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Performance of Preformed Au/Cu Nanoclusters Deposited on MgO Powders in the Catalytic Reduction of 4‐Nitrophenol in Solution
Author(s) -
Cai Rongsheng,
Ellis Peter R.,
Yin Jinlong,
Liu Jian,
Brown Christopher M.,
Griffin Ross,
Chang Guojing,
Yang Dongjiang,
Ren Jun,
Cooke Kevin,
Bishop Peter T.,
Theis Wolfgang,
Palmer Richard E.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201703734
Subject(s) - bimetallic strip , nanoclusters , catalysis , materials science , nanoparticle , alloy , copper , cluster (spacecraft) , chemical engineering , selective catalytic reduction , transmission electron microscopy , dibenzothiophene , scanning electron microscope , nanotechnology , chemistry , metallurgy , organic chemistry , computer science , engineering , composite material , programming language
The deposition of preformed nanocluster beams onto suitable supports represents a new paradigm for the precise preparation of heterogeneous catalysts. The performance of the new materials must be validated in model catalytic reactions. It is shown that gold/copper (Au/Cu) nanoalloy clusters (nanoparticles) of variable composition, created by sputtering and gas phase condensation before deposition onto magnesium oxide powders, are highly active for the catalytic reduction of 4‐nitrophenol in solution at room temperature. Au/Cu bimetallic clusters offer decreased catalyst cost compared with pure Au and the prospect of beneficial synergistic effects. Energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy coupled with aberration‐corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging confirms that the Au/Cu bimetallic clusters have an alloy structure with Au and Cu atoms randomly located. Reaction rate analysis shows that catalysts with approximately equal amounts of Au and Cu are much more active than Au‐rich or Cu‐rich clusters. Thus, the interplay between the Au and Cu atoms at the cluster surface appears to enhance the catalytic activity substantially, consistent with model density functional theory calculations of molecular binding energies. Moreover, the physically deposited clusters with Au/Cu ratio close to 1 show a 25‐fold higher activity than an Au/Cu reference sample made by chemical impregnation.