RUI: Preparation and Characterization of New Heterogeneous Bimetallic Au-M Catalysts for Selective Oxidations and Hydrogenations

The Chemical Catalysis Program in the Chemistry Division at the National Science Foundation supports Professor Bert D. Chandler from Trinity University to investigate the effects of adding heterometals to supported Au nanoparticle catalysts. New nanoparticle and catalyst synthesis techniques will be employed to prepare bimetallic nanoparticles on alumina and titania. Kinetics -based analytical techniques including (1) intentional poisoning studies to evaluate relative numbers of active sites, and (2) Hammett relationships to probe changes in NP surface charge will be developed and employed. These studies will enable a quantitative comparison of different catalysts, thus allowing for an assessment of heterometals effect on Au NPs, and answering fundamental questions regarding the nature of the catalytic active sites. Further, this program will provide numerous research opportunities for undergraduate students, giving them hands on experience in this nationally important area of research and training them to be the next generation of scientists.

Improving our fundamental understanding of bimetallic nanoparticles and their catalytic properties has the potential to positively impact both the U. S. catalysis industry and the national economy by providing cheaper materials and consumer products as well as reducing pollution and industrial waste. This includes finding new ways to assemble a few hundred metal atoms, which can be a difficult chemical synthesis problem. This project will expand the methods developed by the PI to produce nanoparticles that have an inexpensive metal at the core (Cu, Ni, Fe) and Au on the outside. These new nanoparticles will be deposited onto a support and used to catalyze a variety of reactions.