Catalysis And Electrocatalysis At Nanoparticle Surfaces

Illustrating developments in electrochemical nanotechnology, heterogeneous catalysis, surface science and theoretical modelling, this reference describes the manipulation, characterization, control, and application of nanoparticles for enhanced catalytic activity and selectivity. It also offers experimental and synthetic strategies in nanoscale surface science. This standard-setting work clariefies several practical methods used to control the size, shape, crystal structure, and composition of nanoparticles; simulate metal-support interactions; predict nanoparticle behavior; enhance catalytic rates in gas phases; and examine catalytic functions on wet and dry surfaces.

Global experts provide an authoritative source of information on the use of electrochemical fuel cells, and in particular discuss the use of nanomaterials to enhance the performance of existing energy systems. The book covers the state of the art in the design, preparation, and engineering of nanoscale functional materials as effective catalysts for fuel cell chemistry, highlights recent progress in electrocatalysis at both fuel cell anode and cathode, and details perspectives and challenges in future research.

This unique book covers the latest surface science studies on model catalysts, including single crystals, non-colloidal nanocatalysts, and nanoparticles in various forms with the control of size, shape and composition. This book addresses the issue of bridging “materials and pressure gaps” and also discusses the important issue of metal-oxide interface and hot electron flows in heterogeneous catalysis. The current development of in-situ surface techniques that is relevant to bridging “pressure gaps” is also highlighted.

Catalysis by Materials with Well-Defined Structures examines the latest developments in the use of model systems in fundamental catalytic science. A team of prominent experts provides authoritative, first-hand information, helping readers better understand heterogeneous catalysis by utilizing model catalysts based on uniformly nanostructured materials. The text addresses topics and issues related to material synthesis, characterization, catalytic reactions, surface chemistry, mechanism, and theoretical modeling, and features a comprehensive review of recent advances in catalytic studies on nanomaterials with well-defined structures, including nanoshaped metals and metal oxides, nanoclusters, and single sites in the areas of heterogeneous thermal catalysis, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis. Users will find this book to be an invaluable, authoritative source of information for both the surface scientist and the catalysis practitioner Outlines the importance of nanomaterials and their potential as catalysts Provides detailed information on synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials with well-defined structures, relating surface activity to catalytic activity Details how to establish the structure-catalysis relationship and how to reveal the surface chemistry and surface structure of catalysts Offers examples on various in situ characterization instrumental techniques Includes in-depth theoretical modeling utilizing advanced Density Functional Theory (DFT) methods

This book provides an overview of the latest developments in the field of nanoparticle catalysis. It not only discusses established topics in detail, but also explores several emerging topics. Catalysis with nanoparticles is expanding exponentially and is attracting significant interest due to the many exciting findings being reported. Mastering the synthesis, characterization, stabilization and use of these catalysts offers numerous possibilities that far exceed those of classic heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis.

This book is mainly based on the first and second symposia on Nanotechnology in Catalysis held in 2001 and 2002, but it also includes several contributions not presented in the symposia to round out the scope of the subject. The contents are the most up to date developments made by researchers all over the world in the catalysis field in this fascinating nanotechnology era. It reflects some of the frontier areas of nanoscience and nanotechnology in fabricating and characterizing catalysts and carrying out studies to prove their superior selectivity and activity. The field of application of nanotechnology for the development of catalysts for green chemistry is likely to grow rapidly during the next decade. This book hopes to contribute to the evolution of nanotechnology in that direction.

Nanocatalysis is one of the most exciting subfields to have emerged from nanoscience. Its central aim is the control of chemical reactions by changing the size, dimensionality, chemical composition and morphology of the reaction center and by changing the kinetics using nanopatterning of the reaction centers. This approach opens up new avenues for atom-by-atom design of nanocatalysts with distinct and tunable chemical activity, specificity, and selectivity. This book is intended to give a pedagogical and methodological overview of this exciting and growing field and to highlight specific examples of current research. In this way, it serves both as an instructive introduction for graduate students who plan to enter the field and as a reference work for scientists already active in this and related areas.

This book describes a detailed multi-scale approach integrating nano- (active site), meso- (porous catalyst architecture) and macroscale (reactor) efforts, to address the challenges of producing a better epoxidation catalyst. It contains an in-depth study of the design and synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their application as a catalyst for direct gas phase propylene epoxidation. “Direct” means using only hydrogen and oxygen in one step, which is key for sustainable manufacturing, as opposed to commercialised, more complex production routes requiring multiple steps, or integration with another chemical plant. The insights gained can be used for rational design for stable and selective catalysts for other reactions. It also details the step-by-step process to build an epoxidation reactor system with a focus on safety aspects, which can be used as a guidebook for undergraduate and graduate students in chemical engineering. Beyond heterogeneous catalysis, the new, easily accomplished methodology for synthesising atomically precise nanoparticles is shown to be relevant to electrocatalysis and to healthcare applications, such as anti-microbial surfaces. This book will be of interest to researchers, engineers and experts in the related areas of chemical engineering, chemistry, material science and electrochemistry.