Metal Nanoparticles on Polymer Surfaces: 2. Catalytic Activity of Platinum Nanoparticle Ensembles on Polystyrene

Catalytic properties of platinum nanoparticles deposited onto polystyrene surface from their hydrosol stabilized with sodium polyacrylate are studied. It is shown that, during the adsorption on polymer substrate, metal nanoparticles form rather densely packed ordered monolayer ensembles with high catalytic activity in the model reaction of hydrogen reduction of methyl viologen. This allows one to measure the reaction rate with standard spectrometric method using polymer film with the surface area of 1 cm² or less as a catalyst support.     

Metal Nanoparticles on Polymer Surfaces: 1. A New Method of Determining Glass Transition Temperature of the Surface Layer

New experimental approach allowing to study the structure and properties of polymer surface layers at a nanolevel is proposed. According to this method, metal nanoparticles are first adsorbed on a polymer surface from colloidal solution, then resultant system is stepwise annealed, and the particle embedding in a polymer is examined with atomic force microscope. Potentialities of the method are demonstrated using the gold nanoparticles–polystyrene system (including polystyrene modified with the UV radiation) as an example. It was established that the glass transition temperature of polystyrene surface layer is noticeably lower compared with the bulk value and decreases even more after the UV modification of a polymer surface. Possible use of the results obtained for the solution of other, independent problem, namely for the creation of two-dimensional nanocomposites by embedding nanoparticle monolayer ensemble in the surface layer of a glassy polymer at a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature of its bulk is analyzed.     

Metal Nanoparticle/Polymer Hybrid Particles: The Catalytic Activity of Metal Nanoparticles Formed on the Surface of Polymer Particles by UV-Irradiation

Summary: Polymer particles decorated with metal nanoparticles were prepared by UV-irradiation of polystyrene particles incorporating polymethylphenylsilane (PS/PMPS) and P[S-co-NIPAM]/PMPS particles (NIPAM: N-isopropyl acrylamide) in the presence of metal salts. The metal nanoparticle/polymer hybrid particles were used as a catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol with NaBH₄. The Pd- and Ag-P(S-co-NIPAM)/PMPS hybrid particles had larger metal nanoparticles and the lower catalytic activity than those of Pd- and Ag-PS/PMPS, respectively. The surface functional group of the polymer particles affected the formation of the metal nanoparticles and their catalytic activity.     

Metal Nanoparticle/Polymer Hybrid Particles: The Catalytic Activity of Metal Nanoparticles Formed on the Surface of Polymer Particles by UV-Irradiation

Summary: Polymer particles decorated with metal nanoparticles were prepared by UV-irradiation of polystyrene latex particles incorporating polymethylphenylsilane (PS/PMPS) and P[S-co-NIPAM]/PMPS particles (NIPAM: N-isopropyl acrylamide) in the presence of metal salts. The metal nanoparticle/polymer hybrid particles were used as a catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol with NaBH₄. The Pd- and Ag-P(S-co-NIPAM)/PMPS hybrid particles had larger metal nanoparticles and the lower catalytic activity than those of Pd- and Ag-PS/PMPS, respectively. The surface functional group of the polymer particles affected the formation of the metal nanoparticles and their catalytic activity.     

Metal Nanoparticles on Polymer Surfaces: 3. Adsorption Kinetics of Gold Hydrosol Particles on Polystyrene and Poly(2-vinylpyridine)

The adsorption of gold hydrosol nanoparticles on the surfaces of polystyrene and poly(2-vinylpyridine) was studied using two techniques, quartz crystal microgravimetry and atomic force microscopy. The resultant experimental data indicated that the kinetics of this process is controlled by the diffusion. The nanoparticle adsorption, up to rather high polymer surface coverages (35%), is irreversible.     

