NSF Young Investigator: Structural Tailoring of Nanoscale Materials for Catalysis and Ceramics

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This is an NSF Young Investigator Award. The research addresses the processing of nanoscale materials with unusual surface reactivity and physical properties for catalysis and ceramic applications. One objective is to achieve highly dense materials at relatively low sintering temperatures by exploiting the small grain size and enhanced surface diffusion of nanometer-sized particles prepared by the gas condensation method. Structural evolution of the nanostructured materials is observed by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy. Mechanical properties of these materials are also analyzed for net-shape forming and high- temperature applications. Nanostructural composites are synthesized as supported metal catalysts; these materials should offer high metal dispersion and possibly enhanced catalytic activity, and can be engineered to have a high density of uniform nanoscale pores. The thermal stability, selectivity, and reactivity of nanostructure catalysts in chemical manufacturing processes are studied and compared to those of catalysts produced by sol-gel synthesis or traditional impregnation methods. Catalysts are characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering, Moessbauer spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, positron annihilation spectroscopy, and calorimetry. Reaction kinetics of processes using the novel catalysts are followed with high-temperature photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy.