Co alloy formation observed in XRD and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (XEDS mapping. In addition, fast deposition kinetics resulted in hollow shell Pt-Co alloy particles while particles with Pt-rich shell and Co-rich cores formed with controlled Pt deposition. Electrochemical evaluation of the Pt-Co/C catalysts showed lower active surface but much higher mass and surface activities for oxygen reduction reaction compared to a commercial Pt/C fuel cell catalyst.

Nanoscale phase change memory materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Caldwell, Marissa A; Jeyasingh, Rakesh Gnana David; Wong, H-S Philip; Milliron, Delia J

2012-08-07

Phase change memory materials store information through their reversible transitions between crystalline and amorphous states. For typical metal chalcogenide compounds, their phase transition properties directly impact critical memory characteristics and the manipulation of these is a major focus in the field. Here, we discuss recent work that explores the tuning of such properties by scaling the materials to nanoscale dimensions, including fabrication and synthetic strategies used to produce nanoscale phase change memory materials. The trends that emerge are relevant to understanding how such memory technologies will function as they scale to ever smaller dimensions and also suggest new approaches to designing materials for phase change applications. Finally, the challenges and opportunities raised by integrating nanoscale phase change materials into switching devices are discussed.

Continuous bench-scale slurry catalyst testing direct coal liquefaction rawhide sub-bituminous coal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bauman, R.F.; Coless, L.A.; Davis, S.M. [and others

1995-12-31

In 1992, the Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored research to demonstrate a dispersed catalyst system using a combination of molybdenum and iron precursors for direct coal liquefaction. This dispersed catalyst system was successfully demonstrated using Black Thunder sub-bituminous coal at Wilsonville, Alabama by Southern Electric International, Inc. The DOE sponsored research continues at Exxon Research and Development Laboratories (ERDL). A six month continuous bench-scale program using ERDL`s Recycle Coal Liquefaction Unit (RCLU) is planned, three months in 1994 and three months in 1995. The initial conditions in RCLU reflect experience gained from the Wilsonville facility in their Test Run 263. Rawhide sub-bituminous coal which is similar to the Black Thunder coal tested at Wilsonville was used as the feed coal. A slate of five dispersed catalysts for direct coal liquefaction of Rawhide sub-bituminous coal has been tested. Throughout the experiments, the molybdenum addition rate was held constant at 100 wppm while the iron oxide addition rate was varied from 0.25 to 1.0 weight percent (dry coal basis). This report covers the 1994 operations and accomplishments.

PVP-Stabilized Palladium Nanoparticles in Silica as Effective Catalysts for Hydrogenation Reactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caroline Pires Ruas

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Palladium nanoparticles stabilized by poly (N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (PVP can be synthesized by corresponding Pd(acac2 (acac = acetylacetonate as precursor in methanol at 80°C for 2 h followed by reduction with NaBH4 and immobilized onto SiO2 prepared by sol-gel process under acidic conditions (HF or HCl. The PVP/Pd molar ratio is set to 6. The effect of the sol-gel catalyst on the silica morphology and texture and on Pd(0 content was investigated. The catalysts prepared (ca. 2% Pd(0/SiO2/HF and ca. 0,3% Pd(0/SiO2/HCl were characterized by TEM, FAAS, and SEM-EDS. Palladium nanoparticles supported in silica with a size 6.6 ± 1.4 nm were obtained. The catalytic activity was tested in hydrogenation of alkenes.

HDS, HDN and HDA activities of nickel-molybdenum catalysts supported on alumina

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dominguez-Crespo, M.A. [Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, Programa de Tratamiento de Crudo Maya. Avenida Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas No.152, Col. San Bartolo Atepehuacan, 07730, Mexico D. F. (Mexico); Centro de Investigacion en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada (CICATA-Altamira, IPN) Km 14.5 Carretera Tampico-puerto Industrial 89600, Altamira, Tamaulipas (Mexico); Torres-Huerta, A.M.; Ramirez-Meneses, E. [Centro de Investigacion en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada (CICATA-Altamira, IPN) Km 14.5 Carretera Tampico-puerto Industrial 89600, Altamira, Tamaulipas (Mexico); Diaz-Garcia, L. [Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, Programa de Tratamiento de Crudo Maya. Avenida Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas No.152, Col. San Bartolo Atepehuacan, 07730, Mexico D. F. (Mexico); Arce-Estrada, E.M. [Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Departamento de Metalurgia y Materiales. A.P. 75-876, 07300 Mexico, D. F. (Mexico)

2008-08-15

In this work, NiMo-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalysts were prepared by using different alumina precursors. The supports were impregnated by means of the spray at incipient wetness technique in both basic and acid media. Both the supports and fresh catalysts were characterized by the adsorption-desorption isotherms, Temperature-Programmed Reduction (TPR), Thermal Pyridine Adsorption-Desorption (TPD) and X-Ray Diffraction analyses (XRD). After sulfidation, the NiMoS metallic particles were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The initial analyses were performed in a trickle-bed reactor by using a real feedstock (Mexican heavy gas oil) and performing hydrotreating reactions (HDS, HDN and HDA) at three different temperatures: 613, 633 and 653 K; and 54 kg cm{sup -} {sup 2}. The catalytic activities are discussed in relation to the physicochemical properties of the NiMo catalysts, alumina phase and pH of the impregnating solution. The catalytic results show an increase in the conversion profiles with temperature. The sulfur conversion was increased from 89 to 99.25%, 91-99%, 90.8-97%, 83-95% and 78-96% when the crystal size of the support varied from 3 to 20 nm, respectively. The nitrogen and aromatic conversions were also increased in the range of 23-45 wt.%. It was found that the {gamma} phase reached a higher catalytic performance than the {eta} phase. The NiMo catalysts synthesized in a basic medium showed a better catalytic performance than that obtained with those prepared in acid solutions. The significance of the kinetic data to compare the catalysts is discussed. The maximum value of the catalytic activity was reached with the catalysts with the smallest particle sizes. (author)

Carbon-supported co-pyridine as non-platinum cathode catalyst for alkaline membrane fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiao, Jinli; Xu, Li; Liu, Yuyu; Xu, Pan; Shi, Jingjing; Liu, Shiyao; Tian, Binglun

2013-01-01

Development of high-performance cost-effective electrocatalyts that can replace Pt catalyst have been a central theme in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) including direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Here we show that carbon-supported pyridine–cobalt nanoparticles (CoPy/C) can generate a high catalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The catalysts are synthesized using cobalt sulfate heptahydrate (CoSO 4 ·7H 2 O) and pyridine (Py) as the Co and N precursors via a solid state reaction by heat-treatment in an inert atmosphere at 800 °C. In particular, the ORR kinetics on these catalyst materials are evaluated using rotating disk electrode (RDE) technique in electrolytes of various KOH concentrations, ranging from 0.05 to 12 M. The Koutecky–Levich equation analyses indicate that the transferred electron number, n, per oxygen molecule on CoPy/C electrode depend on the low negative ovevrpotentials in low KOH concentrations, whereas in high KOH concentrations the values of n for oxygen reduction depend on the high negative overpotentials, and varies between 3.5 and 4.0. These catalysts exhibit the superior methanol tolerance to commercial 40%Pt/C catalyst, and the negative effect of high KOH concentration is much less for CoPy/C than for Pt/C, suggesting the promising utilization of CoPy/C as electrocatalysts for alkaline polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

Pt/glassy carbon model catalysts prepared from PS-b-P2VP micellar templates.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Yunlong; St-Pierre, Jean; Ploehn, Harry J

2008-11-04

Poly(styrene)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) diblock copolymer was used as a micellar template to fabricate arrays of Pt nanoparticles on mica and glassy carbon (GC) supports. Polymer micellar deposition yields Pt nanoparticles with tunable particle size and surface number density on both mica and GC. After deposition of precursor-loaded micelles onto GC, oxygen plasma etching removes the polymer shell, followed by thermal treatment with H2 gas to reduce the Pt. Etching conditions were optimized to maximize removal of the polymer while minimizing damage to the GC. Arrays of Pt nanoparticles with controlled size and surface number density can be prepared on mica (for particle size characterization) and GC to make Pt/GC model catalysts. These model catalysts were characterized by tapping mode atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry to measure activity for oxidation of carbon monoxide or methanol. Cyclic voltammetry results demonstrate the existence of a correlation between Pt particle size and electrocatalytic properties including onset potential, tolerance of carbonaceous adsorbates, and intrinsic activity (based on active Pt area from CO stripping voltammetry). Results obtained with Pt/GC model catalysts duplicate prior results obtained with Pt/porous carbon catalysts therefore validating the synthesis approach and offering a new, tunable platform to study catalyst structure and other effects such as aging on proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) reactions.

Ternary Pt9RhFex Nanoscale Alloys as Highly Efficient Catalysts with Enhanced Activity and Excellent CO-Poisoning Tolerance for Ethanol Oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Peng; Yin, Shibin; Wen, Ying; Tian, Zhiqun; Wang, Ningzhang; Key, Julian; Wang, Shuangbao; Shen, Pei Kang

2017-03-22

To address the problems of high cost and poor stability of anode catalysts in direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs), ternary nanoparticles Pt 9 RhFe x (x = 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) supported on carbon powders (XC-72R) have been synthesized via a facile method involving reduction by sodium borohydride followed by thermal annealing in N 2 at ambient pressure. The catalysts are physically characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and their catalytic performance for the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is evaluated by cyclic and linear scan voltammetry, CO-stripping voltammograms, and chronopotentiometry. All the Pt 9 RhFe x /C catalysts of different atomic ratios produce high EOR catalytic activity. The catalyst of atomic ratio composition 9:1:3 (Pt/Rh/Fe) has the highest activity and excellent CO-poisoning tolerance. Moreover, the enhanced EOR catalytic activity on Pt 9 RhFe 3 /C when compared to Pt 9 Rh/C, Pt 3 Fe/C, and Pt/C clearly demonstrates the presence of Fe improves catalytic performance. Notably, the onset potential for CO oxidation on Pt 9 RhFe 3 /C (0.271 V) is ∼55, 75, and 191 mV more negative than on Pt 9 Rh/C (0.326 V), Pt 3 Fe/C (0.346 V), and Pt/C (0.462 V), respectively, which implies the presence of Fe atoms dramatically improves CO-poisoning tolerance. Meanwhile, compared to the commercial PtRu/C catalyst, the peak potential on Pt 9 RhFe 3 /C for CO oxidation was just slightly changed after several thousand cycles, which shows high stability against the potential cycling. The possible mechanism by which Fe and Rh atoms facilitate the observed enhanced performance is also considered herein, and we conclude Pt 9 RhFe 3 /C offers a promising anode catalyst for direct ethanol fuel cells.

Platinum and palladium nano-structured catalysts for polymer electrolyte fuel cells and direct methanol fuel cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Nguyen Viet; Thi, Cao Minh; Yong, Yang; Nogami, Masayuki; Ohtaki, Michitaka

2013-07-01

In this review, we present the synthesis and characterization of Pt, Pd, Pt based bimetallic and multi-metallic nanoparticles with mixture, alloy and core-shell structure for nano-catalysis, energy conversion, and fuel cells. Here, Pt and Pd nanoparticles with modified nanostructures can be controllably synthesized via chemistry and physics for their uses as electro-catalysts. The cheap base metal catalysts can be studied in the relationship of crystal structure, size, morphology, shape, and composition for new catalysts with low cost. Thus, Pt based alloy and core-shell catalysts can be prepared with the thin Pt and Pt-Pd shell, which are proposed in low and high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). We also present the survey of the preparation of Pt and Pd based catalysts for the better catalytic activity, high durability, and stability. The structural transformations, quantum-size effects, and characterization of Pt and Pd based catalysts in the size ranges of 30 nm (1-30 nm) are presented in electro-catalysis. In the size range of 10 nm (1-10 nm), the pure Pt catalyst shows very large surface area for electro-catalysis. To achieve homogeneous size distribution, the shaped synthesis of the polyhedral Pt nanoparticles is presented. The new concept of shaping specific shapes and morphologies in the entire nano-scale from nano to micro, such as polyhedral, cube, octahedra, tetrahedra, bar, rod, and others of the nanoparticles is proposed, especially for noble and cheap metals. The uniform Pt based nanosystems of surface structure, internal structure, shape, and morphology in the nanosized ranges are very crucial to next fuel cells. Finally, the modifications of Pt and Pd based catalysts of alloy, core-shell, and mixture structures lead to find high catalytic activity, durability, and stability for nano-catalysis, energy conversion, fuel cells, especially the next large-scale commercialization of next

New Cu-based catalysts supported on TiO2 films for Ullmann SnAr-type C-O coupling reactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benaskar, F.; Engels, V.; Rebrov, E.; Patil, N.G.; Meuldijk, J.; Thuene, P.C.; Magusin, P.C.M.M.; Mezari, B.; Hessel, V.; Hulshof, L.A.; Hensen, E.J.M.; Wheatley, A.E.H.; Schouten, J.C.

2012-01-01

New routes for the preparation of highly active TiO2-supported Cu and CuZn catalysts have been developed for CO coupling reactions. Slurries of a titania precursor were dip-coated onto glass beads to obtain either structured mesoporous or non-porous titania thin films. The Cu and CuZn nanoparticles,

Studies on recycling and utilization of spent catalysts. Preparation of active hydrodemetallization catalyst compositions from spent residue hydroprocessing catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marafi, Meena; Stanislaus, Antony [Petroleum Refining Department, Petroleum Research and Studies Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat (Kuwait)

2007-02-15

Spent catalysts form a major source of solid wastes in the petroleum refining industries. Due to environmental concerns, increasing emphasis has been placed on the development of recycling processes for the waste catalyst materials as much as possible. In the present study the potential reuse of spent catalysts in the preparation of active new catalysts for residual oil hydrotreating was examined. A series of catalysts were prepared by mixing and extruding spent residue hydroprocessing catalysts that contained C, V, Mo, Ni and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} with boehmite in different proportions. All prepared catalysts were characterized by chemical analysis and by surface area, pore volume, pore size and crushing strength measurements. The hydrodesulfurization (HDS) and hydrodemetallization (HDM) activities of the catalysts were evaluated by testing in a high pressure fixed-bed microreactor unit using Kuwait atmospheric residue as feed. A commercial HDM catalyst was also tested under similar operating conditions and their HDS and HDM activities were compared with that of the prepared catalysts. The results revealed that catalyst prepared with addition of up to 40 wt% spent catalyst to boehmite had fairly high surface area and pore volume together with large pores. The catalyst prepared by mixing and extruding about 40 wt% spent catalyst with boehmite was relatively more active for promoting HDM and HDS reactions than a reference commercial HDM catalyst. The formation of some kind of new active sites from the metals (V, Mo and Ni) present in the spent catalyst is suggested to be responsible for the high HDM activity of the prepared catalyst. (author)

A Nanomesoporous Catalyst from Modified Red Mud and Its Application for Methane Decomposition to Hydrogen Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoke Fang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A type of nanomesoporous modified red mud (MRM catalyst was prepared and utilized for catalytic methane decomposition (CMD to produce hydrogen. The modification process significantly simplified the mineral composition of the red mud (RM; in the meantime, the physical and chemical structure of RM was changed. TEM images suggested that MRM was a kind of nanomesoporous material assembled by a number of uniformly nanoscale particles, BET results showed that the pore size distributions of MRM were ranged from 3 to 12 nm, and the specific surface area and total pore volumes of red mud improved from 8.00 m2/g and 0.08 cm3/g to 190.61 m2/g and 0.39 cm3/g, respectively. The catalytic performance of the catalysts has been tested at 800°C; the results showed that MRM exhibited much higher activity and stability than RM for CMD.

Relevance of the Physicochemical Properties of Calcined Quail Eggshell (CaO as a Catalyst for Biodiesel Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leandro Marques Correia

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The CaO solid derived from natural quail eggshell was calcined and employed as catalyst to produce biodiesel via transesterification of sunflower oil. The natural quail eggshell was calcined at 900°C for 3 h, in order to modify the calcium carbonate present in its structure in CaO, the activity phase of the catalyst. Both precursor and catalyst were characterized using Hammett indicators method, X-ray fluorescence (XRF, X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG, CO2 temperature-programmed desorption (CO2-TPD, X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy (XPS, Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, N2 adsorption-desorption at −196°C, and distribution particle size. The maximum biodiesel production was of 99.00 ± 0.02 wt.% obtained in the following transesterification reaction conditions: XMR (sunflower oil/methanol molar ratio of 1 : 10.5 mol : mol, XCAT (catalyst loading of 2 wt.%, XTIME (reaction time of 2 h, stirring rate of 1000 rpm, and temperature of 60°C.

Role of the metal oxidation state in the SNS-Cr catalyst for ethylene trimerization: Isolation of Di- and trivalent cationic intermediates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jabri, A.; Temple, C.N.; Crewdson, P.; Gambarotta, S.; Korobkov, I.V.; Duchateau, R.

2006-01-01

The reaction of the highly selective [CySCH2CH2N(H)CH2CH2SCy]CrCl3 catalyst precursor with alkyl aluminum activators was examined with the aim of isolating reactive intermediates. Reaction with Me3Al afforded a cationic trivalent chromium alkyl species

Deactivation-resistant catalyst for selective catalyst reduction of NOx

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2011-01-01

The present invention relates to a catalyst for selective catalytic reduction of NOx in alkali metal containing flue gas using ammonia as reductant, the catalyst comprising a surface with catalytically active sites, wherein the surface is at least partly coated with a coating comprising at least...... one metal oxide. In another aspect the present invention relates to the use of said catalyst and to a method of producing said catalyst. In addition, the present invention relates to a method of treating an catalyst for conferring thereon an improved resistance to alkali poisoning....

Catalyst of a metal heteropoly acid salt that is insoluble in a polar solvent on a non-metallic porous support and method of making

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yong [Richland, WA; Peden, Charles H. F. [West Richland, WA; Choi, Saemin [Richland, WA

2002-10-29

The present invention includes a catalyst having (a) a non-metallic support having a plurality of pores; (b) a metal heteropoly acid salt that is insoluble in a polar solvent on the non-metallic support; wherein at least a portion of the metal heteropoly acid salt is dispersed within said plurality of pores. The present invention also includes a method of depositing a metal heteropoly acid salt that is insoluble in a polar solvent onto a non-metallic support having a plurality of pores. The method has the steps of: (a) obtaining a first solution containing a first precursor of a metal salt cation; (b) obtaining a second solution containing a second precursor of a heteropoly acid anion in a solvent having a limited dissolution potential for said first precursor; (c) impregnating the non-metallic support with the first precursor forming a first precursor deposit within the plurality of pores, forming a first precursor impregnated support; (d) heating said first precursor impregnated support forming a bonded first precursor impregnated support; (e) impregnating the second precursor that reacts with the precursor deposit and forms the metal heteropoly acid salt.

Alkaline ionic liquids applied in supported ionic liquid catalyst for selective hydrogenation of citral to citronellal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eero eSalminen

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The challenge in preparation of ionic liquids containing a strong alkaline anion is to identify a suitable cation which can tolerate the harsh conditions induced by the anion. In this study, a commercial quaternary ammonium compound (quat benzalkonium [ADBA] (alkyldimethylbenzylammonium was used as a cation in the synthesis of different alkaline ionic liquids. In fact, the precursor, benzalkonium chloride, is a mixture of alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chlorides of various alkyl chain lengths and is commonly used in the formulation of various antiseptic products. The prepared ionic liquids were utilized as Supported Ionic Liquid Catalysts (SILCAs. Typically, a SILCA contains metal nanoparticles, enzymes or metal complexes in an ionic liquid layer which is immobilized on a solid carrier material such as an active carbon cloth (ACC. The catalysts were applied in the selective hydrogenation of citral to citronellal which is an important perfumery chemical. Interestingly, 70 % molar yield towards citronellal was achieved over a catalyst containing the alkaline ionic liquid benzalkonium methoxide.

