Seed-mediated growth of large, monodisperse core-shell gold-silver nanoparticles with Ag-like optical properties

Large, monodisperse core-shell Au-Ag nanoparticles with Ag-like optical properties have been prepared by the seeding growth method in micellar media.

Preparation of borates doped with divalent rare earth ions (RE2+) in air and spectroscopy of divalent rare earth ions (RE2+ = Sm, Eu, Tm, Yb)

The spectroscopic feature of divalent Sm2+, Eu2+, Tm2+ and Yb2+ is discussed in this paper. Especially the spectroscopic properties of some berates containing tetrahedral BO4 group such as SrB4O7, SrB6O10 and BaB8O13 doped with these divalent ions are reported. When the divalent alkaline earth ion in these berates is replaced partially by the above trivalent rare earth ion, the charge carried in the produced defects can be used as reductant to reduce the doped rare earth ion into divalent state at high temperature even in air. Therefore, a convenient and safe method is provided to prepared phosphors doped with these divalent rare earths.

Half-sandwich metal diselenolate complexes Cp#M(NO)(SePh)(2) (M = Mo or W; Cp# = Cp or MeCp) as ligands. Synthesis of selenolate-bridged heterobimetallic compounds

The reactions of half-sandwich diselenolate Mo and W complexes (CpM)-M-#(NO)(SePh)(2) (M = Mo; Cp-# = Cp' (1a), MeCp (1b); M = W; Cp-# = Cp' (1c)) with (Norb)Mo(CO)(4), Ni(COD)(2) and Fe(CO)(5) have been investigated. Treatment of (1a), (1b) and (1c) with (Norb)Mo(CO)(4) in PhMe gave the bimetallic complexes: Cp'Mo(NO)(mu -SePh)(2)Mo(CO)(4) (2a), MeCpMo(NO)(mu -SePh)(2)Mo(CO)(4) (2b) and Cp'W(NO)(mu -SePh)(2)Mo(CO)(4) (2c) in moderate yields. Irradiation of (1a) and (1c) in the presence of Fe(CO)(5) gave heterobimetallic complexes Cp'Mo(CO)(mu -SePh)(2)Fe(CO)(3) (3a) and Cp'W(NO)(mu -SePh)(2)Fe(CO)(3) (3c). Ni(COD)(2) reacts with two equivalents of (1a), (1b) and (1c) to give [Cp'Mo(NO)(mu -SePh)(2)](2)Ni (4a), [MeCpMo(NO)(mu -SePh)(2)](2)Ni (4b) and [Cp'W(NO)(mu -SePh)(2)](2)Ni (4c) in good yields. The new heterobimetallic complexes were characterized by i.r., H-1-n.m.r., C-13-n.m.r. and EI-MS spectroscopy.

Partial oxidation of methane to syngas over Pt-Ni/Al2O3 Catalyst

The catalytic partial oxidation of methane to syngas over Ni/Al2O3, Pt/Al2O3 and a series of Pt - Ni/Al2O3 catalysts was investigated. It was found that Pt - Ni/Al2O3 catalysts exhibit higher activity and stability than Ni/Al2O3 and Pt/Al2O3. TPR and TPD methods were used to characterize Pt - Ni bimetallic interactions in the catalysts. A series of Pt - Ni/Al2O3 catalysts and unsupported Pt - Ni samples were studied by XRD and XPS. It was found the formation of Pt - Ni alloy in the Pt - Ni/Al2O3 catalysts and the enrichment of platinum on the surface of the catalysts. It is concluded that the higher activity and stability of Pt - Ni/Al2O3 catalysts were caused by Pt - Ni bimetallic interactions.

