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Au–Ag Nanoflower Catalysts with Clean Surfaces for Alcohol Oxidation
Author(s) -
Imura Yoshiro,
Akiyama Ryota,
Furukawa Shinya,
Kan Ryota,
MoritaImura Clara,
Komatsu Takayuki,
Kawai Takeshi
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
chemistry – an asian journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.18
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1861-471X
pISSN - 1861-4728
DOI - 10.1002/asia.201801711
Subject(s) - nanoflower , catalysis , alcohol , chemical engineering , alcohol oxidation , clean up , materials science , nanotechnology , chemistry , chromatography , organic chemistry , engineering , extraction (chemistry)
Shape‐controlled metal nanocrystals, such as nanowires and nanoflowers, are attractive owing to their potentially novel catalytic properties and bimetallic nanocrystals composed of two distinct metals are expected to act as highly active catalysts. However, their catalytic activities are limited because of the capping agents adsorbed on the metal surfaces, which are necessary for the preparation and dispersion of these nanocrystals in solvents. Therefore, the preparation of bimetallic shape‐controlled noble metal nanocrystals with clean surfaces, devoid of almost all capping agents, are expected to have high catalytic activity. Herein, we report the preparation of bimetallic Au–Ag nanoflowers using melamine as the capping agent. The bimetallic Au–Ag nanoflowers with a clean surface were subsequently obtained by a support and extraction method. The bimetallic nanoflowers with a clean surface were then used for the aerobic oxidation of 1‐phenylethyl alcohol and they exhibited high rates for the formation of acetophenone compared to Au nanoflowers and spherical nanoparticles with almost the same size and Au/Ag ratio. We also show that Au–Ag nanoflowers containing only 1 % Ag (Au 99 –Ag 1 NFs) exhibit the highest rate of acetophenone formation among Au–Ag nanoflowers with different Au/Ag ratios owing to an increase in the electron density of the Au atoms that act as active sites for the oxidation of 1‐phenylethyl alcohol.