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

纽约州立大学宾汉姆顿分校的Chuan-Jian Zhong教授得到化学系化学催化项目的支持，设计和制备由两种或三种金属组合而成的合金催化剂。该研究通过将铂、钯或金与其他过渡金属以最佳组合物和结构相结合，发现了新的、更耐用和更有效的碳氢化合物氧化催化剂。这些催化剂对于几个重要的实际应用是必不可少的，例如从车辆排放物中消除碳氢化合物污染物，为燃料电池生产氢气，以及生产用于制造工业化学品和药物的化学构件。开发课程和实验室模块，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性主题提供了一个平台，通过专门为帮助来自代表性不足的少数民族的学生而设计的校园计划进行推广，例如通往学士学位的桥梁和麦克奈尔学者计划。该项目的目标是建立合金纳米催化剂的设计原则，这些纳米催化剂对丙烷或乙醇等碳氢化合物的催化氧化表现出协同的多功能活性。合成了具有可调组成的贵金属（如铂、钯或金）与其他过渡金属合金化的纳米催化剂。具体而言，调查确定如何合金纳米催化剂的组成，结构和形状控制表面反应机制，吸附位点，和中间物种。这些基本问题通过以下方式解决：（1）在不同载体上制备具有受控组成和形状的纳米合金催化剂; 2）使用原位时间分辨漫反射红外傅里叶变换光谱和其他互补技术表征催化氧化过程中的表面物种;和3）将表面位点的结构和组成与催化性能相关联。

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.