Alkaline ionic liquids applied in supported ionic liquid catalyst for selective hydrogenation of citral to citronellal

Science.gov (United States)

Salminen, Eero; Virtanen, Pasi; Mikkola, Jyri-Pekka

2014-01-01

The challenge in preparation of ionic liquids containing a strong alkaline anion is to identify a suitable cation which can tolerate the harsh conditions induced by the anion. In this study, a commercial quaternary ammonium compound (quat) benzalkonium [ADBA] (alkyldimethylbenzylammonium) was used as a cation in the synthesis of different alkaline ionic liquids. In fact, the precursor, benzalkonium chloride, is a mixture of alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chlorides of various alkyl chain lengths and is commonly used in the formulation of various antiseptic products. The prepared ionic liquids were utilized as Supported Ionic Liquid Catalysts (SILCAs). Typically, a SILCA contains metal nanoparticles, enzymes, or metal complexes in an ionic liquid layer which is immobilized on a solid carrier material such as an active carbon cloth (ACC). The catalysts were applied in the selective hydrogenation of citral to citronellal which is an important perfumery chemical. Interestingly, 70% molar yield toward citronellal was achieved over a catalyst containing the alkaline ionic liquid benzalkonium methoxide. PMID:24790972

Synthesis and characterization of novel intermetallic catalysts for hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to methanol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fiordaliso, Elisabetta Maria; Sharafutdinov, Irek; Chorkendorff, Ib

Novel Ni5Ga3 and Pd2Ga catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol are prepared by impregnation of aqueous Ni-Ga or Pd-Ga solutions of metal nitrates into high surface area SiO2, followed by drying, calcinations and reduction of the precursor in a H2 flow. Steady state experiments are performed...... in a reactor at atmospheric pressure and stoichiometric CO2/H2 mixture, while reaction products are analyzed by gas chromatography. The results are compared to the highly optimized Cu/ZnO/Al2O3. The activity and selectivity of the novel catalysts is close to that of Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 and the equilibrium conversion...... to CH3OH is found to be higher. XRD and XRF are used to investigate the phase and composition of the supported catalysts at the 5 stages of testing, i.e. after drying, calcination, reduction, CO2 hydrogenation, rapid ageing. SEM and TEM images of the exact same locations are acquired after each of the 5...

Characteristics and properties of nano-LiCoO2 synthesized by pre-organized single source precursors: Li-ion diffusivity, electrochemistry and biological assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Brog, Jean-Pierre; Crochet, Aurélien; Seydoux, Joël; Clift, Martin J D; Baichette, Benoît; Maharajan, Sivarajakumar; Barosova, Hana; Brodard, Pierre; Spodaryk, Mariana; Züttel, Andreas; Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara; Kwon, Nam Hee; Fromm, Katharina M

2017-08-22

LiCoO 2 is one of the most used cathode materials in Li-ion batteries. Its conventional synthesis requires high temperature (>800 °C) and long heating time (>24 h) to obtain the micronscale rhombohedral layered high-temperature phase of LiCoO 2 (HT-LCO). Nanoscale HT-LCO is of interest to improve the battery performance as the lithium (Li + ) ion pathway is expected to be shorter in nanoparticles as compared to micron sized ones. Since batteries typically get recycled, the exposure to nanoparticles during this process needs to be evaluated. Several new single source precursors containing lithium (Li + ) and cobalt (Co 2+ ) ions, based on alkoxides and aryloxides have been structurally characterized and were thermally transformed into nanoscale HT-LCO at 450 °C within few hours. The size of the nanoparticles depends on the precursor, determining the electrochemical performance. The Li-ion diffusion coefficients of our LiCoO 2 nanoparticles improved at least by a factor of 10 compared to commercial one, while showing good reversibility upon charging and discharging. The hazard of occupational exposure to nanoparticles during battery recycling was investigated with an in vitro multicellular lung model. Our heterobimetallic single source precursors allow to dramatically reduce the production temperature and time for HT-LCO. The obtained nanoparticles of LiCoO 2 have faster kinetics for Li + insertion/extraction compared to microparticles. Overall, nano-sized LiCoO 2 particles indicate a lower cytotoxic and (pro-)inflammogenic potential in vitro compared to their micron-sized counterparts. However, nanoparticles aggregate in air and behave partially like microparticles.

POROUS ALUMINOPHOSPHATES :From Molecular Sieves to Designed Acid Catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Pastore, H. O.; Coluccia, S.; Marchese, L.

2005-08-01

This review covers the synthesis, characterization, and physico-chemical properties of microporous and mesoporous aluminophosphates and silicoaluminophosphates molecular sieves. Particular emphasis is given to the materials that have found applications as acid catalysts. We consider the evolution of the synthesis procedures from the first discoveries to the current methodologies and give perspectives for new possible synthesis strategies. Emphasis is given to the use of specially prepared precursors/reactants designed for the use as molecular sieves. Experimental (especially MAS-NMR and FTIR spectroscopy) and theoretical approaches to the description of the Si insertion into the ALPO framework and to the acidic properties of SAPOs and MeAPSOs materials are discussed.

N, S co-doped carbon spheres with highly dispersed CoO as non-precious metal catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Linlin; Guo, Xingpeng; Zhang, Guoan

2017-08-01

It is still a great challenge in preparing non-precious metal catalysts with high activity and long-term stability to substitute for precious metal catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells. Herein, we report a novel and facile catalyst-N, S co-doped carbon spheres with highly dispersed CoO (CoO@NS-CSs), where biomass glucose spheres act as carbon precursor and H2S, NH3 derived from the decomposition of thiourea not only provide N, S sources but also can etch carbon spheres to produce nanoporous structure. CoO@NS-CSs catalyst exhibits excellent ORR activity with a high onset potential of 0.946 V vs. RHE (reversible hydrogen electrode) and a half-wave potential of 0.821 V vs. RHE through a four-electron pathway in alkaline solution, which is comparable to commercial Pt/C catalyst (onset potential: 0.926 V vs. RHE, half-wave potential: 0.827 V vs. RHE). Furthermore, both the long-term stability and methanol-tolerance of CoO@NS-CSs catalyst are superior to those of commercial Pt/C catalyst. The excellent ORR performance of CoO@NS-CSs catalyst can be attributed to its micro-mesopore structure, high specific surface area (667 m2 g-1), and highly dispersed CoO. This work manifests that the obtained CoO@NS-CSs catalyst is promising to be applied to fuel cells.

Chemical vapor deposition growth of carbon nanotubes on Si substrates using Fe catalyst: What happens at the nanotube/Fe/Si interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chakraborty, Amit K.; Jacobs, J.; Anderson, C.; Roberts, C. J.; Hunt, Michael R. C.

2006-01-01

Direct growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on silicon is of great importance for their potential exploitation in the semiconductor industry. In this article we investigate the chemical vapor deposition growth of CNTs on Si substrates from ethylene precursor using an iron catalyst. We observe that CNTs are produced only at temperatures between 830 and 980 deg. C, and within this narrow temperature window CNT yield initially increases with temperature to reach a maximum around 900 deg. C and then declines. While the requirement of a minimum temperature to initiate CNT growth can be understood by considering the minimum energy necessary to activate the catalyst particles, characterization of the as-grown CNTs by atomic force microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that a loss of catalyst is responsible for the observed decline in CNT yield above 900 deg. C. However, unlike some previous reports suggesting surface silicide formation as the mechanism for catalyst loss, we find that either subsurface diffusion or evaporation is the mechanism for the loss of catalyst material in the current study

Towards Highly Performing and Stable PtNi Catalysts in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells for Automotive Application

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Sabrina C. Zignani

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In order to help the introduction on the automotive market of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs, it is mandatory to develop highly performing and stable catalysts. The main objective of this work is to investigate PtNi/C catalysts in a PEFC under low relative humidity and pressure conditions, more representative of automotive applications. Carbon supported PtNi nanoparticles were prepared by reduction of metal precursors with formic acid and successive thermal and leaching treatments. The effect of the chemical composition, structure and surface characteristics of the synthesized samples on their electrochemical behavior was investigated. The catalyst characterized by a larger Pt content (Pt3Ni2/C presented the highest catalytic activity (lower potential losses in the activation region among the synthesized bimetallic PtNi catalysts and the commercial Pt/C, used as the reference material, after testing at high temperature (95 °C and low humidification (50% conditions for automotive applications, showing a cell potential (ohmic drop-free of 0.82 V at 500 mA·cm−2. In order to assess the electro-catalysts stability, accelerated degradation tests were carried out by cycling the cell potential between 0.6 V and 1.2 V. By comparing the electrochemical and physico-chemical parameters at the beginning of life (BoL and end of life (EoL, it was demonstrated that the Pt1Ni1/C catalyst was the most stable among the catalyst series, with only a 2% loss of voltage at 200 mA·cm−2 and 12.5% at 950 mA·cm−2. However, further improvements are needed to produce durable catalysts.

Topotactic Synthesis of Porous Cobalt Ferrite Platelets from a Layered Double Hydroxide Precursor and Their Application in Oxidation Catalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortega, Klaus Friedel; Anke, Sven; Salamon, Soma; Özcan, Fatih; Heese, Justus; Andronescu, Corina; Landers, Joachim; Wende, Heiko; Schuhmann, Wolfgang; Muhler, Martin; Lunkenbein, Thomas; Behrens, Malte

2017-09-12

Monocrystalline, yet porous mosaic platelets of cobalt ferrite, CoFe 2 O 4 , can be synthesized from a layered double hydroxide (LDH) precursor by thermal decomposition. Using an equimolar mixture of Fe 2+ , Co 2+ , and Fe 3+ during co-precipitation, a mixture of LDH, (Fe II Co II ) 2/3 Fe III 1/3 (OH) 2 (CO 3 ) 1/6 ⋅m H 2 O, and the target spinel CoFe 2 O 4 can be obtained in the precursor. During calcination, the remaining Fe II fraction of the LDH is oxidized to Fe III leading to an overall Co 2+ :Fe 3+ ratio of 1:2 as required for spinel crystallization. This pre-adjustment of the spinel composition in the LDH precursor suggests a topotactic crystallization of cobalt ferrite and yields phase pure spinel in unusual anisotropic platelet morphology. The preferred topotactic relationship in most particles is [111] Spinel ∥[001] LDH . Due to the anion decomposition, holes are formed throughout the quasi monocrystalline platelets. This synthesis approach can be used for different ferrites and the unique microstructure leads to unusual chemical properties as shown by the application of the ex-LDH cobalt ferrite as catalyst in the selective oxidation of 2-propanol. Compared to commercial cobalt ferrite, which mainly catalyzes the oxidative dehydrogenation to acetone, the main reaction over the novel ex-LDH cobalt is dehydration to propene. Moreover, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity of the ex-LDH catalyst was markedly higher compared to the commercial material. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Use of Novel Bimetal Oxide Catalyst for Photoassisted Degradation of Malachite Green Dye

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K. L. Ameta

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This work reports a simple, novel, and cost effective synthesis of nanobimetal oxide catalyst using cerium and cadmium nitrates as metal precursors. The cerium-cadmium oxide nanophotocatalyst was synthesized by coprecipitation method and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction method to analyze the particle size. XRD study reveals a high degree of crystallinity and 28.43 nm particle size. The photocatalytic efficiency of the synthesized nanobimetal catalyst was examined by using it for the photocatalytic degradation of malachite green dye. Experiments were conducted to study the effect of various parameters, such as the pH of the dye solution, concentration of dye, amount of catalyst, and light intensity on the rate of dye degradation. The progress of the dye degradation was monitored spectrophotometrically by taking the optical density of the dye solution at regular intervals. Experimental results indicate that the dye degrades best at pH 8.0 with light intensity 600 Wm−2 and catalyst loading 0.03 g/50 mL of dye solution. The rate constant for the reaction was 7.67 × 10−4 s−1.

Enhanced nanoscale friction on fluorinated graphene.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Sangku; Ko, Jae-Hyeon; Jeon, Ki-Joon; Kim, Yong-Hyun; Park, Jeong Young

2012-12-12

Atomically thin graphene is an ideal model system for studying nanoscale friction due to its intrinsic two-dimensional (2D) anisotropy. Furthermore, modulating its tribological properties could be an important milestone for graphene-based micro- and nanomechanical devices. Here, we report unexpectedly enhanced nanoscale friction on chemically modified graphene and a relevant theoretical analysis associated with flexural phonons. Ultrahigh vacuum friction force microscopy measurements show that nanoscale friction on the graphene surface increases by a factor of 6 after fluorination of the surface, while the adhesion force is slightly reduced. Density functional theory calculations show that the out-of-plane bending stiffness of graphene increases up to 4-fold after fluorination. Thus, the less compliant F-graphene exhibits more friction. This indicates that the mechanics of tip-to-graphene nanoscale friction would be characteristically different from that of conventional solid-on-solid contact and would be dominated by the out-of-plane bending stiffness of the chemically modified graphene. We propose that damping via flexural phonons could be a main source for frictional energy dissipation in 2D systems such as graphene.

Nanoscale Electrochemical Sensing and Processing in Microreactors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Odijk, Mathieu; van den Berg, Albert

2018-01-01

In this review, we summarize recent advances in nanoscale electrochemistry, including the use of nanoparticles, carbon nanomaterials, and nanowires. Exciting developments are reported for nanoscale redox cycling devices, which can chemically amplify signal readout. We also discuss promising

Efficient electrochemical water oxidation in neutral and near-neutral systems by nanoscale silver-oxide catalyst

KAUST Repository

Joya, Khurram Saleem; Ahmad, Zahoor; Joya, Yasir Faheem; Garcia Esparza, Angel T.; de Groot, Huub

2016-01-01

In electrocatalytic water splitting systems pursuing for renewable energy using sun light, developing robust, stable and easy accessible materials operating under mild chemical conditions is pivotal. We present here unique nano-particulate type silver-oxide (AgOx-NP) based robust and highly stable electrocatalyst for efficient water oxidation. The AgOx-NP is generated in situ in a HCO3–/CO2 system under benign conditions. Mircographs show that they exhibit nanoscale box type squared nano-bipyramidal configuration. The oxygen generation is initiated at low overpotential, and a sustained O2 evolution current density of > 1.1 mA cm–2 is achieved during prolonged-period water electrolysis. The AgOx-NP electrocatalyst performs exceptionally well in metal-ions free neutral or near-neutral carbonate, phosphate and borate buffers relative to recently reported Co-oxide and Ni-oxide based heterogeneous electrocatalysts, which are unstable in metal-ions free electrolyte and tend to degrade with time and lose catalytic performance during long-term experimental tests.

Pervasive nanoscale deformation twinning as a catalyst for efficient energy dissipation in a bioceramic armour

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ling; Ortiz, Christine

2014-05-01

Hierarchical composite materials design in biological exoskeletons achieves penetration resistance through a variety of energy-dissipating mechanisms while simultaneously balancing the need for damage localization to avoid compromising the mechanical integrity of the entire structure and to maintain multi-hit capability. Here, we show that the shell of the bivalve Placuna placenta (~99 wt% calcite), which possesses the unique optical property of ~80% total transmission of visible light, simultaneously achieves penetration resistance and deformation localization via increasing energy dissipation density (0.290 ± 0.072 nJ μm-3) by approximately an order of magnitude relative to single-crystal geological calcite (0.034 ± 0.013 nJ μm-3). P. placenta, which is composed of a layered assembly of elongated diamond-shaped calcite crystals, undergoes pervasive nanoscale deformation twinning (width ~50 nm) surrounding the penetration zone, which catalyses a series of additional inelastic energy dissipating mechanisms such as interfacial and intracrystalline nanocracking, viscoplastic stretching of interfacial organic material, and nanograin formation and reorientation.

Efficient electrochemical water oxidation in neutral and near-neutral systems by nanoscale silver-oxide catalyst

KAUST Repository

Joya, Khurram Saleem

2016-07-19

In electrocatalytic water splitting systems pursuing for renewable energy using sun light, developing robust, stable and easy accessible materials operating under mild chemical conditions is pivotal. We present here unique nano-particulate type silver-oxide (AgOx-NP) based robust and highly stable electrocatalyst for efficient water oxidation. The AgOx-NP is generated in situ in a HCO3–/CO2 system under benign conditions. Mircographs show that they exhibit nanoscale box type squared nano-bipyramidal configuration. The oxygen generation is initiated at low overpotential, and a sustained O2 evolution current density of > 1.1 mA cm–2 is achieved during prolonged-period water electrolysis. The AgOx-NP electrocatalyst performs exceptionally well in metal-ions free neutral or near-neutral carbonate, phosphate and borate buffers relative to recently reported Co-oxide and Ni-oxide based heterogeneous electrocatalysts, which are unstable in metal-ions free electrolyte and tend to degrade with time and lose catalytic performance during long-term experimental tests.

Hydrogen Production via Glycerol Dry Reforming over La-Ni/Al2O3 Catalyst

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Kah Weng Siew

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Glycerol (a bio-waste generated from biodiesel production has been touted as a promising bio-syngas precursor via reforming route. Previous studies have indicated that carbon deposition is the major performance-limiting factor for nickel (Ni catalyst during glycerol steam reforming. In the current paper, dry (CO2-reforming of glycerol, a new reforming route was carried out over alumina (Al2O3-supported non-promoted and lanthanum-promoted Ni catalysts. Both sets of catalysts were synthesized via wet co-impregnation procedure. The physicochemical characterization of the catalyst showed that the promoted catalyst possessed smaller metal crystallite size, hence higher metal dispersion compared to the virgin Ni/Al2O3 catalyst. This was also corroborated by the surface images captured by the FESEM analysis. In addition, BET surface area measurement gave 92.05m²/g for non-promoted Ni catalyst whilst promoted catalysts showed an average of 1 to 6% improvement depending on the La loading. Reaction studies at 873 K showed that glycerol dry reforming successfully produced H2 with glycerol conversion and H2 yield that peaked at 9.7% and 25% respectively over 2wt% La content. The optimum catalytic performance by 2%La-Ni/Al2O3 can be attributed to the larger BET surface area and smaller crystallite size that ensured accessibility of active catalytic sites.  © 2013 BCREC UNDIP. All rights reservedReceived: 12nd May 2013; Revised: 7th October 2013; Accepted: 16th October 2013[How to Cite: Siew, K.W., Lee, H.C., Gimbun, J., Cheng, C.K. (2013. Hydrogen Production via Glycerol Dry Reforming over La-Ni/Al2O3 Catalyst. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis, 8 (2: 160-166. (doi:10.9767/bcrec.8.2.4874.160-166][Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.8.2.4874.160-166

Oxygen-promoted catalyst sintering influences number density, alignment, and wall number of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Wenbo; Li, Jinjing; Polsen, Erik S; Oliver, C Ryan; Zhao, Yikun; Meshot, Eric R; Barclay, Michael; Fairbrother, D Howard; Hart, A John; Plata, Desiree L

2017-04-20

A lack of synthetic control and reproducibility during vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) synthesis has stifled many promising applications of organic nanomaterials. Oxygen-containing species are particularly precarious in that they have both beneficial and deleterious effects and are notoriously difficult to control. Here, we demonstrated diatomic oxygen's ability, independent of water, to tune oxide-supported catalyst thin film dewetting and influence nanoscale (diameter and wall number) and macro-scale (alignment and density) properties for as-grown vertically aligned CNTs. In particular, single- or few-walled CNT forests were achieved at very low oxygen loading, with single-to-multi-walled CNT diameters ranging from 4.8 ± 1.3 nm to 6.4 ± 1.1 nm over 0-800 ppm O 2 , and an expected variation in alignment, where both were related to the annealed catalyst morphology. Morphological differences were not the result of subsurface diffusion, but instead occurred via Ostwald ripening under several hundred ppm O 2 , and this effect was mitigated by high H 2 concentrations and not due to water vapor (as confirmed in O 2 -free water addition experiments), supporting the importance of O 2 specifically. Further characterization of the interface between the Fe catalyst and Al 2 O 3 support revealed that either oxygen-deficit metal oxide or oxygen-adsorption on metals could be functional mechanisms for the observed catalyst nanoparticle evolution. Taken as a whole, our results suggest that the impacts of O 2 and H 2 on the catalyst evolution have been underappreciated and underleveraged in CNT synthesis, and these could present a route toward facile manipulation of CNT forest morphology through control of the reactive gaseous atmosphere alone.

Strong Schottky barrier reduction at Au-catalyst/GaAs-nanowire interfaces by electric dipole formation and Fermi-level unpinning.

Science.gov (United States)

Suyatin, Dmitry B; Jain, Vishal; Nebol'sin, Valery A; Trägårdh, Johanna; Messing, Maria E; Wagner, Jakob B; Persson, Olof; Timm, Rainer; Mikkelsen, Anders; Maximov, Ivan; Samuelson, Lars; Pettersson, Håkan

2014-01-01

Nanoscale contacts between metals and semiconductors are critical for further downscaling of electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, realizing nanocontacts poses significant challenges since conventional approaches to achieve ohmic contacts through Schottky barrier suppression are often inadequate. Here we report the realization and characterization of low n-type Schottky barriers (~0.35 eV) formed at epitaxial contacts between Au-In alloy catalytic particles and GaAs-nanowires. In comparison to previous studies, our detailed characterization, employing selective electrical contacts defined by high-precision electron beam lithography, reveals the barrier to occur directly and solely at the abrupt interface between the catalyst and nanowire. We attribute this lowest-to-date-reported Schottky barrier to a reduced density of pinning states (~10(17) m(-2)) and the formation of an electric dipole layer at the epitaxial contacts. The insight into the physical mechanisms behind the observed low-energy Schottky barrier may guide future efforts to engineer abrupt nanoscale electrical contacts with tailored electrical properties.

