Collaborative Research: Controlling the properties of oxide-encapsulated metals for interfacial catalysis

固体催化剂在用于生产燃料、化学品和能源的节能商业过程中以及在减轻污染方面发挥着重要作用。目前使用的大多数商业固体催化剂由负载在高表面积载体材料上的金属颗粒组成。需要改进这些催化剂以进一步提高其效率。这一领域的成功研究导致许多化学过程的能耗降低和环境影响减少。实现该目标的一种方法是通过控制金属颗粒和载体材料之间的界面。在这个项目中，Nikolla博士（韦恩州立大学）和Medlin博士（科罗拉多大学）正在研究这些金属/载体界面，目的是发现更活性和更有效的催化剂。尼古拉博士和麦德林博士积极参与与青年学生教育有关的外联活动，特别是那些来自代表性不足群体的学生。例如，他们正在为代表性不足的K-12女学生举办讲习班，以增强她们在科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）领域接受高等教育的理解和愿望。Nikolla博士和Medlin博士还设计了一些活动，让家长了解STEM领域，这样家长就可以鼓励他们的孩子接受STEM教育。在化学部化学催化计划的资助下，韦恩州立大学的Eranda Nikolla博士和科罗拉多大学的Will Medlin博士正在发展对“倒置”中固体金属/金属氧化物界面的理解。催化体系，目的是提高化学反应中的催化活性和选择性。他们正在合成受控的金属氧化物封装的金属纳米颗粒（即，M@MO结构），金属和金属氧化物组分的结构和组成具有系统变化。 研究小组将这些合成变化与表面化学性质和催化剂性能相关联。从实验模型催化剂的基本见解加上先进的表征和计算研究倒置催化剂系统正在被用来推进界面化学的理解。封装的催化剂系统也正在研究作为一个平台，通过功能化的氧化物孔与有机配体的反应界面周围的近表面环境的控制。 Nikolla博士和Medlin博士积极参与教育和研究外展活动，旨在激励和告知本科生和K-12女学生，这些女学生来自代表性不足的群体，涉及STEM领域和催化领域的研究。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

Solid catalysts play an important role in energy-efficient commercial processes used to produce fuels, chemicals, and energy, and also in pollution mitigation. Most commercial solid catalysts used today consist of metal particles supported on high surface area support materials. Improvements in these catalysts are needed to further improve their efficiency. Successful research in this area results in lower energy consumption and reduced environmental impact of many chemical processes. One approach to this goal is through control of the interfaces between the metal particles and the support materials. In this project, Dr. Nikolla (Wayne State University) and Dr. Medlin (University of Colorado) are developing an understanding these metal/support interfaces with the objective of discovering more active and efficient catalysts. Dr. Nikolla and Dr. Medlin actively engage in outreach activities related to the education of young students, especially those from underrepresented groups. For example, they are developing workshops for underrepresented K-12 female students to enhance their understanding and desire in pursuing higher education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Dr. Nikolla and Dr. Medlin are also designing activities to inform parents about STEM fields, so that the parents can encourage their children to pursue STEM education.With funding from the Chemical Catalysis Program of the Chemistry Division, Dr. Eranda Nikolla of Wayne State University and Dr. Will Medlin of University of Colorado are developing an understanding of solid metal/metal oxide interfaces in "inverted" catalytic systems with the objective of enhancing catalytic activity and selectivity in chemical reactions. They are synthesizing controlled metal oxide-encapsulated metal nanoparticles (i.e., M@MO structures) with systematic variations in structure and composition of both the metal and metal oxide components. The research team correlates these synthetic variations to the surface chemical properties and catalyst performance. Fundamental insights from experimental model catalysts coupled with advanced characterization and computational studies on inverted catalyst systems are being used to advance the understanding of interfacial chemistry. The encapsulated catalyst systems are also being investigated as a platform for controlling the near-surface environment around the reactive interface through functionalization of the oxide pores with organic ligands. Dr. Nikolla and Dr. Medlin are actively engaged with educational and research outreach activities aimed at inspiring and informing undergraduate and K-12 female students from underrepresented groups regarding STEM fields and research in the area of catalysis.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.