SYNTHESES AND CHARACTERIZATION OF [(MU-CF3CO2)(2)LN(MU-CF3CHO2)ALR(2)CENTER-DOT-2THF](2) AND THEIR CATALYTIC ACTIVITIES FOR POLYMERIZATION OF SOME POLAR MONOMERS

Three new bimetallic complexes were synthesized and crystalized by reactions of (CF3CO2)(3)Ln With R(1) AlR(2)(Ln=Nd and Y, R(1)=H, R=i-C4H9; Ln=Eu, R=R(1)=C2H5) in tetrahydrofuran solution, and their crystal structures were determined using a X-ray diffraction method. The structures and the questions on valence state and noncoplanarity in the structures were confirmed and cracked by means of H-1 NMR and C-13 NMR spectra, especially by C-13-H-1 COSY 2D NMR technique. A general formula of molecules of the three rare earth complexes was defined as follows: [(mu-CF3CO2)(2)Ln(mu-CF3CHO2)AlR(2) . 2THF](2) A mechanism on the formation of the new complexes was also proposed through the following five steps: alkylating, beta-elimination (or hydrogenation), hydrogen transfer, linkage and association. Both Y-Al and Eu-Al complexes function as a catalyst in polymerization of MMA and ECH. The polymer obtained from the first monomer is mainly syndiotactic chain structure and the polymerization of the last monomer shows higher catalytic activity. The Y-Al complex also capable of ring-opening polymerization of THF in case of adding-vary small amount of ECH and a oxonium ion mechanism of THF polymerization was suggested from the analysis of THF polymer terminal.

Oxidative carbonylation of aniline over a polymer-supported palladium-copper catalyst

The polymer-supported bimetallic catalyst FVP-PdCl2-2CuCl(2) (PVP, poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone), obtained in situ by the addition of CuCl2 to an alcoholic solution of PVP-PdCl2, exhibits high selectivity and activity for the oxidative carbonylation of aniline with carbon monoxide and oxygen to ethyl N-phenylcarbamate in the presence of a base (NaOAc) under atmospheric pressure. The strong synergic effect of Pd-Cu gives rise to a clear increase in the selectivity and activity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

An efficient approach to modify the catalyst activity for the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene

The addition of a suitable amount of PPh3 to PdCl2 or PdCl2(PhCN)(2) in situ can considerably increase the catalytic activity in the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene, while the catalytic activities of PdCl2 (reduced)+PPh3, PdCl2(PPh3)(2) and Pd(PPh3)(4) are very poor. The poisoning of catalyst by mercury indicates that the catalytically active species are composed of Pd(0) colloidal particles. Transmission electron micrographs show that the size of nanometric Pd(0) particles of PdCl2 with PPh3 added in situ is smaller than that of PhCl2(PPh3) or PdCl2 (reduced)+PPh3. A synergic effect of bimetallic catalysts such as PdCl2+nPPh(3)+NiCl2 (n= 0.5, 1) and PdCl2(PhCN)(2)+PPh3+FeCl3 gives rise to a further increase in the catalytic activity.

Strong effect of transitional metals on the sulfur resistance of Pd/HY-Al2O3 catalysts for aromatic hydrogenation

In order to improve the sulfur resistance of noble metal catalysts in the aromatic hydrogenation of diesel fuel, the alloying effect of non-noble metals with Pd was studied. Toluene hydrogenation over Pd and Pd-M bimetallic catalysts (M = Cr, W,La, Mn, Mo, Ag) on a mixed HY-Al2O3 support was investigated in the presence of 3000 ppm sulfur as thiophene in the feedstock. The results showed that the addition of the second metals strongly affected the activity of toluene hydrogenation, which suggests that the sulfur resistibility of Pd-M bimetallic catalysts is much different from single Pd. La, Mn, Mo and Ag decreased the sulfur resistance of the palladium catalysts. For example, the toluene conversion at 553 K was observed to decrease sharply from 39.4 wt.% on Pd to 1.6 wt.% on Pd-Ag, which is by a factor of 25. One of the important findings in this article is that Cr and W increase hydrogenation activity of Pd catalysts. The reactions occurring on these catalysts include hydrogenation, isomerization and hydrocracking, The addition of the second metals has no noticeable effects on the hydrogenation and isomerization selectivity, but it slightly suppresses hydrocracking reactions. The four typical catalysts, Pd-Cr, Pd-W, Pd-Ag and Pd were characterized by infrared (IR) spectroscopy of pyridine and CO. LR spectra of CO revealed the strong interaction between Pd and the second metal as Cr, W and Ag (or their oxide), indicating that the improvement in sulfur resistance originates from electron-deficient Pd with the addition of second metals. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of electrocatalysts for direct alcohol fuel cells