A tailored catalyst for the sustainable conversion of glycerol to acrolein: mechanistic aspect of sequential dehydration.

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Danim; Kim, Tae Yong; Park, Dae Sung; Yun, Yang Sik; Han, Jeong Woo; Yi, Jongheop

2014-08-01

Developing a catalyst to resolve deactivation caused from coke is a primary challenge in the dehydration of glycerol to acrolein. An open-macropore-structured and Brønsted-acidic catalyst (Marigold-like silica functionalized with sulfonic acid groups, MS-FS) was synthesized for the stable and selective production of acrolein from glycerol. A high acrolein yield of 73% was achieved and maintained for 50 h in the presence of the MS-FS catalyst. The hierarchical structure of the catalyst with macropores was found to have an important effect on the stability of the catalyst because coke polymerization and pore blocking caused by coke deposition were inhibited. In addition, the behavior of 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde (3-HPA) during the sequential dehydration was studied using density functional theory (DFT) calculations because 3-HPA conversion is one of the main causes for coke formation. We found that the easily reproducible Brønsted acid sites in MS-FS permit the selective and stable production of acrolein. This is because the reactive intermediate (3-HPA) is readily adsorbed on the regenerated acid sites, which is essential for the selective production of acrolein during the sequential dehydration. The regeneration ability of the acid sites is related not only to the selective production of acrolein but also to the retardation of catalyst deactivation by suppressing the formation of coke precursors originating from 3-HPA degradation. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

ESTUDIO DE LA ESTABILIDAD ESTRUCTURAL DE ÓXIDOS MIXTOS Zn-Al TIPO HIDROTALCITA EN PRECURSORES CATALÍTICOS CoNiMo FRENTE HDS DE TIOFENO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruth Alvarez

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The oil industry is one of the main sources responsible for atmospheric emissions such as: CO, CO2, SO2, NOX, hydrocarbons and suspended particles, which seeks to mitigate environmental pollution from its refineries using some processes, such as hydrotreatment (HDT. The heart of the HDT is the catalysts used, depending on the catalytic support and the metals used during its formulation. Therefore, this research focused on studying the structural stability of mixed Zn-Al type hydrotalcite (HT oxides in catalysts CoNiMo versus thiophene HDS at a calcination temperature of 450 ° C. Initially, the catalytic support HT was synthesized at varying Zn-Al ratios of 0,00 to 1, 00Al, once the optimal range of HT (0,00-0,33Al was obtained, the catalytic precursors CoMo / NiMo, through two stages of calcination, the first is impregnated the support type hydrotalcite (HT without calcining with the metals CoNi and CoMo, after impregnating with these metals is calcined once only; While in the second stage the solids are calcined before impregnation and after impregnation with the aforementioned metals. The obtained results show an excellent performance for the catalysts with double calcination stage, being CoMo precursors more effective than NiMo; this can be justified by the physicochemical characteristics of the phases of the metals involved and their coordination vacancies.

Nanoscale magnetic characterization of tunneling magnetoresistance spin valve head by electron holography.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hyun Soon; Hirata, Kei; Yanagisawa, Keiichi; Ishida, Yoichi; Matsuda, Tsuyoshi; Shindo, Daisuke; Tonomura, Akira

2012-12-07

Nanostructured magnetic materials play an important role in increasing miniaturized devices. For the studies of their magnetic properties and behaviors, nanoscale imaging of magnetic field is indispensible. Here, using electron holography, the magnetization distribution of a TMR spin valve head of commercial design is investigated without and with a magnetic field applied. Characterized is the magnetic flux distribution in complex hetero-nanostructures by averaging the phase images and separating their component magnetic vectors and electric potentials. The magnetic flux densities of the NiFe (shield and 5 nm-free layers) and the CoPt (20 nm-bias layer) are estimated to be 1.0 T and 0.9 T, respectively. The changes in the magnetization distribution of the shield, bias, and free layers are visualized in situ for an applied field of 14 kOe. This study demonstrates the promise of electron holography for characterizing the magnetic properties of hetero-interfaces, nanostructures, and catalysts. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A Phenomenological Study on the Synergistic Role of Precious Metals in the Steam Reforming of Logistic Fuels on Bimetal-Supported Catalysts

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Abdul-Majeed Azad

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Fuel processors are required to convert sulfur-laden logistic fuels into hydrogen-rich reformate and deliver to the fuel cell stack with little or no sulfur. Since sulfur poisons and deactivates the reforming catalyst, robust sulfur-tolerant catalysts ought to be developed. In this paper, the development, characterization and evaluation of a series of reforming catalysts containing two noble metals (with total metal loading not exceeding 1 weight percent supported on nanoscale ceria for the steam-reforming of kerosene is reported. Due to inherent synergy, a bimetallic catalyst is superior to its monometallic analog, for the same level of loading. The choice of noble metal combination in the bimetallic formulations plays a vital and meaningful role in their performance. Presence of ruthenium and/or rhodium in formulations containing palladium showed improved sulfur tolerance and significant enhancement in their catalytic activity and stability. Rhodium was responsible for higher hydrogen yields in the logistic fuel reformate. Duration of steady hydrogen production was higher in the case of RhPd (75 h than for RuPd (68 h; hydrogen generation was stable over the longest period (88 h with RuRh containing no Pd. A mechanistic correlation between the characteristic role of precious metals in the presence of each other is discussed.

Efficient Air Desulfurization Catalysts Derived from Pig Manure Liquefaction Char

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Rajiv Wallace

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Biochar from the liquefaction of pig manure was used as a precursor of H2S desulfurization adsorbents. In its inorganic matter, it contains marked quantities of calcium, magnesium and iron, which are known as hydrogen sulfide oxidation catalysts. The char was used either as-received or mixed with 10% nanographite. The latter was added to increase both the content of the carbon phase and conductivity. ZnCl2 in two different ratios of char to an activation agent (1:1 and 1:2 was used to create the porosity in the carbon phase. The content of the later was between 18–45%. The activated samples adsorbed 144 mg/g H2S. Sulfur was the predominant product of reactive adsorption. Its deposition in the pore system and blockage of the most active pores ceased the materials’ activity. The presence of the catalytic phase was necessary but not sufficient to guarantee good performance. The developed porosity, which can store oxidation products in the resulting composite, is essential for the good performance of the desulfurization process. The surface of the composite with nanographite showed the highest catalytic activity, similar to that of the commercial Midas® carbon catalyst. The results obtained indicate that a high quality reactive adsorbent/catalyst for H2S removal can be obtained from pig manure liquefaction wastes.

A Study of Iron-Nitrogen-Carbon Fuel Cell Catalysts: Chemistry - Nanostructure - Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Workman, Michael J., Jr.

Fuel cells have the potential to be a pollution-free, low-cost, and energy efficient alternative to the internal combustion engine for transportation and small-scale stationary power applications. The current state of fuel cell technology has already achieved two of these three lofty goals. The remaining barrier to wide-scale deployment is the high cost, which is primarily caused by dependence on large amounts of platinum to catalyze the energy conversion reactions. To overcome this barrier and facilitate the integration of fuel cells into mainstream applications, research into a new class of catalyst materials that do not require platinum is needed. There has been a significant amount of research effort directed toward the development of platinum-group metal free (PGM-free) catalysts, yet there is a lack of consensus on both the engineering parameters necessary to improve the technology and the fundamental science that would facilitate rational design. I have engaged in research on PGM-free catalysts based on inexpensive and abundant reagents, specifically: nicarbazin and iron. Catalysts made from these precursors have previously proven to be among the best PGM-free catalysts, but their continued advancement suffered from the same lack of understanding that besets all catalysts in this class. The work I have performed address both engineering concerns and fundamental underlying principles. I present results demonstrating correlations between physical structure, chemical speciation, and synthesis parameters, as well as addressing active site chemistry and likely locations. My research presented herein introduces new morphology analysis techniques and elucidates several key structure-to-property characteristics of catalysts derived from iron and nicarbazin. I discuss the development and application of a new length-scale specific surface analysis technique that allows for analysis of well-defined size ranges from a few nm to several microns. The existing technique of

Molybdenum acetate like precursor of molybdenum carburized supported on alumina: a catalyst for hydrogenation reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petkovic, Lucia M; Parra, Ruben D; Marquez Manuel; Larsen, Gustavo

1994-01-01

The stability of the Al203 supported dimers under relatively high temperatures and hydrocarbon/H2 (carburizing) atmospheres is reported also, it has been developed a new method for Mo2 loading of the support based on the wet impregnation of the latter. Since carbided Mo is active for hydrogenations, the isobutene/H2 has been chosen as the probe reaction. Al203 supported Mo2(Ac)4 results in a catalyst active for isobutene hydrogenation after treatment with a H2/C2H6 2:1 mixture at 753 k

[In situ diffuse reflectance FTIR spectroscopy study of CO adsorption on Ni2P/mesoporous molecule sieve catalysts].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qian-qian; Ji, Sheng-fu; Wu, Ping-yi; Hu, Lin-hua; Huang, Xiao-fan; Zhu, Ji-qin; Li, Cheng-yue

2009-05-01

Abstract The supported nickel phosphate precursors were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation using nickel nitrate as nickel source, diammonium hydrogen phosphate as phosphorus source, and MCM-41, MCM-48, SBA-15 and SBA-16 as supports, respectively. Then, the supported Ni2 P catalysts were prepared by temperature-programmed reduction in flowing Hz from their nickel phosphate precursors. The in situ diffuse reflectance FTIR spectroscopy (DRIFTS) analysis with the probe molecule CO was carried out to characterize the surface properties. The results indicated that there were significant differences in the spectral features of the samples. The upsilon(CO) absorbances observed for adsorbed CO on mesoporous molecule sieve was attributed to weak physical adsorption. There are four different kinds of upsilon(CO) absorbances observed for adsorbed CO on Ni2 P/MCM-41 catalyst with the following assignments: (1) the formation of Ni(CO)4 at 2055 cm(-1). (2) CO terminally bonded to cus Ni(delta+) (0catalysts. The absorbance observed at 2051-2055 cm(-1) for CO adsorption on Ni2P/MCM-48, Ni2P/SBA-15 and Ni2P/SBA-16 catalysts is due to the formation of Ni(CO)4 species. The other upsilon absorbances observed at 2093-2096 cm(-1) was attributed to CO terminally bonded to cus Ni(delta+) (0

Nanoscale technology in biological systems

CERN Document Server

Greco, Ralph S; Smith, R Lane

2004-01-01

Reviewing recent accomplishments in the field of nanobiology Nanoscale Technology in Biological Systems introduces the application of nanoscale matrices to human biology. It focuses on the applications of nanotechnology fabrication to biomedical devices and discusses new physical methods for cell isolation and manipulation and intracellular communication at the molecular level. It also explores the application of nanobiology to cardiovascular diseases, oncology, transplantation, and a range of related disciplines. This book build a strong background in nanotechnology and nanobiology ideal for

Effect of Drying Temperature on Iron Fischer-Tropsch Catalysts Prepared by Solvent Deficient Precipitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael K. Albretsen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A novel solvent deficient precipitation (SDP method to produce nanoparticles was studied for its potential in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS catalysis. Using Fe(NO33·9H2O as the iron-containing precursor, this method produces ferrihydrite particles which are then dried, calcined, reduced, and carbidized to form the active catalytic phase for FTS. Six different drying profiles, including final drying temperatures ranging between 80 and 150°C, were used to investigate the effect of ammonium nitrate (AN, a major by-product of reaction between Fe(NO33·9H2O and NH4HCO3 in the SDP method. Since AN has two phase-transitions within this range of drying temperatures, three different AN phases can exist during the drying of the catalyst precursors. These AN phases, along with physical changes occurring during the phase transitions, may affect the pore structure and the agglomeration of ferrihydrite crystallites, suggesting possible reasons for the observed differences in catalytic performance. Catalysts dried at 130°C showed the highest FTS rate and the lowest methane selectivity. In general, better catalytic performance is related to the AN phase present during drying as follows: phase III > phase II > phase I. However, within each AN phase, lower drying temperatures led to better catalytic properties.

An introduction to catalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeon, Hak Je

1988-11-01

This book explains basic conception of catalyst such as definition, velocity of chemical reaction and velocity of catalyst reaction, absorption with absorption energy and chemical absorption, pore structure with the role of pore and measurement of pore structure, catalyst activity on solid structure, electrical property on catalyst activity, choice and design of catalyst, catalytic reaction with reaction velocity and chemical equilibrium and reaction velocity model, measurement of reaction velocity and material analysis, catalyst for mixed compound, catalyst for solid acid and catalyst for supported metal.

Creating nanoscale emulsions using condensation.

Science.gov (United States)

Guha, Ingrid F; Anand, Sushant; Varanasi, Kripa K

2017-11-08

Nanoscale emulsions are essential components in numerous products, ranging from processed foods to novel drug delivery systems. Existing emulsification methods rely either on the breakup of larger droplets or solvent exchange/inversion. Here we report a simple, scalable method of creating nanoscale water-in-oil emulsions by condensing water vapor onto a subcooled oil-surfactant solution. Our technique enables a bottom-up approach to forming small-scale emulsions. Nanoscale water droplets nucleate at the oil/air interface and spontaneously disperse within the oil, due to the spreading dynamics of oil on water. Oil-soluble surfactants stabilize the resulting emulsions. We find that the oil-surfactant concentration controls the spreading behavior of oil on water, as well as the peak size, polydispersity, and stability of the resulting emulsions. Using condensation, we form emulsions with peak radii around 100 nm and polydispersities around 10%. This emulsion formation technique may open different routes to creating emulsions, colloidal systems, and emulsion-based materials.

Remarkable promotion effect of trace sulfation on OMS-2 nanorod catalysts for the catalytic combustion of ethanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Changbin; He, Hong

2015-09-01

OMS-2 nanorod catalysts were synthesized by a hydrothermal redox reaction method using MnSO4 (OMS-2-SO4) and Mn(CH3COO)2 (OMS-2-AC) as precursors. SO4(2-)-doped OMS-2-AC catalysts with different SO4(2-) concentrations were prepared next by adding (NH4)2SO4 solution into OMS-2-AC samples to investigate the effect of the anion SO4(2-) on the OMS-2-AC catalyst. All catalysts were then tested for the catalytic oxidation of ethanol. The OMS-2-SO4 catalyst synthesized demonstrated much better activity than OMS-2-AC. The SO4(2-) doping greatly influenced the activity of the OMS-2-AC catalyst, with a dramatic promotion of activity for suitable concentration of SO4(2-) (SO4/catalyst=0.5% W/W). The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), NH3-TPD and H2-TPR techniques. The results showed that the presence of a suitable amount of SO4(2-) species in the OMS-2-AC catalyst could decrease the Mn-O bond strength and also enhance the lattice oxygen and acid site concentrations, which then effectively promoted the catalytic activity of OMS-2-AC toward ethanol oxidation. Thus it was confirmed that the better catalytic performance of OMS-2-SO4 compared to OMS-2-AC is due to the presence of some residual SO4(2-) species in OMS-2-SO4 samples. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Production of propylene from 1-butene on highly active "bi-functional single active site" catalyst: Tungsten carbene-hydride supported on alumina

KAUST Repository

Mazoyer, Etienne

2011-12-02

1-Butene is transformed in a continuous flow reactor over tungsten hydrides precursor W-H/Al2O3, 1, giving a promising yield into propylene at 150 °C and different pressures. Tungsten carbene-hydride single active site operates as a "bi-functional catalyst" through 1-butene isomerization on W-hydride and 1-butene/2-butenes cross-metathesis on W-carbene. This active moiety is generated in situ at the initiation steps by insertion of 1-butene on tungsten hydrides precursor W-H/Al2O3, 1 followed by α-H and β-H abstraction. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Ionospheric earthquake precursors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bulachenko, A.L.; Oraevskij, V.N.; Pokhotelov, O.A.; Sorokin, V.N.; Strakhov, V.N.; Chmyrev, V.M.

1996-01-01

Results of experimental study on ionospheric earthquake precursors, program development on processes in the earthquake focus and physical mechanisms of formation of various type precursors are considered. Composition of experimental cosmic system for earthquake precursors monitoring is determined. 36 refs., 5 figs

Nanoscale thermal transport: Theoretical method and application

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Yu-Jia; Liu, Yue-Yang; Zhou, Wu-Xing; Chen, Ke-Qiu

2018-03-01

With the size reduction of nanoscale electronic devices, the heat generated by the unit area in integrated circuits will be increasing exponentially, and consequently the thermal management in these devices is a very important issue. In addition, the heat generated by the electronic devices mostly diffuses to the air in the form of waste heat, which makes the thermoelectric energy conversion also an important issue for nowadays. In recent years, the thermal transport properties in nanoscale systems have attracted increasing attention in both experiments and theoretical calculations. In this review, we will discuss various theoretical simulation methods for investigating thermal transport properties and take a glance at several interesting thermal transport phenomena in nanoscale systems. Our emphasizes will lie on the advantage and limitation of calculational method, and the application of nanoscale thermal transport and thermoelectric property. Project supported by the Nation Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2017YFB0701602) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11674092).

Molecular Control of the Nanoscale: Effect of Phosphine–Chalcogenide Reactivity on CdS–CdSe Nanocrystal Composition and Morphology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruberu, T. Purnima A.; Albright, Haley R.; Callis, Brandon; Ward, Brittney; Cisneros, Joana; Fan, Hua-Jun; Vela, Javier

2012-04-22

We demonstrate molecular control of nanoscale composition, alloying, and morphology (aspect ratio) in CdS–CdSe nanocrystal dots and rods by modulating the chemical reactivity of phosphine–chalcogenide precursors. Specific molecular precursors studied were sulfides and selenides of triphenylphosphite (TPP), diphenylpropylphosphine (DPP), tributylphosphine (TBP), trioctylphosphine (TOP), and hexaethylphosphorustriamide (HPT). Computational (DFT), NMR (31P and 77Se), and high-temperature crossover studies unambiguously confirm a chemical bonding interaction between phosphorus and chalcogen atoms in all precursors. Phosphine–chalcogenide precursor reactivity increases in the order: TPPE < DPPE < TBPE < TOPE < HPTE (E = S, Se). For a given phosphine, the selenide is always more reactive than the sulfide. CdS1–xSex quantum dots were synthesized via single injection of a R3PS–R3PSe mixture to cadmium oleate at 250 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV/Vis and PL optical spectroscopy reveal that relative R3PS and R3PSe reactivity dictates CdS1–xSex dot chalcogen content and the extent of radial alloying (alloys vs core/shells). CdS, CdSe, and CdS1–xSex quantum rods were synthesized by injection of a single R3PE (E = S or Se) precursor or a R3PS–R3PSe mixture to cadmium–phosphonate at 320 or 250 °C. XRD and TEM reveal that the length-to-diameter aspect ratio of CdS and CdSe nanorods is inversely proportional to R3PE precursor reactivity. Purposely matching or mismatching R3PS–R3PSe precursor reactivity leads to CdS1–xSex nanorods without or with axial composition gradients, respectively. We expect these observations will lead to scalable and highly predictable “bottom-up” programmed syntheses of finely heterostructured nanomaterials with well-defined architectures and properties that are tailored for precise applications.

Lanthanum and cerium co-modified Ni/SiO2 catalyst for CO methanation from syngas

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Dandan; Li, Shuangshuang; Guo, Shaoxia; Tang, Honggui; Wang, Hong; Liu, Yuan

2018-03-01

Sintering of active metal nanoparticles (NPs) and carbon deposition is critical problems for many metal catalysts, such as nickel based catalysts for generating methane from syngas. To improve the resistance to the sintering and carbon deposition, a new scheme was proposed in this work. Lanthanum and cerium co-modified Ni/SiO2 catalysts were synthesized by using perovskite type oxide of La1-xCexNiO3 loaded on SiO2 as the precursor. In a nanocrystallite of La1-xCexNiO3, ions of nickel, lanthanum and cerium are evenly mixed at atomic level and confined in the nanocrystallite, therefore, Ni NPs and the two promoters of La2O3 and CeO2 should be in close contact and highly dispersed on SiO2 after reduction. The catalysts were characterized by using XRD, TEM, BET, H2-TPD, XPS, TG and Raman techniques. Compared with the mono-promoted catalysts, the bi-promoted La0.75Ce0.25NiO3/SiO2 showed much better resistance to carbon deposition, higher resistance to sintering and higher activity for CO methanation, which are attributed to co-eliminating effect of the two promoters for the deposited carbon, confinement of the interacted two promoters for Ni NPs and the higher dispersion of Ni NPs derived from the smaller size of La0.75Ce0.25NiO3.

Flexible nanoscale high-performance FinFETs

KAUST Repository

Sevilla, Galo T.

