NIRT: A New Class of Oxidation Catalysts:The Role of Atomically Dispersed Metals in Nanostructured Oxides

该提案是对NSF 02-148 NIRT类纳米级科学与工程倡议的响应。现代纳米级催化研究的基础在于能够以前所未有的控制和精度设计、控制和制造相关的结构。该项目的总体目标是在一个跨学科团队中运用一系列技术，包括制备和表征，以便将选择性氧化催化剂的催化剂设计提高到一个新的水平。研究人员最近对金和氧化铈的纳米级相互作用的一项发现，导致从根本上确定了水-气衬衫反应的活性部位，这是从煤炭和天然气等丰富的自然资源中生产氢气的关键。现在，这种理解上的进步有望极大地提高生产更高效催化剂的能力，这些催化剂利用更低水平的贵金属[昂贵的]金属。将利用直接在CeO2和其他氧化物中嵌入金属离子或团簇的新方法。这对以氢能为基础的经济启用关键技术的潜在影响非常大。催化剂可能是燃料电池和替代燃料改革器的关键部件。研究生和研究生将参与到高中和其他大学预科学生中，并将建立一个专门的纳米技术神学院。

This proposal was received in response to the Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative, NSF 02-148, category NIRT. The basis of modern catalysis research at the nanoscale lies in the ability to design, control, and fabricate relevant structures with an unprecedented degree of control and precision. The overall goal of this project is to bring to bear an array of techniques encompassing preparation and characterization within an interdisciplinary team in order to advance catalyst design for selective oxidation catalysts to a new level. A recent discovery by the investigators focusing on the nanoscale interaction of gold and cerium oxide has led to a fundamental identification of the active site for the water-gas shirt reaction, which is key to the production of hydrogen from abundant natural resources such as coal and natural gas. Now this advance in understanding promises to greatly enhance the ability to produce more efficient catalysts that utilize reduced levels of noble [costly] metals. New approaches that directly embed metal ions or clusters within ceria and other oxides will be utilized. The potential impact on enabling key technology for a hydrogen energy based economy is very high. The catalysts are potentially key components of fuel cells and alternative fuel reformers. Graduate and post-graduate students will be involved in high school and other pre-college students, and a special nanotechnology seminary will be developed.