In the present review, we summarize the recent progress in electrocatalysts for direct alcohol fuel cells, focussing on the research of electrocatalysts for both alcohol oxidation and oxygen reduction, which are crucial in the development of fuel cells. A modified EG (ethylene polyol) method to prepare well-dispersed nano-sized Pt-based electrocatalysts with high loadings is reported. By this method, a more active carbon supported PtRu catalyst for methanol oxidation reaction and a PtSn catalyst for ethanol oxidation reaction have been synthesized successfully. Furthermore, a methanol tolerant Pd-based catalyst for cathode oxygen reduction reaction has been developed. HRTEM and HR-EDS have been employed to characterize the microstructure and micro-components of the above electrocatalysts. Results show that the bimetallic electrocatalysts prepared by the modified EG method display uniform size and homogeneous components at nanometer scale.

Proteomic method for the quantification of methionine sulfoxide

Glycoxidation and lipoxidation reactions contribute to the chemical modification of proteins during the Maillard reaction. Reactive oxygen species, produced during the oxidation of sugars and lipids in these processes, irreversibly oxidize proteins. Methionine is particularly susceptible to oxidation, yielding the oxidation product methionine sulfoxide (MetSO). Here we describe a method for the analysis of MetSO using proteomic techniques. Using these techniques, we measured MetSO formation on the model protein RNase during aerobic incubations with glucose and arachidonate. We also evaluated the susceptibility of MetSO to reduction by NaBH4, a commonly used reductant in the analysis of Maillard reaction products.

Insight into the key aspects of the regeneration process in the NOx storage reduction (NSR) reaction probed using fast transient kinetics coupled with isotopically labelled (NO)-N-15 over Pt and Rh-containing Ba/Al2O3 catalysts

For the first time, the coupling of fast transient kinetic switching and the use of an isotopically labelled reactant (15NO) has allowed detailed analysis of the evolution of all the products and reactants involved in the regeneration of a NOx storage reduction (NSR) material. Using realistic regeneration times (ca. 1 s) for Pt, Rh and Pt/Rh-containing Ba/Al2O3 catalysts we have revealed an unexpected double peak in the evolution of nitrogen. The first peak occurred immediately on switching from lean to rich conditions, while the second peak started at the point at which the gases switched from rich to lean. The first evolution of nitrogen occurs as a result of the fast reaction between H2 and/or CO and NO on reduced Rh and/or Pt sites. The second N2 peak which occurs upon removal of the rich phase can be explained by reaction of stored ammonia with stored NOx, gas phase NOx or O2. The ammonia can be formed either by hydrolysis of isocyanates or by direct reaction of NO and H2.

The study highlights the importance of the relative rates of regeneration and storage in determining the overall performance of the catalysts. The performance of the monometallic 1.1%Rh/Ba/Al2O3 catalyst at 250 and 350 °C was found to be dependent on the rate of NOx storage, since the rate of regeneration was sufficient to remove the NOx stored in the lean phase. In contrast, for the monometallic 1.6%Pt/Ba/Al2O3 catalyst at 250 °C, the rate of regeneration was the determining factor with the result that the amount of NOx stored on the catalyst deteriorated from cycle to cycle until the amount of NOx stored in the lean phase matched the NOx reduced in the rich phase. On the basis of the ratio of exposed metal surface atoms to total Ba content, the monometallic 1.6%Pt/Ba/Al2O3 catalyst outperformed the Rh-containing catalysts at 250 and 350 °C even when CO was used as a reductant.