2014-10-28

With the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), flexible high-performance nanoscale electronics are more desired. At the moment, FinFET is the most advanced transistor architecture used in the state-of-the-art microprocessors. Therefore, we show a soft-etch based substrate thinning process to transform silicon-on-insulator (SOI) based nanoscale FinFET into flexible FinFET and then conduct comprehensive electrical characterization under various bending conditions to understand its electrical performance. Our study shows that back-etch based substrate thinning process is gentler than traditional abrasive back-grinding process; it can attain ultraflexibility and the electrical characteristics of the flexible nanoscale FinFET show no performance degradation compared to its rigid bulk counterpart indicating its readiness to be used for flexible high-performance electronics.

Layered double hydroxide supported gold nanoclusters by glutathione-capped Au nanoclusters precursor method for highly efficient aerobic oxidation of alcohols

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lun; Dou, Liguang; Zhang, Hui

2014-03-01

M3Al-layered double hydroxide (LDH, M = Mg, Ni, Co) supported Au nanoclusters (AuNCs) catalysts have been prepared for the first time by using water-soluble glutathione-capped Au nanoclusters as precursor. Detailed characterizations show that the ultrafine Au nanoclusters (ca. 1.5 +/- 0.6 nm) were well dispersed on the surface of LDH with a loading of Au below ~0.23 wt% upon synergetic interaction between AuNCs and M3Al-LDH. AuNCs/Mg3Al-LDH-0.23 exhibits much higher catalytic performance for the oxidation of 1-phenylethanol in toluene than Au/Mg3Al-LDH(DP) by the conventional deposition precipitation method and can be applied for a wide range of alcohols without basic additives. This catalyst can also be reused without loss of activity or selectivity. The AuNCs/M(= Ni, Co)3Al-LDH catalysts present even higher alcohol oxidation activity than AuNCs/Mg3Al-LDH. Particularly, AuNCs/Ni3Al-LDH-0.22 exhibits the highest activity (46 500 h-1) for the aerobic oxidation of 1-phenylethanol under solvent-free conditions attributed to its strongest Au-support synergy. The excellent activity and stability of AuNCs/M3Al-LDH catalysts render these materials promising candidates for green base-free selective oxidation of alcohols by molecular oxygen.M3Al-layered double hydroxide (LDH, M = Mg, Ni, Co) supported Au nanoclusters (AuNCs) catalysts have been prepared for the first time by using water-soluble glutathione-capped Au nanoclusters as precursor. Detailed characterizations show that the ultrafine Au nanoclusters (ca. 1.5 +/- 0.6 nm) were well dispersed on the surface of LDH with a loading of Au below ~0.23 wt% upon synergetic interaction between AuNCs and M3Al-LDH. AuNCs/Mg3Al-LDH-0.23 exhibits much higher catalytic performance for the oxidation of 1-phenylethanol in toluene than Au/Mg3Al-LDH(DP) by the conventional deposition precipitation method and can be applied for a wide range of alcohols without basic additives. This catalyst can also be reused without loss of activity

New Trends in Gold Catalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonarda F. Liotta

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Gold is an element that has fascinated mankind for millennia. The catalytic properties of gold have been a source of debate, due to its complete chemical inertness when in a bulk form, while it can oxidize CO at temperatures as low as ~200 K when in a nanocrystalline state, as discovered by Haruta in the late 1980s [1]. Since then, extensive activity in both applied and fundamental research on gold has been initiated. The importance of the catalysis by gold represents one of the fasted growing fields in science and is proven by the promising applications in several fields, such as green chemistry and environmental catalysis, in the synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes, as modifiers of Ni catalysts for methane steam and dry reforming reactions and in biological and electrochemistry applications. The range of reactions catalyzed by gold, as well as the suitability of different supports and the influence of the preparation conditions have been widely explored and optimized in applied research [2]. Gold catalysts appeared to be very different from the other noble metal-based catalysts, due to their marked dependence on the preparation method, which is crucial for the genesis of the catalytic activity. Several methods, including deposition-precipitation, chemical vapor deposition and cation adsorption, have been applied for the preparation of gold catalysts over reducible oxides, like TiO2. Among these methods, deposition-precipitation has been the most frequently employed method for Au loading, and it involves the use of tetrachloroauric (III acid as a precursor. On the other hand, the number of articles dealing with Au-loaded acidic supports is smaller than that on basic supports, possibly because the deposition of [AuCl4]− or [AuOHxCl4−x]− species on acidic supports is difficult, due to their very low point of zero charge. Despite this challenge, several groups have reported the use of acidic zeolites as supports for gold. Zeolites

Impeded solid state reactions and transformations in ceramic catalysts supports and catalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ernő E. Kiss

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Impeded chemical reactions and impeded polymorphous transformation in materials are discussed, as desired effects, for stabilization of ceramic catalyst supports and ceramic based catalysts. This paper gives a short overview about the possibilities of slowing down the aging processes in ceramic catalyst supports and catalysts. Special attention is given to alumina and titania based catalysts.

The synthesis of higher alcohols from CO2 hydrogenation with Co, Cu, Fe-based catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji, Qinqin

2017-01-01

CO 2 is a clean carbon source for the chemical reactions, many researchers have studied the utilization of CO 2 . Higher alcohols are clean fuel additives. The synthesis of higher alcohols from CO hydrogenation has also been studied by many researchers, but there are few literatures about the synthesis of higher alcohols from CO 2 hydrogenation, which is a complex and difficult reaction. The catalysts that used for higher alcohols synthesis need at least two active phases and good cooperation. In our study, we tested the Co. Cu. Fe spinel-based catalysts and the effect of supports (CNTs and TUD-1) and promoters (K, Na, Cs) to the HAS reaction. We found that catalyst CuFe-precursor-800 is beneficial for the synthesis of C2+ hydrocarbons and higher alcohols. In the CO 2 hydrogenation, Co acts as a methanation catalyst rather than acting as a FT catalyst, because of the different reaction mechanism between CO hydrogenation and CO 2 hydrogenation. In order to inhibit the formation of huge amount of hydrocarbons, it is better to choose catalysts without Co in the CO 2 hydrogenation reaction. Compared the functions of CNTs and TUD-1, we found that CNTs is a perfect support for the synthesis of long-chain products (higher alcohols and C2+ hydrocarbons). The TUD-1 support are more suitable for synthesis of single-carbon products (methane and methanol).The addition of alkalis as promoters does not only lead to increase the conversion of CO 2 and H 2 , but also sharply increased the selectivity to the desired products, higher alcohols. The catalyst 0.5K30CuFeCNTs owns the highest productivities (370.7 g.kg -1 .h -1 ) of higher alcohols at 350 C and 50 bar. (author) [fr

Synthesis of Ni2B nanoparticles by RF thermal plasma for fuel cell catalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Y; Tanaka, M; Watanabe, T; Choi, S Y; Shin, M S; Lee, K H

2014-01-01

The catalyst of Ni 2 B nanoparticles was successfully prepared using nickel and boron as precursors with the quenching gas in radio frequency thermal plasmas. The generating of Ni 2 B needs adequate reaction temperature and boron content in precursors. The quenching gas is beneficial for the synthesis of Ni 2 B in RF thermal plasma. The effect of quenching rate, powder feed rate and boron content in feeding powders on the synthesis of nickel boride nanoparticles was studied in this research. The high mass fraction of 28 % of Ni 2 B nanoparticles can be generated at the fixed initial composition of Ni:B = 2:3. Quenching gas is necessary in the synthesis of Ni 2 B nanoaprticles. In addition, the mass fraction of Ni 2 B increases with the increase of quenching gas flow rate and powder feed rate

Nanoscale tissue engineering: spatial control over cell-materials interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Wheeldon, Ian; Farhadi, Arash; Bick, Alexander G.; Jabbari, Esmaiel; Khademhosseini, Ali

2011-01-01

Cells interact with the surrounding environment by making tens to hundreds of thousands of nanoscale interactions with extracellular signals and features. The goal of nanoscale tissue engineering is to harness the interactions through nanoscale biomaterials engineering in order to study and direct cellular behaviors. Here, we review the nanoscale tissue engineering technologies for both two- and three-dimensional studies (2- and 3D), and provide a holistic overview of the field. Techniques that can control the average spacing and clustering of cell adhesion ligands are well established and have been highly successful in describing cell adhesion and migration in 2D. Extension of these engineering tools to 3D biomaterials has created many new hydrogel and nanofiber scaffolds technologies that are being used to design in vitro experiments with more physiologically relevant conditions. Researchers are beginning to study complex cell functions in 3D, however, there is a need for biomaterials systems that provide fine control over the nanoscale presentation of bioactive ligands in 3D. Additionally, there is a need for 2- and 3D techniques that can control the nanoscale presentation of multiple bioactive ligands and the temporal changes in cellular microenvironment. PMID:21451238

Nanoscale tissue engineering: spatial control over cell-materials interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wheeldon, Ian; Farhadi, Arash; Bick, Alexander G; Khademhosseini, Ali; Jabbari, Esmaiel

2011-01-01

Cells interact with the surrounding environment by making tens to hundreds of thousands of nanoscale interactions with extracellular signals and features. The goal of nanoscale tissue engineering is to harness these interactions through nanoscale biomaterials engineering in order to study and direct cellular behavior. Here, we review two- and three-dimensional (2- and 3D) nanoscale tissue engineering technologies, and provide a holistic overview of the field. Techniques that can control the average spacing and clustering of cell adhesion ligands are well established and have been highly successful in describing cell adhesion and migration in 2D. Extension of these engineering tools to 3D biomaterials has created many new hydrogel and nanofiber scaffold technologies that are being used to design in vitro experiments with more physiologically relevant conditions. Researchers are beginning to study complex cell functions in 3D. However, there is a need for biomaterials systems that provide fine control over the nanoscale presentation of bioactive ligands in 3D. Additionally, there is a need for 2- and 3D techniques that can control the nanoscale presentation of multiple bioactive ligands and that can control the temporal changes in the cellular microenvironment. (topical review)

Hydrothermally synthesised Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles as catalyst precursors for the CVD production of graphitic nanofibres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edwards, H K [School of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD (United Kingdom); Evans, E [School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD (United Kingdom); McCaldin, S [School of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD (United Kingdom); Blood, P [School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD (United Kingdom); Gregory, D H [School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD (United Kingdom); Poliakoff, M [School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD (United Kingdom); Lester, E [School of Chemical Engineering and Mining Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD (United Kingdom); Walker, G S [School of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD (United Kingdom); Brown, P D [School of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD (United Kingdom)

2006-02-22

Graphitic nanofibres (GNFs) have been grown by chemical vapour deposition at 500 deg. C and 700 deg. C, using 6 nm and 20 nm particles of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} produced by supercritical water hydrothermal synthesis (scWHS). The morphologies of catalyst and GNFs have been examined using the combined techniques of conventional transmission electron microscopy, high resolution electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction and powder X-ray diffraction. GNF production varied from well ordered nanofibres with an average diameter of 100 nm, to very large, disordered fibres with diameters ranging from 500 nm to {approx}2 {mu}m. Larger fibres were found to have a compound structure composed of discreet domains of graphite and multiwall nanotubes. 20 nm particles produced by scWHS were associated with significant increases in the yield of GNFs as compared with traditional catalyst precipitation routes.

The influence of Mn species on the SO2 removal of Mn-based activated carbon catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qu, Yi-Fan; Guo, Jia-Xiu; Chu, Ying-Hao; Sun, Ming-Chao; Yin, Hua-Qiang

2013-01-01

Using Mn(NO 3 ) 2 as precursor, a series of Mn-based activated carbon catalysts were prepared by ultrasound-assisted excessive impregnation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and temperature programmed reduction (TPR). The influences of Mn species and nitric acid pretreatment on the removal role of SO 2 were investigated. MnO and Mn 3 O 4 coexist in catalysts calcined at 650 and 800 °C and exhibit best SO 2 removal ability, whereas Mn 2 O 3 formed in the catalyst calcined at 500 °C and shows poor activity. After treatment by nitric acid, the C=O of activated carbon support increases and the crystal size of MnO decreases, resulting in the enhancement of the catalytic activity. During reaction process, manganese oxides are gradually transferred into MnO 2 . And this change directly results in a decrease of activity. But the SO 2 removal rate has been maintained in the range of 30–40%, indicating that MnO 2 still has a certain SO 2 removal ability.

Olefin polymerization from single site catalysts confined within porous media

Science.gov (United States)

Kasi, Rajeswari M.

Single Site Catalysts (SSCs) have been utilized for olefin polymerization. Altering the metal-ligand architecture in the SSCs, polyolefin properties can be enhanced in a rational manner. This influence of the ligands in the SSC on the property of polyolefins prepared can be referred to as the primary ligand influence. Extending this understanding and subsequent control of the metal-ligand framework to the interaction of SSCs within organic and inorganic supports is vital for the synthesis of polyolefins with tailored properties. The motivation behind this thesis was to explore the support influence on the reactivity of the SSC tethered to a support matrix during ethylene homo and copolymerization. In order to address this question of the support influence on the final polyolefin properties, synthetic routes to covalently bind SSCs on different matrices have been explored. Two distinct supported SSCs have been used to prepare branched polyethylenes. Branched polyethylenes can be prepared by either copolymerization (ethylene and alpha-olefin) or oligomerization/copolymerization processes (ethylene and in situ generated alpha-olefin). Synthetic routes to prepare precursor catalysts to Constrained Geometry Catalysts (CGCs) by silyl elimination chemistry have been developed (Chapter 2). Efficient synthetic protocols to assemble CGCs on aminomethylpolysytrene matrices (Chapter 3) and amine-functionalized mesoporous silica (Chapter 4) are also reported. These supported catalysts, with appropriate cocatalysts have been used to prepare ethylene homo and copolymers, the polymer thermal properties and microstructures were analyzed by various analytical techniques. Branched polyethylenes (LLDPE) can be prepared by copolymerization chemistry. It has been observed is that the influence of the support is seen in the production of lower crystalline forms of high density polyethylene (HDPE, 20--50% crystalline), while homogeneous polymerization of analogous soluble CGCs afford HDPE

Neuromorphic computing with nanoscale spintronic oscillators.

Science.gov (United States)

Torrejon, Jacob; Riou, Mathieu; Araujo, Flavio Abreu; Tsunegi, Sumito; Khalsa, Guru; Querlioz, Damien; Bortolotti, Paolo; Cros, Vincent; Yakushiji, Kay; Fukushima, Akio; Kubota, Hitoshi; Yuasa, Shinji; Stiles, Mark D; Grollier, Julie

2017-07-26

Neurons in the brain behave as nonlinear oscillators, which develop rhythmic activity and interact to process information. Taking inspiration from this behaviour to realize high-density, low-power neuromorphic computing will require very large numbers of nanoscale nonlinear oscillators. A simple estimation indicates that to fit 10 8 oscillators organized in a two-dimensional array inside a chip the size of a thumb, the lateral dimension of each oscillator must be smaller than one micrometre. However, nanoscale devices tend to be noisy and to lack the stability that is required to process data in a reliable way. For this reason, despite multiple theoretical proposals and several candidates, including memristive and superconducting oscillators, a proof of concept of neuromorphic computing using nanoscale oscillators has yet to be demonstrated. Here we show experimentally that a nanoscale spintronic oscillator (a magnetic tunnel junction) can be used to achieve spoken-digit recognition with an accuracy similar to that of state-of-the-art neural networks. We also determine the regime of magnetization dynamics that leads to the greatest performance. These results, combined with the ability of the spintronic oscillators to interact with each other, and their long lifetime and low energy consumption, open up a path to fast, parallel, on-chip computation based on networks of oscillators.

Traceable nanoscale measurement at NML-SIRIM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahlan, Ahmad M.; Abdul Hapip, A. I.

2012-01-01

The role of national metrology institute (NMI) has always been very crucial in national technology development. One of the key activities of the NMI is to provide traceable measurement in all parameters under the International System of Units (SI). Dimensional measurement where size and shape are two important features investigated, is one of the important area covered by NMIs. To support the national technology development, particularly in manufacturing sectors and emerging technology such nanotechnology, the National Metrology Laboratory, SIRIM Berhad (NML-SIRIM), has embarked on a project to equip Malaysia with state-of-the-art nanoscale measurement facility with the aims of providing traceability of measurement at nanoscale. This paper will look into some of the results from current activities at NML-SIRIM related to measurement at nanoscale particularly on application of atomic force microscope (AFM) and laser based sensor in dimensional measurement. Step height standards of different sizes were measured using AFM and laser-based sensors. These probes are integrated into a long-range nanoscale measuring machine traceable to the international definition of the meter thus ensuring their traceability. Consistency of results obtained by these two methods will be discussed and presented. Factors affecting their measurements as well as their related uncertainty of measurements will also be presented.

Traceable nanoscale measurement at NML-SIRIM

Science.gov (United States)

Dahlan, Ahmad M.; Abdul Hapip, A. I.

2012-06-01

The role of national metrology institute (NMI) has always been very crucial in national technology development. One of the key activities of the NMI is to provide traceable measurement in all parameters under the International System of Units (SI). Dimensional measurement where size and shape are two important features investigated, is one of the important area covered by NMIs. To support the national technology development, particularly in manufacturing sectors and emerging technology such nanotechnology, the National Metrology Laboratory, SIRIM Berhad (NML-SIRIM), has embarked on a project to equip Malaysia with state-of-the-art nanoscale measurement facility with the aims of providing traceability of measurement at nanoscale. This paper will look into some of the results from current activities at NML-SIRIM related to measurement at nanoscale particularly on application of atomic force microscope (AFM) and laser based sensor in dimensional measurement. Step height standards of different sizes were measured using AFM and laser-based sensors. These probes are integrated into a long-range nanoscale measuring machine traceable to the international definition of the meter thus ensuring their traceability. Consistency of results obtained by these two methods will be discussed and presented. Factors affecting their measurements as well as their related uncertainty of measurements will also be presented.

Traceable nanoscale measurement at NML-SIRIM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dahlan, Ahmad M.; Abdul Hapip, A. I. [National Metrology Laboratory SIRIM Berhad (NML-SIRIM), Lot PT 4803, Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, 43900 Sepang (Malaysia)

2012-06-29

The role of national metrology institute (NMI) has always been very crucial in national technology development. One of the key activities of the NMI is to provide traceable measurement in all parameters under the International System of Units (SI). Dimensional measurement where size and shape are two important features investigated, is one of the important area covered by NMIs. To support the national technology development, particularly in manufacturing sectors and emerging technology such nanotechnology, the National Metrology Laboratory, SIRIM Berhad (NML-SIRIM), has embarked on a project to equip Malaysia with state-of-the-art nanoscale measurement facility with the aims of providing traceability of measurement at nanoscale. This paper will look into some of the results from current activities at NML-SIRIM related to measurement at nanoscale particularly on application of atomic force microscope (AFM) and laser based sensor in dimensional measurement. Step height standards of different sizes were measured using AFM and laser-based sensors. These probes are integrated into a long-range nanoscale measuring machine traceable to the international definition of the meter thus ensuring their traceability. Consistency of results obtained by these two methods will be discussed and presented. Factors affecting their measurements as well as their related uncertainty of measurements will also be presented.

Influence of Reduction Promoters on Stability of Cobalt/g-Alumina Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Catalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gary Jacobs

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This focused review article underscores how metal reduction promoters can impact deactivation phenomena associated with cobalt Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalysts. Promoters can exacerbate sintering if the additional cobalt metal clusters, formed as a result of the promoting effect, are in close proximity at the nanoscale to other cobalt particles on the surface. Recent efforts have shown that when promoters are used to facilitate the reduction of small crystallites with the aim of increasing surface Co0 site densities (e.g., in research catalysts, ultra-small crystallites (e.g., <2–4.4 nm formed are more susceptible to oxidation at high conversion relative to larger ones. The choice of promoter is important, as certain metals (e.g., Au that promote cobalt oxide reduction can separate from cobalt during oxidation-reduction (regeneration cycles. Finally, some elements have been identified to promote reduction but either poison the surface of Co0 (e.g., Cu, or produce excessive light gas selectivity (e.g., Cu and Pd, or Au at high loading. Computational studies indicate that certain promoters may inhibit polymeric C formation by hindering C-C coupling.

Catalyst support structure, catalyst including the structure, reactor including a catalyst, and methods of forming same

Science.gov (United States)

Van Norman, Staci A.; Aston, Victoria J.; Weimer, Alan W.

2017-05-09

Structures, catalysts, and reactors suitable for use for a variety of applications, including gas-to-liquid and coal-to-liquid processes and methods of forming the structures, catalysts, and reactors are disclosed. The catalyst material can be deposited onto an inner wall of a microtubular reactor and/or onto porous tungsten support structures using atomic layer deposition techniques.