Outstanding Catalytic Activity of Ultra‐Pure Platinum Nanoparticles

Small (4 nm) nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution, exceptional surface purity, and increased surface order, which exhibits itself as an increased presence of basal crystallographic planes, can be obtained without the use of any surfactant. These nanoparticles can be used in many applications in an as‐received state and are threefold more active towards a model catalytic reaction (oxidation of ethylene glycol). Furthermore, the superior properties of this material are interesting not only due to the increase in their intrinsic catalytic activity, but also due to the exceptional surface purity itself. The nanoparticles can be used directly (i.e., as‐received, without any cleaning steps) in biomedical applications (i.e., as more efficient drug carriers due to an increased number of adsorption sites) and in energy‐harvesting/data‐storage devices.     

Catalytic and Optical Behavior of Polymer Embedded Metal Nanoparticles

Very small metal aggregates (nanoaggregates) embedded in an inert polymer matrix, which simply stabilizes the nanodispersion, show unique catalytic and optical behaviour. Indeed Ru-nanoparticles in vinyl-aromatic polymers or polyphosphazenes display an enhanced reactivity for hydrogenation of different groups, such as aromatic rings, keto and nitro groups, oximes and nitriles which are converted into the corresponding saturated derivatives under mild conditions. The optical properties of terthiophenethiol-coated gold nanoparticles in UHMWPE (concentration lower than 4 wt.%) are characterized by poor dichroism due to their centrosymmetric structure. High dichroism (R = 30 at 400 nm, DR = 30) is on the contrary recorded for the terthiophene band showing the chromophores to be sensitive to mechanical orientation also when complexed with gold. On the other hand, nanocomposites based on polymers containing vinyl alcohol units and dispersed gold nanoparticles with average diameter ranging from 3 to 20 nm have been efficiently prepared by an UV photo-reduction process. Uniaxial drawing of the irradiated Au/polymer nanocomposites favours the anisotropic distribution of packed assemblies of gold particles, providing oriented films with polarization-dependent tunable optical properties.     

二烯酸稳定的Pt金属纳米粒子的制备及催化加氢活性

制备了4-(双(4-(4-丁氧基苯乙烯基)苯基)氨基)苯甲酸(简称二烯酸,Dienoic Acid)保护的铂纳米颗粒,通过UV-Vis,TEM,XRD对其进行了表征.以间苯氧基苯甲醛的催化加氢反应为模型研究了其催化性能及影响催化活性的因素.实验结果表明:金属纳米粒子粒径随金属/稳定剂摩尔比的下降而减小,而催化加氢反应活性随金属/稳定剂摩尔比的上升而增加.在常压、40℃、n(醛)/n(催化剂)=523条件下,反应10 h可以获得纯度大于99%的间苯氧基苯甲醇.     

Facile Fabrication of Platinum Nanoparticles Supported on Nitrogen-doped Carbon Nanotubes and Their Catalytic Activity

A facile impregnation method under mild condition is designed for synthesis of highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles with a narrow size of 4-7 nm on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes （CNx）. CNx do not need any pre-surface modification due to the inherent chemical activity. The structure and nature of Pt/CNx were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy spectrum. All the experimental results revealed that the large amount of doped nitrogen atoms in CNx was virtually effective for capturing the Pt（IV） ions. The improved surface nitrogen functionalities and hydrophilicity contributed to the good dispersion and immobi- lization of Pt nanoparticles on the CNx surface. The Pt/CNx served as active and reusable catalysts in the hydrogenation of allyl alcohol. This could be attributed to high dispersion of Pt nanoparticles and stronger interaction between Pt and the supports, which prevented the Pt nanoparticles from aggregating into less active Pt black and from leaching as well.     

Maximum Noble‐Metal Efficiency in Catalytic Materials: Atomically Dispersed Surface Platinum

Platinum is the most versatile element in catalysis, but it is rare and its high price limits large‐scale applications, for example in fuel‐cell technology. Still, conventional catalysts use only a small fraction of the Pt content, that is, those atoms located at the catalyst’s surface. To maximize the noble‐metal efficiency, the precious metal should be atomically dispersed and exclusively located within the outermost surface layer of the material. Such atomically dispersed Pt surface species can indeed be prepared with exceptionally high stability. Using DFT calculations we identify a specific structural element, a ceria “nanopocket”, which binds Pt²⁺ so strongly that it withstands sintering and bulk diffusion. On model catalysts we experimentally confirm the theoretically predicted stability, and on real Pt‐CeO₂ nanocomposites showing high Pt efficiency in fuel‐cell catalysis we also identify these anchoring sites.     

