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  4. Bimetallic effect of single nanocatalysts visualized by super-resolution catalysis imaging

Bimetallic effect of single nanocatalysts visualized by super-resolution catalysis imaging

File(s)
Chen_cornellgrad_0058F_10559.pdf (3.98 MB)
Permanent Link(s)
https://doi.org/10.7298/X4SF2TDZ
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/59079
Collections
Cornell Theses and Dissertations
Author
Chen, Guanqun
Abstract

Compared with their monometallic counterparts, bimetallic nanoparticles often show enhanced catalytic activity associated with the bimetallic interface. Direct quantitation of catalytic activity at the bimetallic interface is important for understanding the enhancement mechanism, but challenging experimentally. Using single-molecule super-resolution catalysis imaging in correlation with electron microscopy, we report the first quantitative visualization of enhanced bimetallic activity within single bimetallic nanoparticles. We focus on heteronuclear bimetallic PdAu nanoparticles that present a well-defined Pd-Au bimetallic interface in catalyzing a photo-driven fluorogenic disproportionation reaction. Our approach also enables a direct comparison between the bimetallic and monometallic regions within the same nanoparticle. Theoretical calculations further provide insights into the electronic nature of N–O bond activation of the reactant (resazurin) adsorbed on bimetallic sites. Sub-particle activity correlation between bimetallic enhancement and monometallic activity suggests that the favorable locations to construct bimetallic sites are those monometallic sites with higher activity, leading to a strategy for making effective bimetallic nanocatalysts. The results highlight the power of super-resolution catalysis imaging in gaining insights that could help improve nanocatalysts.

Date Issued
2017-12-30
Keywords
Physical chemistry
•
Catalysis
•
Chemistry
•
Imaging
•
bimetallic nanoparticles
•
super-resolution
Committee Chair
Chen, Peng
Committee Member
Muller, David Anthony
Petersen, Poul B.
Degree Discipline
Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Degree Name
Ph. D., Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Degree Level
Doctor of Philosophy
Type
dissertation or thesis

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