Deaminated zeolite, ITQ-6 as heterogeneous catalyst for Friedel crafts alkylation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zainab Ramli; Noor Ashikin Mohd Yusoff; Halimaton Hamdan

2007-01-01

The ability of ITQ-6, a kind of meso porous zeolitic material to replace microporous zeolite as catalyst has attracted particular attention. In this study, modification of a precursor of microporous ferrierite, PREFER to meso porous material, ITQ-6 was carried out by delamination technique. The XRD results show that the crystalline phase of PREFER diminished for the sample after delamination. Porosity study of the ITQ-6 sample shows formation of homogeneous meso pores in the size between 3.5-4.0 nm. The acidity study indicates that ITQ-6 still contains appreciable amounts of Bronsted and Lewis acidities. Catalytic evaluation of the resulting material, ITQ-6 was carried out in the alkylation of resorcinol with methyl tert-butyl ether which gave 4-tert-butyl resorcinol and 4, 6-di-tert-butyl resorcinol as main products. The conversion of resorcinol when using ITQ-6 was ten times higher than ferrierite, FER with similar selectivity of disubstituted product. It shows that the meso porosity of ITQ-6 was responsible for the higher activity of the catalyst in the reaction. (author)

The Architectural Designs of a Nanoscale Computing Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary M. Eshaghian-Wilner

2004-08-01

Full Text Available A generic nanoscale computing model is presented in this paper. The model consists of a collection of fully interconnected nanoscale computing modules, where each module is a cube of cells made out of quantum dots, spins, or molecules. The cells dynamically switch between two states by quantum interactions among their neighbors in all three dimensions. This paper includes a brief introduction to the field of nanotechnology from a computing point of view and presents a set of preliminary architectural designs for fabricating the nanoscale model studied.

Tuning the composition of metastable Co_xNi_yMg_100−x−y(OH)(OCH₃) nanoplates for optimizing robust methane dry reforming catalyst

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fan, Xiaoli; Liu, Zhiting; Zhu, Yi-An

2015-01-01

of the metastable precursor CoxNiyMg100−x−y(OH)(OCH3) derived from solvothermal synthesis. The catalyst composition and reaction conditions have been modulated to achieve maximum coke resistance and catalyst stability. Long-term stability for 1000 h time on stream at 800°C has been achieved for the optimized Co0.......075Ni7.425Mg92.5O catalyst. The role of Co in the catalyst has been disclosed through kinetic measurements and detailed characterization of the spent catalysts. Co is enriched on the Co–Ni alloy surface under reforming conditions and accelerates the gasification of coke intermediates. Co also enhances...

Monolithic integration of nanoscale tensile specimens and MEMS structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yilmaz, Mehmet; Kysar, Jeffrey W

2013-01-01

Nanoscale materials often have stochastic material properties due to a random distribution of material defects and an insufficient number of defects to ensure a consistent average mechanical response. Current methods to measure the mechanical properties employ MEMS-based actuators. The nanoscale specimens are typically mounted manually onto the load platform, so the boundary conditions have random variations, complicating the experimental measurement of the intrinsic stochasticity of the material properties. Here we show methods for monolithic integration of a nanoscale specimen co-fabricated with the loading platform. The nanoscale specimen is gold with dimensions of ∼40 nm thickness, 350 ± 50 nm width, and 7 μm length and the loading platform is an interdigitated electrode electrostatic actuator. The experiment is performed in a scanning electron microscope and digital image correlation is employed to measure displacements to determine stress and strain. The ultimate tensile strength of the nanocrystalline nanoscale specimen approaches 1 GPa, consistent with measurements made by other nanometer scale sample characterization methods on other material samples at the nanometer scale, as well as gold samples at the nanometer scale. The batch-compatible microfabrication method can be used to create nominally identical nanoscale specimens and boundary conditions for a broad range of materials. (paper)

Design of heterogeneous catalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frey, Anne Mette

was inspired by a computational screening, suggesting that alloys such as Ni-Fe, Co-Ni, and Co-Fe should show superior activity to the industrially used nickel catalyst. Especially the Ni-Fe system was considered to be interesting, since such alloy catalysts should be both more active and cheaper than the Ni...... catalyst. The results from the screening were experimentally verified for CO hydrogenation, CO2 hydrogenation, and simultaneous CO and CO2 hydrogenation by bimetallic Ni-Fe catalysts. These catalysts were found to be highly active and selective. The Co-Ni and Co-Fe systems were investigated for CO...... well, and the best catalyst prepared had a C5+ yield almost a factor of two higher than a standard air calcined Co catalyst. In the NH3-SCR reaction it is desirable to develop an active and stable catalyst for NOx removal in automotive applications, since the traditionally used vanadium-based catalyst...

Influence of crystallization time on structural and morphological characteristics the precursor of zeolite MCM-22

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbosa, A.S.; Lima, L.A.; Sousa, B.V.; Santos, Everton R.F. dos; Rodrigues, M.G.F.

2009-01-01

The zeolite MCM-22 has been studied extensively as a promising catalyst because of the high thermal stability and high activity for acid catalysis and selectivity of molecular shape. The synthesis of MCM-22 is carried out by hydrothermal treatment and long times required for complete crystallization gradual growth of crystals of 10-14 days for the synthesis of static. This work aims to synthesize the precursor of zeolite MCM-22 using the method of hydrothermal synthesis with a reduction in crystallization time of 8 and 9 days. The precursor of zeolite MCM-22 was obtained using sources of silica, soda, deionized water and the director of structures hexametilenoimina (HMI). The samples were synthesized at 150° C for 8 to 9 days, with the following molar composition: 0.511 SiO 2 : 0.039 NaOH: 0.024 Al 2 O 3 : 23.06 H 2 O and subjected to characterizations by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy ( SEM) and energy dispersive (EDX). According to tests carried out showed that the hydrothermal treatment used to synthesize the precursor of zeolite MCM-22 was effective during times of crystallization of 8 and 9 days. The results for the micrographs showed that the samples consist of clusters and / or aggregates of small crystals. (author)

Application in industry and energy production of active carbon/cobalt catalyst for nitrogen oxide neutralization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mekhandzhiev, D.; Nikolov, R.; Lyutskanov, L.; Dushanov, D.; Lakov, L.

1997-01-01

A new material for neutralization of nitrogen oxides is presented. Two or three metals containing catalysts with a good activity and selectivity towards NO x have been obtained. Preparation of carbon catalysts by deposition of the active phase precursor on the initial carbon material prior to activation is considered as the most promising method. An active carbon-based catalyst (AC/Co) has been synthesized Apricot shells preliminary impregnated with a water-alcohol solution of Co nitrate have been used as initial carbon material. after drying they have been subjected to one-phase steam pyrolysis using a fix-bed reactor. The catalyst thus obtained has a specific surface area (BET) of 53 m 2 g -1 , a favorable mesopore volume/total volume ratio (about 0.85) determined by nitrogen adsorption, a suitable mesopore distribution, about 70% of the mesopores being characterized by r p larger than 25 A and a high dispersion of the Co oxide phase. In addition the catalyst possesses the necessary mechanical resistance. The catalyst has exhibited a high activity with respect to NO x reduction with CO at low temperatures (at 150-250 o C which are the temperatures of industrial flue gases, nO conversion up to 60-95% occurs) and a high selectivity. No presence of H 2 O has been established over the whole temperature range (100-300 o C). An additional advantage of the catalyst is the fact that the amount of CO above 150 o C is lower than the stoichiometric which indicates parallel participation in the process of both the active phase and the support (active carbon) It is also important that the presented catalyst has a low price due to the use of waste products from agriculture and the elimination of special thermal treatment of the supported Co nitrate. There are possibilities of using of other organic wastes from agriculture as well as wastes obtained during flotation of coal. (author)

Obtaining aluminas from the thermal decomposition of their different precursors: An {sup 27}Al MAS NMR and X-ray powder diffraction studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chagas, L.H.; De Carvalho, G.S.G. [Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Departamento de Química, Grupo de Físico-Química de Sólidos e Interfaces, 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); San Gil, R.A.S. [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Chiaro, S.S.X. [PETROBRAS-CENPES, 21941-915 Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Leitão, A.A. [Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Departamento de Química, Grupo de Físico-Química de Sólidos e Interfaces, 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); Diniz, R., E-mail: renata.diniz@ufjf.edu.br [Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Departamento de Química, Grupo de Físico-Química de Sólidos e Interfaces, 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil)

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We synthesized three precursors of alumina from different methods. • The calcination of the precursors generated several alumina polymorphs. • XRD and NMR were used for structural investigation of the polymorphs. • The synthesis route determines the structural and textural properties of the solids. - Abstract: A commercial sample of Boehmite was used as precursor of alumina polymorphs. For comparison, three other precursors were synthesized from different methods. Particularly, the use of excess of urea promoted a very crystalline form of basic aluminum carbonate. The characteristics of the four precursors were investigated by thermal, vibrational and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis. Additionally, the nuclear magnetic resonance, with magic angle spinning ({sup 27}Al MAS NMR), was used to verify the coordination of aluminum cations. Each precursor was calcined at various temperatures generating alumina polymorphs, which were structurally analyzed by XRD and {sup 27}Al MAS NMR. Due to interest in catalysis supports, special attention was given to the γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} phase, which in addition to structural investigation was subjected to textural analysis. The results showed that, from different synthesis procedures and common route of calcination, one can obtain materials with the same composition but with different structural and textural properties, which in turn can significantly influence the performance of a supported catalyst.

Synthesis of a highly active carbon-supported Ir-V/C catalyst for the hydrogen oxidation reaction in PEMFC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Bing; Qiao Jinli; Yang Daijun; Zheng Junsheng; Ma Jianxin; Zhang Jiujun; Wang Haijiang

2009-01-01

The active, carbon-supported Ir and Ir-V nanoclusters with well-controlled particle size, dispersity, and composition uniformity, have been synthesized via an ethylene glycol method using IrCl 3 and NH 4 VO 3 as the Ir and V precursors. The nanostructured catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The catalytic activities of these carbon-supported nanoclusters were screened by applying on-line cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques, which were used to characterize the electrochemical properties of fuel cells using several anode Ir/C and Ir-V/C catalysts. It was found that Ir/C and Ir-V/C catalysts affect the performance of electrocatalysts significantly based on the discharge characteristics of the fuel cell. The catalyst Ir-V/C at 40 wt.% displayed the highest catalytic activity to hydrogen oxidation reaction and, therefore, high cell performance is achieved which results in a maximum power density of 563 mW cm -2 at 0.512 V and 70 deg. C in a real H 2 /air fuel cell. This performance is 20% higher as compared to the commercial available Pt/C catalyst. Fuel cell life test at a constant current density of 1000 mA cm -2 in a H 2 /O 2 condition shows good stability of anode Ir-V/C after 100 h of continuous operation.

Highly dispersed metal catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Xin; West, William L.; Rhodes, William D.

2016-11-08

A supported catalyst having an atomic level single atom structure is provided such that substantially all the catalyst is available for catalytic function. A process of forming a single atom catalyst unto a porous catalyst support is also provided.

Síntese e estudo microestrutural de perovskita do tipo La0,8Ca0,2MO3 (M = Co ou Mn com gelatina como precursor orgânico para aplicação em catálise automotiva Synthesis and microstructural characterization of La0.8Ca0.2MO3 (M = Co or Mn perovskite with gelatin as organic precursor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. B. M. Wanderley

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Materiais com estrutura perovskita são potenciais catalisadores para prevenir a emissão de componentes poluentes no meio ambiente. Vários métodos têm sido propostos para a síntese desses materiais visando produzir materiais homogêneos com tamanho de partícula nanométrico. Neste trabalho os compostos manganato de lantânio e cobaltato de lantânio com substituição parcial de cálcio foram sintetizados com gelatina como agente de polimerização, visando sua utilização como catalisadores automotivos. Esse método de síntese foi utilizado porque permite a obtenção de fases cristalinas com pós homogêneos e porosos. Os pós obtidos a 300 ºC/4 h foram calcinados a 700 e 900 ºC/4 h e caracterizados pelas técnicas de análise termogravimétrica, difração de raios X e microscopia eletrônica de varredura. As perovskitas obtidas foram monofásicas, manométricas, porosas e com propriedades adequadas para aplicação em catálise automotiva.Materials with perovskite structure are potential catalysts to prevent emission of pollutants into the environment. Various methods have been proposed for the synthesis of these materials, to produce homogeneous materials with nanoscale particle size. In this work, lanthanum manganate and lanthanum cobaltate compounds with partial substitution of calcium were synthesized using gelatin as a precursor agent, aiming its use as automotive catalysts. This synthesis method was used because it allows the synthesis of crystalline phases with homogeneous and porous powders. The powders obtained at 300 °C/4 h were calcined at 700 and 900 ºC/4 h and were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The obtained perovskites were monophasic, nanometric, porous and with suitable properties for application in automotive catalysis.

Effect of coke and catalyst structure on oxidative regeneration of hydroprocessing catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furimsky, E. (CANMET, Ottawa, ON (Canada). Energy Research Laboratories)

1991-04-01

Two industrial hydroprocessing catalysts used for upgrading an atmospheric residue and a gas oil, respectively were regenerated in a fixed bed using air and 2 vol.% O{sub 2}+N{sub 2} balance mixture. The regeneration in air resulted in a significant sintering of the catalyst's material. The surface area of catalysts regenerated in 2 vol.% O{sub 2} mixture was similar to that of fresh catalysts, whereas a significant loss of surface area was observed after regeneration in air. The X-ray diffraction pattern of catalysts regenerated in 2 vol.% O{sub 2}+N{sub 2} balance mixture was also similar to that of fresh catalysts. 22 refs., 9 figs., 7 tabs.

Preparation of Fischer-Tropsch catalysts from cobalt/iron hydrotalcites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howard, B.H.; Boff, J.J.; Zarochak, M.F. [Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center, PA (United States)] [and others

1995-12-31

Compounds with the (hydrotalcites) have properties that make them attractive as precursors for Fischer-Tropsch catalysts. A series of single-phase hydrotalcites with cobalt/iron atom ratios ranging from 75/25 to 25/75 has been synthesized. Mixed cobalt/iron oxides have been prepared from these hydrotalcites by controlled thermal decomposition. Thermal decomposition at temperatures below 600 {degrees}C typically produced a single-phase mixed metal oxide with a spinel structure. The BET surface areas of the spinal samples have been found to be as high as about 150 m{sup 2}/g. Appropriate reducing pretreatments have been developed for several of these spinels and their activity, selectivity, and activity and selectivity maintenance have been examined at 13 MPa in a fixed-bed microreactor.

Hydroprocessing catalyst development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boorman, P.M.; Kydd, R.A.; Sorensen, T.S.; Chong, K.; Lewis, J.

1992-08-01

Co-Mo and Ni-Mo hydroprocessing catalysts were examined for their activity in removal of sulfur from thiophene in model compounds, and in the cracking and hydrocracking of cumene. Three types of support materials were examined: carbon, modified carbon, and carbon covered alumina. The objective of the study was to examine the correlation between catalyst activity in the hydrodenitrogenation of model compounds, and the resistance of the catalyst to nitrogen poisoning during use in the hydroprocessing of gas oils. The use of model compound testing provided information on the individual catalytic reactions promoted by those materials. Infrared spectroscopy was used to study surface species on the catalysts and to explain many of the trends in activity observed, revealing the role of fluoride and phosphorus as a secondary promoter. Testing of the catalysts in hydrotreating of gas oils allowed comparison of model compound results with those from a real feedstock. The gas oil was also spiked with a model nitrogen compound and the results from catalytic hydrotreating of this material were compared with those from unspiked material. A key finding was that the carbon supported catalysts were the most effective in treating high-nitrogen feeds. The very favorable deactivation properties of carbon and carbon-covered alumina supported catalysts make these promising from an industrial point of view where catalyst deactivation is a limiting factor. 171 refs., 25 figs., 43 tabs.

Rapid in situ synthesis of spherical microflower Pt/C catalyst via spray-drying for high performance fuel cell application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balgis, R.; Ogi, T.; Okuyama, K. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashi Hiroshima, Hiroshima (Japan); Anilkumar, G.M.; Sago, S. [Research and Development Centre, Noritake Co., Ltd., Higashiyama, Miyoshi, Aichi (Japan)

2012-08-15

A facile route for the rapid in situ synthesis of platinum nanoparticles on spherical microflower carbon has been developed. An aqueous precursor slurry containing carbon black, polystyrene latex (PSL), polyvinyl alcohol, and platinum salt was spray-dried, followed by calcination to simultaneously reduce platinum salt and to decompose PSL particles. Prepared Pt/C catalyst showed high-performance electrocatalytic activity with excellent durability. The mass activity and specific activity values were 132.26 mA mg{sup -1} Pt and 207.62 {mu}A cm{sup -2} Pt, respectively. This work presents a future direction for the production of high-performance Pt/C catalyst in an industrial scale. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Hydrogenolysis of 2-tosyloxy-1,3-propanediol into 1,3-propanediol over Raney Ni catalyst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhi, Zheng; Jianli, Wang; Zhen, Lu; Min, Luo; Miao, Zhang; Lixin, Xu; Jianbing [Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Biofuel, The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry-Synthesis Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou (China)

2013-03-15

2-Tosyloxy-1,3-propanediol (TPD), a potential precursor for 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) production, is produced by the tosylation of glycerol with the help of protecting group techniques. In this work, the hydrogenolysis of TPD into 1,3-PD over Raney Ni catalyst is discussed at different reaction parameters to optimize the reaction conditions for selective formation of 1,3-PD. The mechanisms of the hydrogenolysis of TPD and the side reactions were also confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique (author)

Rate and Selectivity Control in Thioether and Alkene Oxidation with H ₂ O ₂ over Phosphonate-Modified Niobium(V)-Silica Catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thornburg, Nicholas E.; Notestein, Justin M. (NWU)

2017-09-05

Supported metal oxide catalysts are versatile materials for liquid-phase oxidations, including alkene epoxidation and thioether sulfoxidation with H2O2. Periodic trends in H2O2 activation was recently demonstrated for alkene epoxidation, highlighting Nb-SiO2 as a more active and selective catalyst than Ti-SiO2. Three representative catalysts are studied consisting of NbV, TiIV, and ZrIV on silica, each made through a molecular precursor approach that yields highly dispersed oxide sites, for thioanisole oxidation by H2O2. Initial rates trend Nb>Ti>>Zr, as for epoxidation, and Nb outperforms Ti for a number of other thioethers. In contrast, selectivity to sulfoxide vs. sulfone trends Ti>Nb>>Zr at all conversions. Modifying the Nb-SiO2 catalyst with phenylphosphonic acid does not completely remove sulfoxidation reactivity, as it did for photooxidation and epoxidation, and results in an unusual material active for sulfoxidation but neither epoxidation nor overoxidation to the sulfone.

Nanoscale heterostructures with molecular-scale single-crystal metal wires.

Science.gov (United States)

Kundu, Paromita; Halder, Aditi; Viswanath, B; Kundu, Dipan; Ramanath, Ganpati; Ravishankar, N

2010-01-13

Creating nanoscale heterostructures with molecular-scale (synthesis of nanoscale heterostructures with single-crystal molecular-scale Au nanowires attached to different nanostructure substrates. Our method involves the formation of Au nanoparticle seeds by the reduction of rocksalt AuCl nanocubes heterogeneously nucleated on the substrates and subsequent nanowire growth by oriented attachment of Au nanoparticles from the solution phase. Nanoscale heterostructures fabricated by such site-specific nucleation and growth are attractive for many applications including nanoelectronic device wiring, catalysis, and sensing.