The investigation of mechanisms in environmental catalysis using time-resolved methods

The formation of nitrogen oxides (NOx) during a combustion process is difficult to avoid because of the large exotherm and the consequent problem of avoiding local high-temperature spikes. Consequently, for many applications, such as for automotive power generation, there will be a continuing need to use catalytic after-treatment to reduce harmful emissions. The investigation of the mechanisms of the key catalytic reactions in environmental catalysis can provide an insight into the action of the catalyst, and time-resolved methods offer a powerful means to study these processes under realistic conditions. The use of Temporal Analysis of Products (TAP) and Steady State Isotopic Transient Kinetic Analysis (SSITKA) methods to investigate the reduction of NOx under various experimental conditions is described. From a detailed analysis of the SSITKA profiles, it is shown that at low temperatures the mechanism for the formation of N-2 and N2O from NO may differ from the conventional high-temperature mechanism. This is supported by density functional theory calculations, which show that the barrier to the formation of N2O from the reaction of N(ads) and NO(ads) may be too high to allow this process to occur at low temperatures. The alternative reaction of NO(ads) + NO(ads) = N2O(g) + O(ads) is shown to be much more favorable and is consistent with the SSITKA analysis. The remarkable effect of hydrogen as a reductant at low temperatures is described, and alternative interpretations of the role of hydrogen are discussed.

A review of the selective reduction of NOx, with hydrocarbons under lean-burn conditions with non-zeolitic oxide and platinum group metal catalysts

Research on the selective reduction of NOx with hydrocarbons under lean-burn conditions using non-zeolitic oxides and platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts has been critically reviewed. Alumina and silver-promoted alumina catalysts have been described in detail with particular emphasis on an analysis of the various reaction mechanisms that have been put forward in the literature. The influence of the nature of the reducing agent, and the preparation and structure of the catalysts have also been discussed and rationalised for several other oxide systems. It is concluded for non-zeolitic oxides that species that are strongly adsorbed on the surface, such as nitrates/nitrites and acetates, could be key intermediates in the formation of various reduced and oxidised species of nitrogen, the further reaction of which leads eventually to the formation of molecular nitrogen. For the platinum group metal catalysts, the different mechanisms that have been proposed in the literature have been critically assessed. It is concluded that although there is indirect, mainly spectroscopic, evidence for various reaction intermediates on the catalyst surface, it is difficult to confirm that any of these are involved in a critical mechanistic step because of a lack of a direct quantitative correlation between infrared and kinetic measurements. A simple mechanism which involves the dissociation of NO on a reduced metal surface to give N(ads) and O(ads), with subsequent desorption of N-2 and N2O and removal of O(ads) by the reductant can explain many of the results with the platinum group metal catalysts, although an additional contribution from organo-nitro-type species may contribute to the overall NOx reduction activity with these catalysts.

Evaluation of Pt and Re oxidation state in a pressurized reactor: difference in reduction between gas and liquid phase

Determination of metal oxidation state under relevant working conditions is crucial to understand catalytic behaviour. The reduction behaviour of Pt and Re was evaluated simultaneously as a function of support and solvent in a pressurized reactor (autoclave). The bimetallic catalysts are used in selective hydrogenation of carboxylic acids and amides. Gas phase reduction reduced the metals more efficiently, in particular Pt.

Investigating the mechanism of the H 2-assisted selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with octane using fast cycling transient in situ DRIFTS-MS analysis

A mechanistic study of the H-2-assisted Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of NOx with octane as reductant over a Ag/Al2O3 catalyst was carried out using a modified DRIFTS cell coupled to a mass spectrometer Using fast transient cycling switching of H-2 with a time resolution of a few seconds It was possible to differentiate potential reaction intermediates from other moieties that are clearly spectator species Using such a periodic operation mode effects were uncovered that are normally hidden in conventional transient studies which typically consist of a single transient In experiments based on a single transient addition of H-2 to or removal of H-2 from the SCR feed it was found that the changes in the concentrations of gaseous species (products and reactants) were not matched by changes at comparable timescales of the concentration of surface species observed by IR This observation indicates that the majority of sur face species observed by DRIFTS under steady-state reaction conditions are spectators In contrast under fast cycling experimental conditions It was found that a surface isocyanate species had a temporal response that matched that of N-15(2) This suggests that some of the isocyanate species observed by infrared spectroscopy could be important intermediates in the hydrogen-assisted SCR reaction although it is emphasised that this may be dependent on the way in which the infrared spectra are obtained It is concluded that the use of fast transient cycling switching techniques may provide useful mechanistic information under certain circumstances.