碳载铂电极的表面结构与性能

碳载铂电极的表面结构与性能陈声培，孙世刚，黄泰山（厦门大学固体表面物理化学国家重点实验室、化学系、物理化学研究所厦门３６１００５）关键词玻碳，铂黑，甲醇氧化，电催化活性寻找和制备高性能催化剂是燃料电池开发的一个重要课题，在碳或氧化物表面沉积催化物质可...     

Silica Films Containing Ordered Pores Prepared by Dip Coating of Silica Nanoparticles and Polystyrene Beads Colloidal Mixture

Silica films containing three dimensionally (3D) ordered pores were prepared by a simple dip coating method. A colloidal sol containing silica particles in the nanometer size range and a polystyrene latex (PSL) colloidal sol containing particles of tens of nanometers to one micrometer in size were used as precursors. The pore periodicity, which in turn produces the dielectric periodicity, can be easily altered by changing the size of the PSL beads. Films having a high surface smoothness were obtained by using small silica particles, large PSL particles, and a low withdrawal speed in the dip-coating. When the films were irradiated with a white light source, the reflective spectrum was changed by varying the incident angle, indicating its possible use as a monochromator. The change in the reflective spectrum was explained using effective medium approximation combined with a simple Bragg reflection equation.     

聚苯乙烯微球表面的链段堆积状态

聚苯乙烯微球表面的链段堆积状态徐伟，陈殿勇，华中一，吕绪良，胡建华，府寿宽（复旦大学材料科学系，上海，２００４３３）（复旦大学高分子科学系）关键词聚苯乙烯微球，聚合物链段，聚集态，扫描隧道显微镜用微乳液聚合法制备的聚苯乙烯微球与常规聚苯乙烯相比有许多...     

贵金属纳米粒子/硅纳米线复合纳米材料的制备及其催化性能研究

以十二烷基硫酸钠(SDS)作为保护剂, 利用贵金属阳离子(Mⁿ⁺)与HF处理后的硅纳米线(SiNWs)之间的氧化还原反应, 在SiNWs表面负载了贵金属纳米粒子. 通过调控SDS/Mⁿ⁺物质的量比、反应物浓度、反应温度等实验参数, 制备出了金属纳米粒子粒径均一且负载密集的AuNPs/SiNWs, PtNPs/SiNWs复合材料. 将AuNPs/SiNWs复合材料应用在亚甲基蓝的还原反应, 实验结果显示, 60 min内AuNPs/SiNWs可以将55%的亚甲基蓝还原, 表明AuNPs/SiNWs具有良好的催化活性. 这种复合材料易于从反应溶液中分离出来, 可以实现纳米催化剂的循环使用.     

Spectral Characteristics and Surface Morphology of Organic Polymer Films Containing Vanadium Pentoxide Nanoparticles

Films of nanosized composites of poly(N-epoxypropylcarbazole) (pEPC) and poly(3,6-di-Br-N-epoxypropylcarbazole) (pdBEPC) with vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) are produced for the first time ever. The electroconduction in dark and when illuminated, absorption spectra, steady-state photoluminescence spectra, and time-resolved photoluminescence spectra for the composite films are studied. The results are compared with relevant data for the pEPC, pdBEPC, and V₂O₅films. A conclusion about the formation of donor–acceptor complexes with incomplete charge transfer [pEPC⁺···V₂O ₅ ^- ] and [pdBEPC⁺···V₂O₅ ^-] is made. The surface morphology of the composites differs in the size of V₂O₅ fibers and polymer grains; the polymer inclusions in the composites are of different character. A surface morphology study reveals that the composite constituents—polymer base and V₂O₅ fibers—are nanosized.     

