Exploring Synergy of Composition-Tunable Nanoalloys for Catalytic Oxidation of Hydrocarbons

纽约州立大学宾汉姆顿分校的钟传建教授在化学系化学催化项目的支持下，设计和制备了由两种或三种金属组成的合金催化剂。该研究通过将铂、钯或金与其他过渡金属以最佳的成分和结构结合，发现了新的、更强大的、更有效的碳氢化合物氧化催化剂。这些催化剂在一些重要的实际应用中是必不可少的，比如消除汽车排放的碳氢化合物污染物，为燃料电池生产氢，以及为制造工业化学品和药品生产化学基石。课程和实验模块的开发是为了让学生参与清洁能源和清洁环境的研究和教育。该项目的能源和环境可持续发展主题提供了一个平台，通过专门设计的校园项目，帮助来自代表性不足的少数民族的学生，如通往学士学位的桥梁和麦克奈尔学者项目。该项目的目标是建立合金纳米催化剂的设计原则，这些催化剂在催化氧化碳氢化合物（如丙烷或乙醇）方面表现出协同、多功能的活性。贵金属的纳米催化剂，如铂，钯，或金，与其他过渡金属的合金合成具有可调的成分。具体来说，该研究确定了合金纳米催化剂的组成、结构和形状如何控制表面反应机制、吸附位点和中间物质。这些基本问题的解决方法是：(1)在不同的载体上制备纳米合金催化剂，控制其成分和形状；2)利用原位时间分辨漫反射红外傅立叶变换光谱和其他辅助技术表征催化氧化过程中的表面物质；3)将表面位点的结构和组成与催化性能联系起来。

Professor Chuan-Jian Zhong of SUNY at Binghamton is supported by the Chemical Catalysis program of the Division of Chemistry to design and prepare alloy catalysts, consisting of combinations of two or three metals. The research discovers new and more robust and effective catalysts for hydrocarbon oxidation by combining platinum, palladium, or gold with other transition metals in optimum compositions and structures. These catalysts are essential for several important practical applications, such as the elimination of hydrocarbon pollutants from vehicle emissions, the production of hydrogen for fuel cells, and the production of chemical building blocks for the manufacture of industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Course and laboratory modules are developed to engage students in clean energy and clean environment research and education. The energy and environmental sustainability theme of the project provides a platform for outreach through on-campus programs specifically designed to help students from underrepresented minorities, such as the Bridges to the Baccalaureate and the McNair Scholars programs. The goal of the project is to establish design principles for alloy nanocatalysts that exhibit synergistic, multifunctional activities for the catalytic oxidation of hydrocarbons such as propane or ethanol. Nanocatalysts of noble metals, such as platinum, palladium, or gold, alloyed with other transition metals are synthesized with tunable compositions. Specifically, the investigation determines how alloy nanocatalyst composition, structure, and shape control surface reaction mechanisms, adsorption sites, and intermediate species. These fundamental issues are addressed by: (1) preparation of nanoalloy catalysts on different supports with controlled compositions and shapes; 2) characterization of surface species during the catalytic oxidation using in situ time-resolved diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy and other complimentary techniques; and 3) correlating the structure and composition of surface sites with the catalytic properties.