SusChEM: Strained Core/Shell Nanoparticles with Non-precious Metal Core and Precious Metal Shell

本项目将开发一种由丰富的非贵金属核和贵金属壳组成的新型纳米颗粒。将开发新的方法来制备这些纳米颗粒，并将使用现有技术方法的组合来表征它们。 该项目还将有助于对这些结构的性质的基本理解，并有助于预测这些颗粒在催化应用中的性能。这项研究的最终目标是通过纳米级材料的新颖设计和制造来减少关键贵金属材料的使用。考虑到对贵金属催化剂的需求不断增长，其成本高且可用性有限，该项目将对经济和环境可持续性具有重大意义。这些新材料将大大减少这些应用中稀有贵金属的使用。 该项目还包括广泛推广到巴尔的摩地区的K-12学校。 代表性不足的学生将接触并参与材料和能源研究的研究前沿。 本项目将开发一种新型的由非贵金属（核和贵金属壳）组成的核/壳纳米颗粒。将开发一种新的合成方法来制备这些复合纳米结构，并将使用显微镜和光谱方法的组合来表征这些材料。深入了解应变表面的结构-性质关系，并从根本上理解应变对多相催化过程的影响，这种理解将进一步证明能够预测应变核/壳催化剂对给定化学反应的催化性能。本研究的最终目标是通过纳米尺度上材料结构的新颖设计和制造来提高稀有和关键材料的使用效率。 本项目开发的各种NPM/PM核/壳纳米粒子将在化学工业、制造业和可再生能源技术中具有广泛的应用。用低成本的非贵金属取代芯中的贵金属，不仅可以大幅降低贵金属催化剂的成本，还可以通过应变效应微调表面性质，从而提高催化性能。考虑到贵金属催化剂的需求日益增长，以及它们的高成本和有限的可用性，本项目中NPM/PM核/壳催化剂的开发将对经济和环境可持续性具有重大意义。这项研究也将推进我们对应变纳米结构的基本理解，特别是多相催化中的应变效应。实验和理论研究的结合代表了合理设计和合成先进功能纳米材料的有说服力的方法。该项目还将作为研究生、本科生和高中生发展兴趣的平台，更重要的是，参与前沿科学研究。高中生将被招募到JHU从事纳米材料合成，表征和催化研究，并受到启发继续在学院或大学的相关领域学习。参与该项目的本科生将被介绍给科学研究的创造性和直观性，并鼓励发展科学或工程职业。通过JHU教育推广中心的推广计划，在巴尔的摩地区的K-12学校，代表性不足的学生将接触并从事材料和能源研究的研究前沿。

Non-Technical Summary This project will develop a novel type of nanoparticle composed of an abundant non-precious metal core and a precious metal shell. Novel approaches will be will be developed to prepare these nano- particles, and a combination of state of the art methods will be used to characterize them. The project will also contribute fundamental understanding of the properties of these structures and contribute to predicting the performance of these particles for catalysis applications. The ultimate goal of this research is to decrease the use of critical precious metals materials by novel design and fabrication of materials at the nanoscale. Considering the growing need for precious metal catalysts and their high cost and limited availability, this project will have great significance for the economy and for environmental sustainability. These novel materials will significantly reduce the use of scarce precious metals for these applications. The project also includes broad outreach to K-12 schools in the Baltimore area. Underrepresented students will be exposed to and engaged in the research frontiers of materials and energy research. Technical SummaryThis project will develop a novel type of core/shell nanoparticles composed of a non-precious metal (core and a precious metal shell). A novel synthetic approach will be developed to prepare these composite nanostructures, and a combination of microscopic and spectroscopic methods will be used to characterize these materials. Insights into the structure-property relationship of strained surfacesand fundamental understanding of the impact of strain on heterogeneous catalytic processes will be developed, and this understanding will be further demonstrated to be capable of predicting the catalytic performance of strained core/shell catalysts for given chemical reactions. The ultimate goal of this research is to improve the using efficiency of rare and critical materials by novel design and fabrication of material architecture at the nanoscale. The various NPM/PM core/shell nanoparticles developed in this project will have broad applications in chemical industry, manufacturing, and renewable energy technologies. The replacement of precious metals in the core by low-cost non-precious metals will not only substantially reduce the cost of precious metal catalysts, but also enhance the catalytic performance by finely tuning the surface properties through the strain effect. Considering the growing need for precious metal catalysts and their high cost and limitedavailability, the development of NPM/PM core/shell catalysts in this project will have great significance for the economy and for environmental sustainability. This research will also advance our fundamental understanding of strained nanostructures and in particular, the strain effect in heterogeneous catalysis. The combination of experimental and theoretical studies represents a persuasive approachtowards rational design and synthesis of advanced functional nanomaterials. This project will also serve as a platform for graduate, undergraduate and high-school students to develop interests, and more important, participate in cutting-edge scientific research. High school students will be recruited to work on nanomaterial synthesis, characterization and catalytic studies at JHU, and be inspired to continue their studies in related areas in colleges or universities. Undergraduates participating in this project will be introduced to the creative and intuitive nature of scientific research, and encouraged to develop careers in science or engineering. Through the outreach programs at JHU's Center for Educational Outreach to K-12 schools in the Baltimore area, underrepresented students will be exposed to and engaged in the research frontiers of materials and energy research.