Copolymerization of Metal Nanoparticles: A Route to Colloidal Plasmonic Copolymers

The resemblance between colloidal and molecular polymerization reactions is very useful in fundamental studies of polymerization reactions, as well as in the development of new nanoscale systems with desired properties. Future applications of colloidal polymers will require nanoparticle ensembles with a high degree of complexity that can be realized by hetero‐assembly of NPs with different dimensions, shapes, and compositions. A method has been developed to apply strategies from molecular copolymerization to the co‐assembly of gold nanorods with different dimensions into random and block copolymer structures (plasmonic copolymers). The approach was extended to the co‐assembly of random copolymers of gold and palladium nanorods. A kinetic model validated and further expanded the kinetic theories developed for molecular copolymerization reactions.     

Catalytic Dealkylation of Ethers to Alcohols on Metal Surfaces

On‐surface synthesis has prompted much interest in recent years because it provides an alternative strategy for controlling chemical reactions and allows for the direct observation of reaction pathways. Herein, we combined scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory to provide extensive evidence for the conversion of alkoxybenzene‐containing ethers into alcohols by means of surface synthesis. The reported dealkylation reactions are finely controlled by the annealing parameters, which govern the onset of successive alkyl chains dissociations. Moreover, density functional theory calculations elucidate the details of the reaction pathways, showing that dealkylation reactions are surface‐assisted and very different from their homogeneous analogues in solution.     

Coating Platinum Nanoparticles with Methyl Radicals: Effects on Properties and Catalytic Implications

It was recently reported that the reaction of methyl radicals with Pt⁰ nanoparticles (NPs), prepared by the reduction of Pt(SO₄)₂ with NaBH₄, is fast and yields as the major product stable (Pt⁰‐NPs)?(CH₃)_n and as side products, in low yields, C₂H₆, C₂H₄, and some oligomers. We decided to study the effect of this coating on the properties of the Pt⁰‐NPs. The results show that the coating can cover up to 75 % of the surface Pt⁰ atoms. The rate constant of the reaction, k( ^. CH₃+Pt⁰‐NPs), decreases with the increase in the surface coverage, leading to competing reaction paths in the solution, which gradually become dominant, affecting the composition of the products. The methyl coating also affects the zeta potential, the UV spectra, and the electrocatalytic reduction of water in the presence of the NPs. Thus, the results suggest that binding alkyl radicals to Pt⁰ surfaces might poison the NPs catalytic activity. When the Pt⁰‐NPs are prepared by the reduction of a different precursor salt, PtCl₆^2?, nearly no C₂H₄ and oligomers are formed and the methyl coating covers a larger percentage of the surface Pt⁰ atoms. The difference is attributed to the morphology of the Pt⁰‐NPs: those prepared from Pt(SO₄)₂ are twinned nanocrystals, whereas those prepared from PtCl₆^2? consist mostly of single crystals. Thus, the results indicate that the side products, or most of them at least, are formed on the twinned Pt⁰ nanocrystal edges created between (111) facets. In addition, the results show that Pt⁰‐NPs react very differently compared with other noble metals, for example, Au⁰ and Ag⁰; this difference is attributed in part to the difference in the bond strength, (M⁰‐NP)?CH₃, and should be considered in heterogeneous catalytic processes involving alkyl radicals as intermediates.     

Ion and pH Sensing with Colloidal Nanoparticles: Influence of Surface Charge on Sensing and Colloidal Properties

Ion sensors based on colloidal nanoparticles (NPs), either as actively ion‐sensing NPs or as nanoscale carrier systems for organic ion‐sensing fluorescent chelators typically require a charged surface in order to be colloidally stable. We demonstrate that this surface charge significantly impacts the ion binding and affects the read‐out. Sensor read‐out should be thus not determined by the bulk ion concentration, but by the local ion concentration in the nano‐environment of the NP surface. We present a conclusive model corroborated by experimental data that reproduces the strong distance‐dependence of the effect. The experimental data are based on the capability of tuning the distance of a pH‐sensitive fluorophore to the surface of NPs in the nanometer (nm) range. This in turn allows for modification of the effective acid dissociation constant value (its logarithmic form, pK_a) of analyte‐sensitive fluorophores by tuning their distance to the underlying colloidal NPs.