Coupling of Carbon Dioxide with Epoxides Efficiently Catalyzed by Thioether-Triphenolate Bimetallic Iron(III) Complexes: Catalyst Structure-Reactivity Relationship and Mechanistic DFT Study

KAUST Repository

Della Monica, Francesco; Vummaleti, Sai V. C.; Buonerba, Antonio; Nisi, Assunta De; Monari, Magda; Milione, Stefano; Grassi, Alfonso; Cavallo, Luigi; Capacchione, Carmine

2016-01-01

A series of dinuclear iron(III)I complexes supported by thioether-triphenolate ligands have been prepared to attain highly Lewis acidic catalysts. In combination with tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) they are highly active catalysts in the synthesis of cyclic organic carbonates through the coupling of carbon dioxide to epoxides with the highest initial turnover frequencies reported to date for the conversion of propylene oxide to propylene carbonate for iron-based catalysts (5200h-1; 120°C, 2MPa, 1h). In particular, these complexes are shown to be highly selective catalysts for the coupling of carbon dioxide to internal oxiranes affording the corresponding cyclic carbonates in good yield and with retention of the initial stereochemical configuration. A density functional theory (DFT) investigation provides a rational for the relative high activity found for these Fe(III) complexes, showing the fundamental role of the hemilabile sulfur atom in the ligand skeleton to promote reactivity. Notably, in spite of the dinuclear nature of the catalyst precursor only one metal center is involved in the catalytic cycle. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Coupling of Carbon Dioxide with Epoxides Efficiently Catalyzed by Thioether-Triphenolate Bimetallic Iron(III) Complexes: Catalyst Structure-Reactivity Relationship and Mechanistic DFT Study

KAUST Repository

Della Monica, Francesco

2016-08-25

A series of dinuclear iron(III)I complexes supported by thioether-triphenolate ligands have been prepared to attain highly Lewis acidic catalysts. In combination with tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) they are highly active catalysts in the synthesis of cyclic organic carbonates through the coupling of carbon dioxide to epoxides with the highest initial turnover frequencies reported to date for the conversion of propylene oxide to propylene carbonate for iron-based catalysts (5200h-1; 120°C, 2MPa, 1h). In particular, these complexes are shown to be highly selective catalysts for the coupling of carbon dioxide to internal oxiranes affording the corresponding cyclic carbonates in good yield and with retention of the initial stereochemical configuration. A density functional theory (DFT) investigation provides a rational for the relative high activity found for these Fe(III) complexes, showing the fundamental role of the hemilabile sulfur atom in the ligand skeleton to promote reactivity. Notably, in spite of the dinuclear nature of the catalyst precursor only one metal center is involved in the catalytic cycle. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Supported catalyst systems and method of making biodiesel products using such catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Manhoe; Yan, Shuli; Salley, Steven O.; Ng, K. Y. Simon

2015-10-20

A heterogeneous catalyst system, a method of preparing the catalyst system and a method of forming a biodiesel product via transesterification reactions using the catalyst system is disclosed. The catalyst system according to one aspect of the present disclosure represents a class of supported mixed metal oxides that include at least calcium oxide and another metal oxide deposited on a lanthanum oxide or cerium oxide support. Preferably, the catalysts include CaO--CeO.sub.2ZLa.sub.2O.sub.3 or CaO--La.sub.2O.sub.3/CeO.sub.2. Optionally, the catalyst may further include additional metal oxides, such as CaO--La.sub.2O.sub.3--GdOxZLa.sub.2O.sub.3.

Catalyst synthesis and evaluation using an integrated atomic layer deposition synthesis–catalysis testing tool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camacho-Bunquin, Jeffrey; Shou, Heng; Marshall, Christopher L.; Aich, Payoli; Beaulieu, David R.; Klotzsch, Helmut; Bachman, Stephen; Hock, Adam; Stair, Peter

2015-01-01

An integrated atomic layer deposition synthesis-catalysis (I-ALD-CAT) tool was developed. It combines an ALD manifold in-line with a plug-flow reactor system for the synthesis of supported catalytic materials by ALD and immediate evaluation of catalyst reactivity using gas-phase probe reactions. The I-ALD-CAT delivery system consists of 12 different metal ALD precursor channels, 4 oxidizing or reducing agents, and 4 catalytic reaction feeds to either of the two plug-flow reactors. The system can employ reactor pressures and temperatures in the range of 10 −3 to 1 bar and 300–1000 K, respectively. The instrument is also equipped with a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer unit for the detection and quantification of volatile species from ALD and catalytic reactions. In this report, we demonstrate the use of the I-ALD-CAT tool for the synthesis of platinum active sites and Al 2 O 3 overcoats, and evaluation of catalyst propylene hydrogenation activity

Catalyst synthesis and evaluation using an integrated atomic layer deposition synthesis–catalysis testing tool

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Camacho-Bunquin, Jeffrey; Shou, Heng; Marshall, Christopher L. [Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439 (United States); Aich, Payoli [Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439 (United States); Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607 (United States); Beaulieu, David R.; Klotzsch, Helmut; Bachman, Stephen [Arradiance Inc., Sudbury, Massachusetts 01776 (United States); Hock, Adam [Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439 (United States); Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois 60616 (United States); Stair, Peter [Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439 (United States); Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 (United States)

2015-08-15

An integrated atomic layer deposition synthesis-catalysis (I-ALD-CAT) tool was developed. It combines an ALD manifold in-line with a plug-flow reactor system for the synthesis of supported catalytic materials by ALD and immediate evaluation of catalyst reactivity using gas-phase probe reactions. The I-ALD-CAT delivery system consists of 12 different metal ALD precursor channels, 4 oxidizing or reducing agents, and 4 catalytic reaction feeds to either of the two plug-flow reactors. The system can employ reactor pressures and temperatures in the range of 10{sup −3} to 1 bar and 300–1000 K, respectively. The instrument is also equipped with a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer unit for the detection and quantification of volatile species from ALD and catalytic reactions. In this report, we demonstrate the use of the I-ALD-CAT tool for the synthesis of platinum active sites and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} overcoats, and evaluation of catalyst propylene hydrogenation activity.

Molecular Clusters: Nanoscale Building Blocks for Solid-State Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinkard, Andrew; Champsaur, Anouck M; Roy, Xavier

2018-04-17

The programmed assembly of nanoscale building blocks into multicomponent hierarchical structures is a powerful strategy for the bottom-up construction of functional materials. To develop this concept, our team has explored the use of molecular clusters as superatomic building blocks to fabricate new classes of materials. The library of molecular clusters is rich with exciting properties, including diverse functionalization, redox activity, and magnetic ordering, so the resulting cluster-assembled solids, which we term superatomic crystals (SACs), hold the promise of high tunability, atomic precision, and robust architectures among a diverse range of other material properties. Molecular clusters have only seldom been used as precursors for functional materials. Our team has been at the forefront of new developments in this exciting research area, and this Account focuses on our progress toward designing materials from cluster-based precursors. In particular, this Account discusses (1) the design and synthesis of molecular cluster superatomic building blocks, (2) their self-assembly into SACs, and (3) their resulting collective properties. The set of molecular clusters discussed herein is diverse, with different cluster cores and ligand arrangements to create an impressive array of solids. The cluster cores include octahedral M 6 E 8 and cubane M 4 E 4 (M = metal; E = chalcogen), which are typically passivated by a shell of supporting ligands, a feature upon which we have expanded upon by designing and synthesizing more exotic ligands that can be used to direct solid-state assembly. Building from this library, we have designed whole families of binary SACs where the building blocks are held together through electrostatic, covalent, or van der Waals interactions. Using single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) to determine the atomic structure, a remarkable range of compositional variability is accessible. We can also use this technique, in tandem with vibrational

Nanoscale Mechanical Stimulation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H Nikukar

2014-05-01

We observed significant responses after 1 and 2-week stimulations in cell number, cell shapes and phenotypical markers. Microarray was performed for all groups. Cell count showed normal cell growth with stimulation. However, cell surface area, cell perimeter, and arboration after 1-week stimulation showed significant increases. Immunofluorescent studies have showed significant increase in osteocalcin production after stimulation. Conclusions: Nanoscale mechanical vibration showed significant changes in human mesenchymal stem cell behaviours. Cell morphology changed to become more polygonal and increased expression of the osteoblast markers were noted. These findings with gene regulation changes suggesting nanoscale mechanostimulation has stimulated osteoblastogenesis.  Keywords:  Mesenchymal, Nanoscale, Stem Cells.

Effect of ZIF-8 Crystal Size on the O2 Electro-Reduction Performance of Pyrolyzed Fe–N–C Catalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanessa Armel

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The effect of ZIF-8 crystal size on the morphology and performance of Fe–N–C catalysts synthesized via the pyrolysis of a ferrous salt, phenanthroline and the metal-organic framework ZIF-8 is investigated in detail. Various ZIF-8 samples with average crystal size ranging from 100 to 1600 nm were prepared. The process parameters allowing a templating effect after argon pyrolysis were investigated. It is shown that the milling speed, used to prepare catalyst precursors, and the heating mode, used for pyrolysis, are critical factors for templating nano-ZIFs into nano-sized Fe–N–C particles with open porosity. Templating could be achieved when combining a reduced milling speed with a ramped heating mode. For templated Fe–N–C materials, the performance and activity improved with decreased ZIF-8 crystal size. With the Fe–N–C catalyst templated from the smallest ZIF-8 crystals, the current densities in H2/O2 polymer electrolyte fuel cell at 0.5 V reached ca. 900 mA cm−2, compared to only ca. 450 mA cm−2 with our previous approach. This templating process opens the path to a morphological control of Fe–N–C catalysts derived from metal-organic frameworks which, when combined with the versatility of the coordination chemistry of such materials, offers a platform for the rational design of optimized Metal–N–C catalysts.

Characterization of Industrial Pt-Sn/Al2O3 Catalyst and Transient Product Formations during Propane Dehydrogenation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kah Sing Ho

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The major problem plaguing propane dehydrogenation process is the coke formation on the Pt-Sn/Al2O3 catalyst which leads to catalyst deactivation. Due to information paucity, the physicochemical characteristics of the commercially obtained regenerated Pt-Sn/Al2O3 catalyst (operated in moving bed reactor and coke formation at different temperatures of reaction were discussed. The physicochemical characterization of regenerated catalyst gave a BET surface area of 104.0 m2/g with graphitic carbon content of 8.0% indicative of incomplete carbon gasification during the industrial propylene production. Effect of temperatures on coke formation was identified by studying the product yield via temperature-programmed reaction carried out at 500oC, 600oC and 700oC. It was found that ethylene was precursor to carbon laydown while propylene tends to crack into methane. Post reaction, the spent catalyst possessed relatively lower surface area and pore radius whilst exhibited higher carbon content (31.80% at 700oC compared to the regenerated catalyst. Significantly, current studies also found that higher reaction temperatures favoured the coke formation. Consequently, the propylene yield has decreased with reaction temperature. © 2013 BCREC UNDIP. All rights reservedReceived: 10th March 2013; Revised: 28th April 2013; Accepted: 6th May 2013[How to Cite: Kah, S.H., Joanna Jo, E.C., Sim, Y.C., Chin, K.C. (2013. Characterization of Industrial Pt-Sn/Al2O3 Catalyst and Transient Product Formations during Propane Dehydrogenation. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis, 8 (1: 77-82. (doi:10.9767/bcrec.8.1.4569.77-82][Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.8.1.4569.77-82] | View in  |

Design of Pt/Carbon Xerogel Catalysts for PEM Fuel Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nathalie Job

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The design of efficient catalytic layers of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs requires the preparation of highly-loaded and highly-dispersed Pt/C catalysts. During the last few years, our work focused on the preparation of Pt/carbon xerogel electrocatalysts, starting from simple impregnation techniques that were further optimized via the strong electrostatic adsorption (SEA method to reach high dispersion and a high metal weight fraction. The SEA method, which consists of the optimization of the precursor/support electrostatic impregnation through an adequate choice of the impregnation pH with regard to the support surface chemistry, leads to very well-dispersed Pt/C samples with a maximum 8 wt.% Pt after drying and reduction under H2. To increase the metal loading, the impregnation-drying-reduction cycle of the SEA method can be repeated several times, either with fresh Pt precursor solution or with the solution recycled from the previous cycle. In each case, a high dispersion (Pt particle size ~3 nm is obtained. Finally, the procedure can be simplified by combination of the SEA technique with dry impregnation, leading to no Pt loss during the procedure.

Design of Highly Selective Platinum Nanoparticle Catalysts for the Aerobic Oxidation of KA-Oil using Continuous-Flow Chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Arran M; Hinde, Christopher S; Leary, Rowan K; Potter, Matthew E; Jouve, Andrea; Wells, Peter P; Midgley, Paul A; Thomas, John M; Raja, Robert

2016-03-08

Highly active and selective aerobic oxidation of KA-oil to cyclohexanone (precursor for adipic acid and ɛ-caprolactam) has been achieved in high yields using continuous-flow chemistry by utilizing uncapped noble-metal (Au, Pt & Pd) nanoparticle catalysts. These are prepared using a one-step in situ methodology, within three-dimensional porous molecular architectures, to afford robust heterogeneous catalysts. Detailed spectroscopic characterization of the nature of the active sites at the molecular level, coupled with aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, reveals that the synthetic methodology and associated activation procedures play a vital role in regulating the morphology, shape and size of the metal nanoparticles. These active centers have a profound influence on the activation of molecular oxygen for selective catalytic oxidations. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Nanoscale thermal transport. II. 2003–2012

OpenAIRE

Cahill, David G.; Braun, Paul V.; Chen, Gang; Clarke, David R.; Fan, Shanhui; Goodson, Kenneth E.; Keblinski, Pawel; King, William P.; Mahan, Gerald D.; Majumdar, Arun; Maris, Humphrey J.; Phillpot, Simon R.; Pop, Eric; Shi, Li

2013-01-01

A diverse spectrum of technology drivers such as improved thermal barriers, higher efficiency thermoelectric energy conversion, phase-change memory, heat-assisted magnetic recording, thermal management of nanoscale electronics, and nanoparticles for thermal medical therapies are motivating studies of the applied physics of thermal transport at the nanoscale. This review emphasizes developments in experiment, theory, and computation in the past ten years and summarizes the present status of th...

Co-deposition of Pt and ceria anode catalyst in supercritical carbon dioxide for direct methanol fuel cell applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

You, Eunyoung; Guzmán-Blas, Rolando; Nicolau, Eduardo; Aulice Scibioh, M.; Karanikas, Christos F.; Watkins, James J.; Cabrera, Carlos R.

2012-01-01

Pt and mixed Pt-ceria catalysts were deposited onto gas diffusion layers using supercritical fluid deposition (SFD) to fabricate thin layer electrodes for direct methanol fuel cells. Dimethyl (1,5-cyclooctadiene) platinum (II) (CODPtMe 2 ) and tetrakis (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl 3,5-heptanedionato) cerium (IV) (Ce(tmhd) 4 ) were used as precursors. Hydrogen-assisted Pt deposition was performed in compressed carbon dioxide at 60 °C and 17.2 MPa to yield high purity Pt on carbon-black based gas diffusion layers. During the preparation of the mixed Pt-ceria catalyst, hydrogen reduction of CODPtMe 2 to yield Pt catalyzed the deposition of ceria from Ce(tmhd) 4 enabling co-deposition at 150 °C. The catalyst layers were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectral (SEM-EDS) analyses. Their electrochemical performance toward methanol oxidation was examined in half cell mode using a three electrode assembly as well as in fuel cell mode. The thin layer electrodes formed via SFD exhibited higher performance in fuel cell operations compared to those prepared by the conventional brush-paint method. Furthermore, the Pt-ceria catalyst with an optimized composition exhibited greater methanol oxidation activity than pure platinum.

Design and synthesis of single-source molecular precursors to homogeneous multi-component oxide materials

Science.gov (United States)

Fujdala, Kyle Lee

This dissertation describes the syntheses of single-source molecular precursors to multi-component oxide materials. These molecules possess a core metal or element with various combinations of -OSi(O tBu)3, -O2P(OtBu) 2, and -OB[OSi(OtBu)3] 2 ligands. Such molecules decompose under mild thermolytic conditions (models for oxide-supported metal species and multi-component oxides. Significantly, the first complexes to contain three or more heteroelements suitable for use in the TMP method have been synthesized. Compounds for use as single-source molecular precursors have been synthesized containing Al, B, Cr, Hf, Mo, V, W, and Zr, and their thermal transformations have been examined. Heterogeneous catalytic reactions have been examined for selected materials. Also, cothermolyses of molecular precursors and additional molecules (i.e., metal alkoxides) have been utilized to provide materials with several components for potential use as catalysts or catalyst supports. Reactions of one and two equivs of HOSi(OtBu) 3 with Cr(OtBu)4 afforded the first Cr(IV) alkoxysiloxy complexes (tBuO) 3CrOSi(OtBu)3 and ( tBuO)2Cr[OSi(OtBu) 3]2, respectively. The high-yielding, convenient synthesis of (tBuO)3CrOSi(O tBu)3 make this complex a useful single-source molecular precursor, via the TMP method, to Cr/Si/O materials. The thermal transformations of (tBuO)3CrOSi(O tBu)3 and (tBuO) 2Cr[OSi(OtBu)3]2 to chromia-silica materials occurr at low temperatures (≤180°C), to give isobutene as the major carbon-containing product. The material generated from the solid-state conversion of (tBuO) 3CrOSi(OtBu)3 (CrOS ss) has an unexpectedly high surface area of 315 m2 g-1 that is slightly reduced to 275 m2 g-1 after calcination at 500°C in O2. The xerogel obtained by the thermolysis of an n-octane solution of (tBuO)3CrOSi(O tBu)3 (CrOSixg) has a surface area of 315 m2 g-1 that is reduced to 205 m2 g-1 upon calcination at 500°C. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis revealed that Cr2O 3 is

High-Activity Dealloyed Catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kongkanand, Anusorn [General Motors LLC, Pontiac, MI (United States)

2014-09-30

Reduction of costly Pt usage in proton exchange membrane fuel cell electrodes is one of the major challenges towards development and commercialization of fuel cell vehicles. Although few have met the initial-kinetic activity requirements in a realistic fuel cell device, no catalyst material has ever met the demanding fuel cell durability targets set by DOE. In this project, a team of 4 universities and 2 companies came together to investigate a concept that appeared promising in preliminary non-fuel cell tests then to further develop the catalyst to a mature level ready for vehicle implementation. The team consists of academia with technical leadership in their respective areas, a catalyst supplier, and a fuel cell system integrator.The tightly collaborative project enabled development of a highly active and durable catalyst with performance that significantly exceeds that of previous catalysts and meets the DOE targets for the first time (Figure 1A). The catalyst was then further evaluated in full-active-area stack in a realistic vehicle operating condition (Figure 1B). This is the first public demonstration that one can realize the performance benefit and Pt cost reduction over a conventional pure Pt catalyst in a long-term realistic PEMFC system. Furthermore, systematic analyses of a range of catalysts with different performance after fuel cell testing allowed for correlation between catalyst microstructure and its electrocatalytic activity and durability. This will in turn aid future catalyst development.

Synthesis of SnO{sub 2}-activated carbon fiber hybrid catalyst for the removal of methyl violet from water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jia, E-mail: mse_lij@ujn.edu.cn [School of Material Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022 (China); Ng, Dickon H.L. [Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong (China); Song, Peng; Kong, Chao; Song, Yi [School of Material Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022 (China)

2015-04-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A new biomass route for the synthesis of SnO{sub 2}/ACF hybrid catalyst was proposed. • The original fibrous structure of kapok fiber was retained in the SnO{sub 2}/ACF hybrid catalyst. • SnO{sub 2}/ACF hybrid catalyst exhibited high BET surface area (647–897 m{sup 2}/g) and large pore volume (0.36–0.56 cm{sup 3} g{sup −1}). • High microwave-induced catalytic activity for methyl violet degradation was obtained. - Abstract: SnO{sub 2}/activated carbon fiber (ACF) hybrid catalyst was synthesized from kapok precursor via a two-step process involving pore-fabricating and self-assembly of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles. The morphology and phase structure of the obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption isotherm. These results demonstrated that the synthesized SnO{sub 2}/ACF retained the hollow-fiber structure of kapok fibers. SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles dispersed uniformly over the ACF support. The obtained hybrid catalyst showed porous structure with high surface area (647–897 m{sup 2}/g) and large pore volume (0.36–0.56 cm{sup 3} g{sup −1}). In addition, the catalytic activities of the obtained samples for methyl violet degradation under microwave irradiation were also evaluated. It was found that the SnO{sub 2}/ACF catalyst exhibited high catalytic activity for methyl violet degradation due to the synergistic effect of microwave and SnO{sub 2}/ACF catalyst.

Development of Molecular Catalysts to Bridge the Gap between Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Rong

Catalysts, heterogeneous, homogeneous, and enzymatic, are comprised of nanometer-sized inorganic and/or organic components. They share molecular factors including charge, coordination, interatomic distance, bonding, and orientation of catalytically active atoms. By controlling the governing catalytic components and molecular factors, catalytic processes of a multichannel and multiproduct nature could be run in all three catalytic platforms to create unique end-products. Unifying the fields of catalysis is the key to achieving the goal of 100% selectivity in catalysis. Recyclable catalysts, especially those that display selective reactivity, are vital for the development of sustainable chemical processes. Among available catalyst platforms, heterogeneous catalysts are particularly well-disposed toward separation from the reaction mixture via filtration methods, which renders them readily recyclable. Furthermore, heterogeneous catalysts offer numerous handles - some without homogeneous analogues - for performance and selectivity optimization. These handles include nanoparticle size, pore profile of porous supports, surface ligands and interface with oxide supports, and flow rate through a solid catalyst bed. Despite these available handles, however, conventional heterogeneous catalysts are themselves often structurally heterogeneous compared to homogeneous catalysts, which complicates efforts to optimize and expand the scope of their reactivity and selectivity. Ongoing efforts are aimed to address the above challenge by heterogenizing homogeneous catalysts, which can be defined as the modification of homogeneous catalysts to render them in a separable (solid) phase from the starting materials and products. Specifically, we grow the small nanoclusters in dendrimers, a class of uniform polymers with the connectivity of fractal trees and generally radial symmetry. Thanks to their dense multivalency, shape persistence and structural uniformity, dendrimers have proven to

Communicating catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Weckhuysen, Bert M.

