Heterogeneous Catalysis on a Disordered Surface

High-performance heterogeneous catalysis with surface-exposed stable metal nanoparticles

Protection of metal nanoparticles from agglomeration is critical for their functions and applications. The conventional method for enhancing their stability is to cover them with passivation layers to prevent direct contact. However, the presence of a protective shell blocks exposure of the metal species to reactants, thereby significantly impeding the nanoparticles' utility as catalysts. Here,...

Eleventh DOE / BES Heterogeneous Catalysis and Surface Science

The impact of nanoscience on heterogeneous catalysis.

Most catalysts consist of nanometer-sized particles dispersed on a high-surface-area support. Advances in characterization methods have led to a molecular-level understanding of the relationships between nanoparticle properties and catalytic performance. Together with novel approaches to nanoparticle synthesis, this knowledge is contributing to the design and development of new catalysts.

Heterogeneous asymmetric catalysis*

Examples of enantioselective catalysts, including homogeneous supported catalysts and biphasic liquid/liquid, are described and compared. In the case of asymmetric hydride transfer, polythiourea was proven to be more efficient for ruthenium-catalyzed reduction of aryl ketones, although the iridium complexes gave rise to higher ee when using amino sulfonamide bound to a polystyrene matrix. In th...

Controlling selectivity in heterogeneous catalysis by surface and near-surface design