CAS: Supported Intermetallic Catalysts for Tandem Conversion of Light Alkanes and CO2

在化学系化学催化项目的支持下，路易斯安那州立大学(LSU)的丁昆仑正在开发将天然气和二氧化碳转化为增值化学品的新型催化剂。该项目将探索新的化学方法，以制备组成均匀、定义明确的催化剂。丁博士的团队将结合光谱学和电子显微镜技术来了解催化剂在使用时的结构演变。丁博士将介绍研究前沿，将实验整合到路易斯安那州立大学的课程中，并安排本科生和研究生实地参观当地的化学工业和同步加速器设施。路易斯安那州立大学将为外展项目开发与该项目相关的示范模块，以吸引未被充分代表的K-12学生进入科学领域。丁和他的研究小组正在开发特定位置的合成方法和表征技术，以解决多相催化中的结构异质性问题。拟议的项目将探索表面无机金属化学，以控制不同金属络合物之间的相互作用，以合成负载型双金属和金属间催化剂。这些催化剂将用于低碳烷烃和二氧化碳的串联催化转化，产生烯烃、氢和一氧化碳。所获得的关于具有良好定义的负载型双金属和金属间化合物催化剂在反应条件下的结构动力学的知识有望为更准确的计算模拟提供基础，以了解双金属和金属间化合物催化剂的结构-性能关系，并进一步指导烷烃和二氧化碳活化的合理催化剂设计。用于合成定义明确的负载型双金属和金属间化合物催化剂的新方法有可能在其他热催化和电催化应用中产生更长期的科学影响。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With the support of the Chemical Catalysis program in the Division of Chemistry, Kunlun Ding of Louisiana State University (LSU) is developing novel catalysts for converting natural gas and carbon dioxide into value-added chemicals. This project will explore new chemistry for the preparation of well-defined catalysts with uniform compositions. Dr. Ding’s group will combine spectroscopy and electron microscopy techniques to understand the structural evolution of the catalysts as they are used. Dr. Ding will introduce research frontiers and integrate experiments into the LSU curriculum and arrange site undergraduate and graduate student visits to local chemical industry and a synchrotron facility. Demonstration modules related to this project will be developed for outreach programs at LSU to attract underrepresented K-12 students to science.Dr. Ding and his research group are developing site-specific synthesis methods and characterization techniques for tackling the structural heterogeneity issues in heterogeneous catalysis. The proposed project will explore surface inorganometallic chemistry for controlling the interactions between different metal complexes in the synthesis of supported bimetallic and intermetallic catalysts. These catalysts will be used in the tandem catalytic conversion of light alkanes and carbon dioxide, producing olefins, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide. The gained knowledge on the structural dynamics of well-defined supported bimetallic and intermetallic catalysts under reaction conditions is expected to provide a basis for more accurate computational modeling to understand the structure-property relationship of bimetallic and intermetallic catalysts, and further guide the rational catalyst design for alkane and carbon dioxide activation. The new approach for the synthesis of well-defined supported bimetallic and intermetallic catalysts has the potential for longer term scientific impact in other thermocatalytic and electrocatalytic applications.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.