2018-06-01

The beauty and activity of enzymes inspire chemists to tailor new and better non-biological catalysts. Now, a study reveals that the active sites within heterogeneous catalysts actively cooperate in a fashion phenomenologically similar to, but mechanistically distinct, from enzymes.

Methods of making textured catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Werpy, Todd [West Richland, WA; Frye, Jr., John G.; Wang, Yong [Richland, WA; Zacher, Alan H [Kennewick, WA

2010-08-17

A textured catalyst having a hydrothermally-stable support, a metal oxide and a catalyst component is described. Methods of conducting aqueous phase reactions that are catalyzed by a textured catalyst are also described. The invention also provides methods of making textured catalysts and methods of making chemical products using a textured catalyst.

Enantioselective Decarboxylative Alkylation Reactions: Catalyst Development, Substrate Scope, and Mechanistic Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Behenna, Douglas C.; Mohr, Justin T.; Sherden, Nathaniel H.; Marinescu, Smaranda C.; Harned, Andrew M.; Tani, Kousuke; Seto, Masaki; Ma, Sandy; Novák, Zoltán; Krout, Michael R.; McFadden, Ryan M.; Roizen, Jennifer L.; Enquist, John A.; White, David E.; Levine, Samantha R.; Petrova, Krastina V.; Iwashita, Akihiko; Virgil, Scott C.; Stoltz, Brian M.

2012-01-01

α-Quaternary ketones are accessed through novel enantioselective alkylations of allyl and propargyl electrophiles by unstabilized prochiral enolate nucleophiles in the presence of palladium complexes with various phosphinooxazoline (PHOX) ligands. Excellent yields and high enantiomeric excesses are obtained from three classes of enolate precursors: enol carbonates, enol silanes, and racemic β-ketoesters. Each of these substrate classes functions with nearly identical efficiency in terms of yield and enantioselectivity. Catalyst discovery and development, the optimization of reaction conditions, the exploration of reaction scope, and applications in target-directed synthesis are reported. Experimental observations suggest that these alkylation reactions occur through an unusual inner-sphere mechanism involving binding of the prochiral enolate nucleophile directly to the palladium center. PMID:22083969

Enantioselective Decarboxylative Alkylation Reactions: Catalyst Development, Substrate Scope, and Mechanistic Studies

KAUST Repository

Behenna, Douglas C.; Mohr, Justin T.; Sherden, Nathaniel H.; Marinescu, Smaranda C.; Harned, Andrew M.; Tani, Kousuke; Seto, Masaki; Ma, Sandy; Nová k, Zoltá n; Krout, Michael R.; McFadden, Ryan M.; Roizen, Jennifer L.; Enquist, John A.; White, David E.; Levine, Samantha R.; Petrova, Krastina V.; Iwashita, Akihiko; Virgil, Scott C.; Stoltz, Brian M.

2011-01-01

α-Quaternary ketones are accessed through novel enantioselective alkylations of allyl and propargyl electrophiles by unstabilized prochiral enolate nucleophiles in the presence of palladium complexes with various phosphinooxazoline (PHOX) ligands. Excellent yields and high enantiomeric excesses are obtained from three classes of enolate precursor: enol carbonates, enol silanes, and racemic β-ketoesters. Each of these substrate classes functions with nearly identical efficiency in terms of yield and enantioselectivity. Catalyst discovery and development, the optimization of reaction conditions, the exploration of reaction scope, and applications in target-directed synthesis are reported. Experimental observations suggest that these alkylation reactions occur through an unusual inner-sphere mechanism involving binding of the prochiral enolate nucleophile directly to the palladium center.

Enantioselective Decarboxylative Alkylation Reactions: Catalyst Development, Substrate Scope, and Mechanistic Studies

KAUST Repository

Behenna, Douglas C.

2011-11-14

α-Quaternary ketones are accessed through novel enantioselective alkylations of allyl and propargyl electrophiles by unstabilized prochiral enolate nucleophiles in the presence of palladium complexes with various phosphinooxazoline (PHOX) ligands. Excellent yields and high enantiomeric excesses are obtained from three classes of enolate precursor: enol carbonates, enol silanes, and racemic β-ketoesters. Each of these substrate classes functions with nearly identical efficiency in terms of yield and enantioselectivity. Catalyst discovery and development, the optimization of reaction conditions, the exploration of reaction scope, and applications in target-directed synthesis are reported. Experimental observations suggest that these alkylation reactions occur through an unusual inner-sphere mechanism involving binding of the prochiral enolate nucleophile directly to the palladium center.

Nanorod niobium oxide as powerful catalysts for an all vanadium redox flow battery.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Bin; Gu, Meng; Nie, Zimin; Wei, Xiaoliang; Wang, Chongmin; Sprenkle, Vincent; Wang, Wei

2014-01-08

A powerful low-cost electrocatalyst, nanorod Nb2O5, is synthesized using the hydrothermal method with monoclinic phases and simultaneously deposited on the surface of a graphite felt (GF) electrode in an all vanadium flow battery (VRB). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) study confirmed that Nb2O5 has catalytic effects toward redox couples of V(II)/V(III) at the negative side and V(IV)/V(V) at the positive side to facilitate the electrochemical kinetics of the vanadium redox reactions. Because of poor conductivity of Nb2O5, the performance of the Nb2O5 loaded electrodes is strongly dependent on the nanosize and uniform distribution of catalysts on GF surfaces. Accordingly, an optimal amount of W-doped Nb2O5 nanorods with minimum agglomeration and improved distribution on GF surfaces are established by adding water-soluble compounds containing tungsten (W) into the precursor solutions. The corresponding energy efficiency is enhanced by ∼10.7% at high current density (150 mA·cm(-2)) as compared with one without catalysts. Flow battery cyclic performance also demonstrates the excellent stability of the as prepared Nb2O5 catalyst enhanced electrode. These results suggest that Nb2O5-based nanorods, replacing expensive noble metals, uniformly decorating GFs holds great promise as high-performance electrodes for VRB applications.

Mesoporous metal catalysts formed by ultrasound

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaeferhans, Jana; Pazos Perez, Nicolas; Andreeva, Daria [Physikalische Chemie II, Universitaet Bayreuth (Germany)

2010-07-01

We study the ultrasound-driven formation of mesoporous metal sponges. The collapse of acoustic cavitations leads to very high temperatures and pressures on very short scales. Therefore, structures may be formed and quenched far from equilibrium. Mechanism of metal modification by ultrasound is complex and involves a variety of aspects. We propose that modification of metal particles and formation of mesoporous inner structures can be achieved due to thermal etching of metals by ultrasound stimulated high speed jets of liquid. Simultaneously, oxidation of metal surfaces by free radicals produced in water during cavitation stabilizes developed metal structures. Duration and intensity of the ultrasonication treatment is able to control the structure and morphology of metal sponges. We expect that this approach to the formation of nanoscale composite sponges is universal and opens perspective for a whole new class of catalytic materials that can be prepared in a one-step process. The developed method makes it possible to control the sponge morphology and can be used for formation of modern types of catalysts. For example, the sonication technique allows to combine the fabrication of mesoporous support and distribution of metal (Cu, Pd, Au, Pt etc.) nanoparticles in its pores into a single step.

Dopant atoms as quantum components in silicon nanoscale devices

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiaosong; Han, Weihua; Wang, Hao; Ma, Liuhong; Li, Xiaoming; Zhang, Wang; Yan, Wei; Yang, Fuhua

2018-06-01

Recent progress in nanoscale fabrication allows many fundamental studies of the few dopant atoms in various semiconductor nanostructures. Since the size of nanoscale devices has touched the limit of the nature, a single dopant atom may dominate the performance of the device. Besides, the quantum computing considered as a future choice beyond Moore's law also utilizes dopant atoms as functional units. Therefore, the dopant atoms will play a significant role in the future novel nanoscale devices. This review focuses on the study of few dopant atoms as quantum components in silicon nanoscale device. The control of the number of dopant atoms and unique quantum transport characteristics induced by dopant atoms are presented. It can be predicted that the development of nanoelectronics based on dopant atoms will pave the way for new possibilities in quantum electronics. Project supported by National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2016YFA0200503).

Platinum(0-1,3-divinyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane Complex as a Pt Source for Pt/SnO2 Catalyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agnieszka Martyla

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents new preparation method of Pt/SnO2, an important catalytic system. Besides of its application as a heterogenic industrial catalyst, it is also used as a catalyst in electrochemical processes, especially in fuel cells. Platinum is commonly used as an anode catalyst in low temperature fuel cells, fuelled with alcohols of low molecular weight such as methanol. Platinum(0-1,3-divinyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane complex was used as a precursor of metallic phase. The aim of the research was to obtain a highly active in electrochemical system Pt/SnO2 catalyst with low metal load. Considering small size of Pt crystallites, it should result in high activity of Pt/SnO2 system. The presented method of SnO2 synthesis allows for obtaining support consisting of nanoparticles. The effect of the thermal treatment on activity of Pt/SnO2 gel was demonstrated. The system properties were investigated using TEM, FTIR (ATR, and XRD techniques to describe its thermal structural evolution. The results showed two electrocatalytical activity peaks for drying at a temperature of 430 K and above 650 K.

In-situ hydrodeoxygenation of phenol by supported Ni catalyst-explanation for catalyst performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Ze; Zeng, Ying; Lin, Weigang

2017-01-01

In-situ hydrodeoxygenation of phenol with aqueous hydrogen donor over supported Ni catalyst was investigated. The supported Ni catalysts exerted very poor performance, if formic acid was used as the hydrogen donor. Catalyst modification by loading K, Na, Mg or La salt could not make the catalyst...... performance improved. If gaseous hydrogen was used as the hydrogen source the activity of Ni/Al2O3 was pretty high. CO2 was found poisonous to the catalysis, due to the competitive adoption of phenol with CO2. If formic acid was replaced by methanol, the catalyst performance improved remarkably, with major...... products of cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol. The better effect of methanol enlightened the application of the supported Ni catalyst in in-situ hydrodeoxygenation of phenol....

Innovative Route to Prepare of Au/C Catalysts by Replication of Gold-containing Mesoporous Silicas

KAUST Repository

Kerdi, Fatmé

2011-12-23

Gold-catalyzed aerobic epoxidations in the liquid phase are generally performed in low-polarity solvents, in which conventional oxide-supported catalysts are poorly dispersed. To improve the wettability of the catalytic powder and, thus, the efficiency of the catalyst, gold nanoparticles (NPs) have been dispersed on meso-structured carbons. Gold is first introduced in functionalized mesostructured silica and particles are formed inside the porosity. Silica pores are then impregnated with a carbon precursor and the composite material is heated at 900 °C under vacuum or nitrogen. Silica is then removed by acid leaching, leading to partially encapsulated gold particles in mesoporous carbon. Carbon prevents aggregation of gold particles at high temperature, both the mean size and distribution being similar to those observed in silica. However, while Au@SiO2 exhibit significant catalytic activity in the aerobic oxidation of trans-stilbene in the liquid phase, its Au@C mesostructured replica is quite inactive.

Non-PGM cell catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Colon-Mercado, H. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Elvington, M. [Savannah River Consulting, Aiken, SC (United States); Ganesan, P. [Savannah River Consulting, Aiken, SC (United States)

2017-09-27

A unique approach has been developed to probe the non-PGM catalyst active site for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) for PEMFCs. Iron based functionalities have been engineered into a variety of catalysts to evaluate their impact on activity for the ORR. A series of high surface area catalysts were synthesized and the impact of the chemical structure on the electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties was investigated. Elemental and surface analyses of the prepared catalysts reveal the incorporation of iron in a targeted and controlled manner. A high surface area framework catalyst was prepared that shows exceptional activity, comparable to state-of-the-art materials. The results of this research project provided critical seed data for the newly awarded ElectroCat project, which focuses on rationally designed framework catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction.

Ellipsometry at the nanoscale

CERN Document Server

Hingerl, Kurt

2013-01-01

This book presents and introduces ellipsometry in nanoscience and nanotechnology making a bridge between the classical and nanoscale optical behaviour of materials. It delineates the role of the non-destructive and non-invasive optical diagnostics of ellipsometry in improving science and technology of nanomaterials and related processes by illustrating its exploitation, ranging from fundamental studies of the physics and chemistry of nanostructures to the ultimate goal of turnkey manufacturing control. This book is written for a broad readership: materials scientists, researchers, engineers, as well as students and nanotechnology operators who want to deepen their knowledge about both basics and applications of ellipsometry to nanoscale phenomena. It starts as a general introduction for people curious to enter the fields of ellipsometry and polarimetry applied to nanomaterials and progresses to articles by experts on specific fields that span from plasmonics, optics, to semiconductors and flexible electronics...

Frontier in nanoscale flows fractional calculus and analytical methods

CERN Document Server

Lewis, Roland; Liu, Hong-yan

2014-01-01

This ebook covers the basic properties of nanoscale flows, and various analytical and numerical methods for nanoscale flows and environmental flows. This ebook is a good reference not only for audience of the journal, but also for various communities in mathematics, nanotechnology and environmental science.

Synthesis of honeycomb-like mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon nanospheres as Pt catalyst supports for methanol oxidation in alkaline media

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yunmao; Liu, Yong; Liu, Weihua; Li, Xiying; Mao, Liqun

2017-06-01

This paper reports the convenient synthesis of honeycomb-like mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon spheres (MNCS) using a self-assembly strategy that employs dopamine (DA) as a carbon and nitrogen precursor and a polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS173-b-PEO170) diblock copolymer as a soft template. The MNCS have large BET surface areas of up to 554 m2 g-1 and high nitrogen contents of up to 6.9 wt%. The obtained MNCS are used as a support for Pt catalysts, which promote methanol oxidation in alkaline media. The MNCS-supported Pt (Pt/MNCS) catalyst has a larger electrochemically active surface area (ESA) (89.2 m2 g-1) than does a commercially available Vulcan XC-72R supported Pt/C catalyst. Compared to the Pt/C catalyst, Pt/MNCS displays a higher peak current density (1007 mA mg-1) and is more stable during methanol oxidation. These improvements are attributed to the honeycomb-like porous structure of the MNCS and the introduction of nitrogen to the carbon support. The MNCS effectively stabilize Pt nanoparticles and assuage the agglomeration of the nanoparticles, suggesting that MNCS are potential and promising application as electrocatalyst supports in alkaline direct methanol fuel cells.

Fast heat flux modulation at the nanoscale

OpenAIRE

van Zwol, P. J.; Joulain, K.; Abdallah, P. Ben; Greffet, J. J.; Chevrier, J.

2011-01-01

We introduce a new concept for electrically controlled heat flux modulation. A flux contrast larger than 10 dB is expected with switching time on the order of tens of nanoseconds. Heat flux modulation is based on the interplay between radiative heat transfer at the nanoscale and phase change materials. Such large contrasts are not obtainable in solids, or in far field. As such this opens up new horizons for temperature modulation and actuation at the nanoscale.

Nanoscale phase-change materials and devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Qinghui; Wang, Yuxi; Zhu, Jia

2017-01-01

Phase-change materials (PCMs) that can reversibly transit between crystalline and amorphous phases have been widely used for data-storage and other functional devices. As PCMs scale down to nanoscale, the properties and transition procedures can vary, bringing both challenges and opportunities in scalability. This article describes the physical structures, properties and applications of nanoscale phase-change materials and devices. The limitations and performance of scaling properties in phase-change materials and the recent progress and challenges in phase-change devices are presented. At the end, some emerging applications related to phase-change materials are also introduced. (topical review)

Nanoscale phase-change materials and devices

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Qinghui; Wang, Yuxi; Zhu, Jia

2017-06-01

Phase-change materials (PCMs) that can reversibly transit between crystalline and amorphous phases have been widely used for data-storage and other functional devices. As PCMs scale down to nanoscale, the properties and transition procedures can vary, bringing both challenges and opportunities in scalability. This article describes the physical structures, properties and applications of nanoscale phase-change materials and devices. The limitations and performance of scaling properties in phase-change materials and the recent progress and challenges in phase-change devices are presented. At the end, some emerging applications related to phase-change materials are also introduced.

Alloy catalyst material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

The present invention relates to a novel alloy catalyst material for use in the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from oxygen and hydrogen, or from oxygen and water. The present invention also relates to a cathode and an electrochemical cell comprising the novel catalyst material, and the process use...... of the novel catalyst material for synthesising hydrogen peroxide from oxygen and hydrogen, or from oxygen and water....

Synthesis of self-supported non-precious metal catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction with preserved nanostructures from the polyaniline nanofiber precursor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Yang; Zhao, Xiao; Huang, Yunjie

2013-01-01

Non-precious metal catalysts (NPMCs) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are an active subject of recent research on proton exchange membrane fuel cells. In this study, we report a new approach to preparation of self-supported and nano-structured NPMCs using pre-prepared polyaniline (PANI...

Cu/Cu{sub 2}O/CuO loaded on the carbon layer derived from novel precursors with amazing catalytic performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Xiaoli, E-mail: zhaoxiaoli_zxl@126.com [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); Tan, Yixin [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085 (China); Wu, Fengchang, E-mail: wu_fengchang@126.com [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); Niu, Hongyun [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085 (China); Tang, Zhi [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); Cai, Yaqi [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085 (China); Giesy, John P. [State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Canada)

2016-11-15

A simple, novel method for synthesis of Cu/Cu{sub 2}O/CuO on surfaces of carbon (Cu/Cu{sub 2}O/CuO@C) as a non-noble-metal catalyst for reduction of organic compounds is presented. Compared with noble metals, Cu/Cu{sub 2}O/CuO@C particles are more efficient and less expensive. Characterization of the Cu/Cu{sub 2}O/CuO@C composites by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy and Raman analysis, revealed that it was composed of graphitized carbon with numerous nanoparticles (100 nm in diameter) of Cu/CuO/Cu{sub 2}O that were uniformly distributed on internal and external surfaces of the carbon support. Gallic acid (GA) has been used as both organic ligand and carbon precursor with metal organic frameworks (MOFs) as the sacrificial template and metal oxide precursor in this green synthesis. The material combined the advantages of MOFs and Cu-containing materials, the porous structure provided a large contact area and channels for the pollutions, which results in more rapid catalytic degradation of pollutants and leads to greater efficiency of catalysis. The material gave excellent catalytic performance for organic dyes and phenols. In this study, Cu/Cu{sub 2}O/CuO@C was used as catalytic to reduce 4-NP, which has been usually adopted as a model reaction to check the catalytic ability. Catalytic experiment results show that 4-NP was degraded approximately 3 min by use of 0.04 mg of catalyst and the conversion of pollutants can reach more than 99%. The catalyst exhibited little change in efficacy after being utilized five times. Rates of degradation of dyes, such as Methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB) and phenolic compounds such as O-Nitrophenol (O-NP) and 2-Nitroaniline (2-NA) were all similar. - Highlights: • We present an effective catalyst for reductive degradation of organic dyes and phenols in water. • Compared with noble metals, Cu/Cu{sub 2}O/CuO@C particles are more efficient and less

Nanoscale zero-valent iron incorporated with nanomagnetic diatomite for catalytic degradation of methylene blue in heterogeneous Fenton system.

Science.gov (United States)

Zha, Yiming; Zhou, Ziqing; He, Haibo; Wang, Tianlin; Luo, Liqiang

2016-01-01

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) incorporated with nanomagnetic diatomite (DE) composite material was prepared for catalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) in heterogeneous Fenton system. The material was constructed by two facile steps: Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were supported on DE by chemical co-precipitation method, after which nZVI was incorporated into magnetic DE by liquid-phase chemical reduction strategy. The as-prepared catalyst was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, magnetic properties measurement and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm measurement. The novel nZVI@Fe3O4-diatomite nanocomposites showed a distinct catalytic activity and a desirable effect for degradation of MB. MB could be completely decolorized within 8 min and the removal efficiency of total organic carbon could reach to 90% after reaction for 1 h.

