Premium
Micron‐sized membrane reactors: Multicompartment semipermeable polymer particles containing palladium nanoparticles
Author(s) -
Robello Douglas R.,
Mis Mark R.,
Nair Mridula
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.42021
Subject(s) - microparticle , nanoparticle , polymer , chemical engineering , membrane , semipermeable membrane , emulsion , materials science , palladium , catalysis , aqueous solution , chemistry , polymer chemistry , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , biochemistry , engineering
ABSTRACT Multicompartment polymer microparticles are prepared encapsulating palladium nanoparticles within closed‐shell compartments, using a double‐emulsion (W 1 /O/W 2 ), evaporative limited coalescence process. The encapsulation efficiency in some cases is as high as 99%, and very little Pd leaches from the particles. The Pd nanoparticles dispersed in an aqueous environment within the closed‐shell compartments of the microparticles catalyze hydrogenation reactions of low molar mass substrates in water at substantial rates. The microparticle walls serve as semipermeable membranes, permitting diffusion of small molecules into the compartments while retaining the larger metal nanoparticles. The microparticles can be reused after simple filtration. The catalytic activity increases on recycling, possibly because of plasticization of polymer walls by the reactant and products, resulting in increased diffusion. In a second demonstration of catalytic activity, the microparticles efficiently decompose hydrogen peroxide. These nanoparticle‐containing microparticles serve as convenient, reusable catalyst carriers, and prevent inadvertent human and environmental contact with nanoparticles. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132 , 42021.