Vibration measurements of automobile catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Aatola, Seppo

1994-09-01

Vibration of catalyst cell, which is inside the casing of the catalyst, is difficult to measure with usual measuring instrumentation. When catalyst is in use, there is hot exhaust gas flow though the catalyst cell and temperature of the cell is approximately +900 degree(s)C. Therefore non-contact Laser- Doppler-Vibrometer was used to measure vibration velocity of the catalyst cell. The laser beam was directed towards the cell through pipe which was put through and welded to the casing of the catalyst. The outer end of the pipe was screw down with a tempered class to prevent exhaust gas flow from the pipe. The inner end of the pipe was open and few millimeters away from the measuring point. Catalyst was attached to the engine with two ways, rigidly close to the engine and flexible under the engine. The engine was running in test bench under controlled conditions. Vibration measurements were carried out during constant running speeds of the engine. Vibration signals were captured and analyzed with FFT-analyzer. Vibration of catalyst cell was strongest at running speed of 5000 rpm, from 10 to 20 g (1 g equals 9.81 ms-2), when catalyst was attached rigidly close to the engine. At running speed of 3000 rpm, vibration of catalyst cell was from 2 to 3 g in most cases, when catalyst was attached either rigidly or flexible to the engine. It is estimated that in real life, i.e. when catalyst is attached to car with same engine, vibration of catalyst cell at running speed of 5000 rpm is somewhere between 1 and 10 g. At running speed of 3000 rpm, which may be more often used when driving car (car speed approximately 100 kmh-1), vibration of catalyst cell is probably few g's.

The influence of Mn species on the SO{sub 2} removal of Mn-based activated carbon catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qu, Yi-Fan [College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065 (China); Guo, Jia-Xiu, E-mail: guojiaxiu@scu.edu.cn [College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065 (China); National Engineering Technology Research Center for Flue Gas Desulfurization, Chengdu 610065 (China); Chu, Ying-Hao [College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065 (China); National Engineering Technology Research Center for Flue Gas Desulfurization, Chengdu 610065 (China); Sun, Ming-Chao [College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065 (China); Yin, Hua-Qiang, E-mail: hqyin@scu.edu.cn [College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065 (China); National Engineering Technology Research Center for Flue Gas Desulfurization, Chengdu 610065 (China)

2013-10-01

Using Mn(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} as precursor, a series of Mn-based activated carbon catalysts were prepared by ultrasound-assisted excessive impregnation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and temperature programmed reduction (TPR). The influences of Mn species and nitric acid pretreatment on the removal role of SO{sub 2} were investigated. MnO and Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} coexist in catalysts calcined at 650 and 800 °C and exhibit best SO{sub 2} removal ability, whereas Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} formed in the catalyst calcined at 500 °C and shows poor activity. After treatment by nitric acid, the C=O of activated carbon support increases and the crystal size of MnO decreases, resulting in the enhancement of the catalytic activity. During reaction process, manganese oxides are gradually transferred into MnO{sub 2}. And this change directly results in a decrease of activity. But the SO{sub 2} removal rate has been maintained in the range of 30–40%, indicating that MnO{sub 2} still has a certain SO{sub 2} removal ability.

Trends in nanoscale mechanics mechanics of carbon nanotubes, graphene, nanocomposites and molecular dynamics

CERN Document Server

2014-01-01

This book contains a collection of the state-of-the-art reviews written by the leading researchers in the areas of nanoscale mechanics, molecular dynamics, nanoscale modeling of nanocomposites and mechanics of carbon nanotubes. No other book has reviews of the recent discoveries such as a nanoscale analog of the Pauli’s principle, i.e., effect of the spatial exclusion of electrons or the SEE effect, a new Registry Matrix Analysis for the nanoscale interfacial sliding and new data on the effective viscosity of interfacial electrons in nanoscale stiction at the interfaces. This volume is also an exceptional resource on the well tested nanoscale modeling of carbon nanotubes and nanocomposites, new nanoscale effects, unique evaluations of the effective thickness of carbon nanotubes under different loads, new data on which size of carbon nanotubes is safer and many other topics. Extensive bibliography concerning all these topics is included along with the lucid short reviews. Numerous illustrations are provided...

Catalyst for microelectromechanical systems microreactors

Science.gov (United States)

Morse, Jeffrey D [Martinez, CA; Sopchak, David A [Livermore, CA; Upadhye, Ravindra S [Pleasanton, CA; Reynolds, John G [San Ramon, CA; Satcher, Joseph H [Patterson, CA; Gash, Alex E [Brentwood, CA

2010-06-29

A microreactor comprising a silicon wafer, a multiplicity of microchannels in the silicon wafer, and a catalyst coating the microchannels. In one embodiment the catalyst coating the microchannels comprises a nanostructured material. In another embodiment the catalyst coating the microchannels comprises an aerogel. In another embodiment the catalyst coating the microchannels comprises a solgel. In another embodiment the catalyst coating the microchannels comprises carbon nanotubes.

Democratization of Nanoscale Imaging and Sensing Tools Using Photonics.

Science.gov (United States)

McLeod, Euan; Wei, Qingshan; Ozcan, Aydogan

2015-07-07

Providing means for researchers and citizen scientists in the developing world to perform advanced measurements with nanoscale precision can help to accelerate the rate of discovery and invention as well as improve higher education and the training of the next generation of scientists and engineers worldwide. Here, we review some of the recent progress toward making optical nanoscale measurement tools more cost-effective, field-portable, and accessible to a significantly larger group of researchers and educators. We divide our review into two main sections: label-based nanoscale imaging and sensing tools, which primarily involve fluorescent approaches, and label-free nanoscale measurement tools, which include light scattering sensors, interferometric methods, photonic crystal sensors, and plasmonic sensors. For each of these areas, we have primarily focused on approaches that have either demonstrated operation outside of a traditional laboratory setting, including for example integration with mobile phones, or exhibited the potential for such operation in the near future.

WO3 Nanofiber-Based Biomarker Detectors Enabled by Protein-Encapsulated Catalyst Self-Assembled on Polystyrene Colloid Templates.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Seon-Jin; Kim, Sang-Joon; Cho, Hee-Jin; Jang, Ji-Soo; Lin, Yi-Min; Tuller, Harry L; Rutledge, Gregory C; Kim, Il-Doo

2016-02-17

A novel catalyst functionalization method, based on protein-encapsulated metallic nanoparticles (NPs) and their self-assembly on polystyrene (PS) colloid templates, is used to form catalyst-loaded porous WO3 nanofibers (NFs). The metallic NPs, composed of Au, Pd, or Pt, are encapsulated within a protein cage, i.e., apoferritin, to form unagglomerated monodispersed particles with diameters of less than 5 nm. The catalytic NPs maintain their nanoscale size, even following high-temperature heat-treatment during synthesis, which is attributed to the discrete self-assembly of NPs on PS colloid templates. In addition, the PS templates generate open pores on the electrospun WO3 NFs, facilitating gas molecule transport into the sensing layers and promoting active surface reactions. As a result, the Au and Pd NP-loaded porous WO3 NFs show superior sensitivity toward hydrogen sulfide, as evidenced by responses (R(air)/R(gas)) of 11.1 and 43.5 at 350 °C, respectively. These responses represent 1.8- and 7.1-fold improvements compared to that of dense WO3 NFs (R(air)/R(gas) = 6.1). Moreover, Pt NP-loaded porous WO3 NFs exhibit high acetone sensitivity with response of 28.9. These results demonstrate a novel catalyst loading method, in which small NPs are well-dispersed within the pores of WO3 NFs, that is applicable to high sensitivity breath sensors. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Bio-inspired routes for synthesizing efficient nanoscale platinum electrocatalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cha, Jennifer N. [Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States); Wang, Joseph [Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States)

2014-08-31

The overall objective of the proposed research is to use fundamental advances in bionanotechnology to design powerful platinum nanocrystal electrocatalysts for fuel cell applications. The new economically-viable, environmentally-friendly, bottom-up biochemical synthetic strategy will produce platinum nanocrystals with tailored size, shape and crystal orientation, hence leading to a maximum electrochemical reactivity. There are five specific aims to the proposed bio-inspired strategy for synthesizing efficient electrocatalytic platinum nanocrystals: (1) isolate peptides that both selectively bind particular crystal faces of platinum and promote the nucleation and growth of particular nanocrystal morphologies, (2) pattern nanoscale 2-dimensional arrays of platinum nucleating peptides from DNA scaffolds, (3) investigate the combined use of substrate patterned peptides and soluble peptides on nanocrystal morphology and growth (4) synthesize platinum crystals on planar and large-area carbon electrode supports, and (5) perform detailed characterization of the electrocatalytic behavior as a function of catalyst size, shape and morphology. Project Description and Impact: This bio-inspired collaborative research effort will address key challenges in designing powerful electrocatalysts for fuel cell applications by employing nucleic acid scaffolds in combination with peptides to perform specific, environmentally-friendly, simultaneous bottom-up biochemical synthesis and patterned assembly of highly uniform and efficient platinum nanocrystal catalysts. Bulk synthesis of nanoparticles usually produces a range of sizes, accessible catalytic sites, crystal morphologies, and orientations, all of which lead to inconsistent catalytic activities. In contrast, biological systems routinely demonstrate exquisite control over inorganic syntheses at neutral pH and ambient temperature and pressures. Because the orientation and arrangement of the templating biomolecules can be precisely

Transition Metal Phosphide Nanoparticles Supported on SBA-15 as Highly Selective Hydrodeoxygenation Catalysts for the Production of Advanced Biofuels.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yongxing; Ochoa-Hernández, Cristina; de la Peña O'Shea, Víctor A; Pizarro, Patricia; Coronado, Juan M; Serrano, David P

2015-09-01

A series of catalysts constituted by nanoparticles of transition metal (M = Fe, Co, Ni and Mo) phosphides (TMP) dispersed on SBA-15 were synthesized by reduction of the corresponding metal phosphate precursors previously impregnated on the mesostructured support. All the samples contained a metal-loading of 20 wt% and with an initial M/P mole ratio of 1, and they were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 sorption, H2-TPR and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Metal phosphide nanocatalysts were tested in a high pressure continuous flow reactor for the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of a methyl ester blend containing methyl oleate (C17H33-COO-CH3) as main component (70%). This mixture constitutes a convenient surrogate of triglycerides present in vegetable oils, and following catalytic hydrotreating yields mainly n-alkanes. The results of the catalytic assays indicate that Ni2P/SBA-15 catalyst presents the highest ester conversion, whereas the transformation rate is about 20% lower for MoP/SBA-15. In contrast, catalysts based on Fe and Co phosphides show a rather limited activity. Hydrocarbon distribution in the liquid product suggests that both hydrodeoxygenation and decarboxylation/decarbonylation reactions occur simultaneously over the different catalysts, although MoP/SBA-15 possess a selectivity towards hydrodeoxygenation exceeding 90%. Accordingly, the catalyst based on MoP affords the highest yield of n-octadecane, which is the preferred product in terms of carbon atom economy. Subsequently, in order to conjugate the advantages of both Ni and Mo phosphides, a series of catalysts containing variable proportions of both metals were prepared. The obtained results reveal that the mixed phosphides catalysts present a catalytic behavior intermediate between those of the monometallic phosphides. Accordingly, only marginal enhancement of the yield of n-octadecane is obtained for the catalysts with a Mo/Ni ratio of 3. Nevertheless, owing to this high selectivity

Precursors prior to type IIn supernova explosions are common: Precursor rates, properties, and correlations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ofek, Eran O.; Steinbok, Aviram; Arcavi, Iair; Gal-Yam, Avishay; Tal, David; Ben-Ami, Sagi; Yaron, Ofer [Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot (Israel); Sullivan, Mark [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Shaviv, Nir J. [Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University, 91904 Jerusalem (Israel); Kulkarni, Shrinivas R. [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Nugent, Peter E. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Kasliwal, Mansi M. [Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Cenko, S. Bradley [Astrophysics Science Division, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Mail Code 661, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Laher, Russ; Surace, Jason [Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology, M/S 314-6, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Bloom, Joshua S.; Filippenko, Alexei V. [Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 (United States); Silverman, Jeffrey M. [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)

2014-07-10

There is a growing number of Type IIn supernovae (SNe) which present an outburst prior to their presumably final explosion. These precursors may affect the SN display, and are likely related to poorly charted phenomena in the final stages of stellar evolution. By coadding Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) images taken prior to the explosion, here we present a search for precursors in a sample of 16 Type IIn SNe. We find five SNe IIn that likely have at least one possible precursor event (PTF 10bjb, SN 2010mc, PTF 10weh, SN 2011ht, and PTF 12cxj), three of which are reported here for the first time. For each SN we calculate the control time. We find that precursor events among SNe IIn are common: at the one-sided 99% confidence level, >50% of SNe IIn have at least one pre-explosion outburst that is brighter than 3 × 10{sup 7} L{sub ☉} taking place up to 1/3 yr prior to the SN explosion. The average rate of such precursor events during the year prior to the SN explosion is likely ≳ 1 yr{sup –1}, and fainter precursors are possibly even more common. Ignoring the two weakest precursors in our sample, the precursors rate we find is still on the order of one per year. We also find possible correlations between the integrated luminosity of the precursor and the SN total radiated energy, peak luminosity, and rise time. These correlations are expected if the precursors are mass-ejection events, and the early-time light curve of these SNe is powered by interaction of the SN shock and ejecta with optically thick circumstellar material.

Structural and electrochemical characterization of carbon supported Pt-Pr catalysts for direct ethanol fuel cells prepared using a modified formic acid method in a CO atmosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Corradini, Patricia Gon; Antolini, Ermete; Perez, Joelma

2013-07-28

Pt-Pr/C electrocatalysts were prepared using a modified formic acid method, and their activity for carbon monoxide and ethanol oxidation was compared to Pt/C. No appreciable alloy formation was detected by XRD analysis. By TEM measurements it was found that Pt particle size increases with an increasing Pr content in the catalysts and with decreasing metal precursor addition time. XPS measurements indicated Pt segregation on the catalyst surface and the presence of Pr2O3 and PrO2 oxides. The addition of Pr increased the electro-catalytic activity of Pt for both CO and CH3CH2OH oxidation. The enhanced activity of Pt-Pr/C catalysts was ascribed to both an electronic effect, caused by the presence of Pr2O3, and the bi-functional mechanism, caused by the presence of PrO2.

Nanoscale-Agglomerate-Mediated Heterogeneous Nucleation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cha, Hyeongyun; Wu, Alex; Kim, Moon-Kyung; Saigusa, Kosuke; Liu, Aihua; Miljkovic, Nenad

2017-12-13

Water vapor condensation on hydrophobic surfaces has received much attention due to its ability to rapidly shed water droplets and enhance heat transfer, anti-icing, water harvesting, energy harvesting, and self-cleaning performance. However, the mechanism of heterogeneous nucleation on hydrophobic surfaces remains poorly understood and is attributed to defects in the hydrophobic coating exposing the high surface energy substrate. Here, we observe the formation of high surface energy nanoscale agglomerates on hydrophobic coatings after condensation/evaporation cycles in ambient conditions. To investigate the deposition dynamics, we studied the nanoscale agglomerates as a function of condensation/evaporation cycles via optical and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), microgoniometric contact angle measurements, nucleation statistics, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The FESEM and EDS results indicated that the nanoscale agglomerates stem from absorption of sulfuric acid based aerosol particles inside the droplet and adsorption of volatile organic compounds such as methanethiol (CH 3 SH), dimethyl disulfide (CH 3 SSCH), and dimethyl trisulfide (CH 3 SSSCH 3 ) on the liquid-vapor interface during water vapor condensation, which act as preferential sites for heterogeneous nucleation after evaporation. The insights gained from this study elucidate fundamental aspects governing the behavior of both short- and long-term heterogeneous nucleation on hydrophobic surfaces, suggest previously unexplored microfabrication and air purification techniques, and present insights into the challenges facing the development of durable dropwise condensing surfaces.

Regeneration of Hydrotreating and FCC Catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

CM Wai; JG Frye; JL Fulton; LE Bowman; LJ Silva; MA Gerber

1999-09-30

Hydrotreating, hydrocracking, and fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts are important components of petroleum refining processes. Hydrotreating and hydrocracking catalysts are used to improve the yield of high-quality light oil fractions from heavier crude oil and petroleum feedstocks containing high levels of impurities. FCC catalysts improve the yield of higher octane gasoline from crude oil. Residuum hydrotreating and cracking catalysts are susceptible to irreversible deactivation caused by adsorption of sulfur and by metals impurities, such as vanadium and nickel. The gradual buildup of these impurities in a hydrotreating catalyst eventually plugs the pores and deactivates it. Nickel and vanadium adversely affect the behavior of cracking catalysts, reducing product yield and quality. Replacing deactivated catalysts represents a significant cost in petroleum refining. Equally important are the costs and potential liabilities associated with treating and disposing spent catalysts. For example, recent US Environmental Protection Agency rulings have listed spent hydrotreating and hydrorefining catalysts as hazardous wastes. FCC catalysts, though more easily disposed of as road-base or as filler in asphalt and cement, are still an economic concern mainly because of the large volumes of spent catalysts generated. New processes are being considered to increase the useful life of catalysts or for meeting more stringent disposal requirements for spent catalysts containing metals. This report discusses a collaborative effort between Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Phillips Petroleum, Inc., to identify promising chemical processes for removing metals adhered to spent hydrodesulfurization (HDS, a type of hydrotreating catalyst) and FCC catalysts. This study, conducted by PNNL, was funded by the US Department of Energy's Bartlesville Project Office. Fresh and spent catalysts were provided by Phillips Petroleum. The FCC catalyst was a rare

Influence of the precursors in the chemical preparation of γ - Al2O3 in reactions of alcohols dehydration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salmones, J.; Limon, M.T.; Mayagoitia, V.; Rojas, F.; Kornhauser, I.; Morales, J.; Acosta, D.

1998-01-01

A chemical method for the synthesis of alumina substrates based on a microscopic morphological control, is presented. The influence of the precursor alcohol used for the synthesis of Al(OR) 3 is studied too. This latter compound is the raw material to synthesize the alumina materials treated here. The effects of alcohols such as ethanol, isopropanol and ter butanol are analyzed. Results show that an early formation (i.e. at low temperature) of the porous structure is reached in the case of γ -Al 2 O 3 synthesized from ethanol. On the other hand, pore formation for alumina obtained from isopropanol and ter butanol, occurs until appearance of the γ phase (at approximately 500 Centigrade). The different alumina substrates were used as catalysts in dehydration reactions of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols. Decreasing catalytic activity corresponds to the sequence: (R-OH) 3 2 2 3 . These results are explained by means of a reaction mechanism which is associated with the textural properties of the catalysts. (Author)

Guidelines for bottom-up approach of nanocarbon film formation from pentacene using heated tungsten on quartz substrate without metal catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Heya, Akira; Matsuo, Naoto

2018-04-01

The guidelines for a bottom-up approach of nanographene formation from pentacene using heated tungsten were investigated using a novel method called hot mesh deposition (HMD). In this method, a heated W mesh was set between a pentacene source and a quartz substrate. Pentacene molecules were decomposed by the heated W mesh. The generated pentacene-based decomposed precursors were then deposited on the quartz substrate. The pentacene dimer (peripentacene) was obtained from pentacene by HMD using two heated catalysts. As expected from the calculation with the density functional theory in the literature, it was confirmed that the pentacene dimer can be formed by a reaction between pentacene and 6,13-dihydropentacene. This technique can be applied to the formation of novel nanographene on various substrates without metal catalysts.

Hydrogen production from raw bioethanol steam reforming: optimization of catalyst composition with improved stability against various impurities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Valant, A.; Can, F.; Bion, N.; Epron, F.; Duprez, D.

2009-01-01

Usually, ethanol steam reforming is performed using pure ethanol, whereas the use of raw bioethanol is of major importance for a cost effective industrial application. Raw bioethanol contains higher alcohols as the main impurities and also aldehydes, amines, acids and esters. The effect of these impurities on the catalytic performances for ethanol steam reforming (ESR) has been studied, using a reference catalyst, Rh/MgAl 2 O 4 . It was shown that the aldehyde, the amine and methanol has no negative effect on the catalytic performances, contrary to the ester, acid and higher alcohols. The deactivation is mainly explained by coke formation favored by the presence of these impurities in the feed. In order to improve the stability of the catalyst and its performances in the presence of these deactivating impurities, the catalyst formulation, i.e. the composition of the support and of the metallic phase, was modified. The addition of rare earth elements instead of magnesium to the alumina support leads to a decrease of the strong and medium acid sites and to an increase of the basicity. On these modified supports, the dehydration reaction, leading to olefins, which are coke precursors, is disfavored, the ethanol conversion and the hydrogen yield are increased. The best catalytic performances were obtained with Rh/Y-Al 2 O 3 . Then, the metallic phase was also modified by adding a second metal (Ni, Pt or Pd). The Rh-Ni/Y-Al 2 O 3 catalyst leads to the highest hydrogen yield. This catalyst, tested in the presence of raw bioethanol during 24h was very stable compared to the reference catalyst Rh/MgAl 2 O 4 , which was strongly deactivated after 2h of time-on-stream. (author)

Nanoscale shape-memory alloys for ultrahigh mechanical damping.