Supported metal nanoclusters

The importance of supported metal nanoclusters and nanoparticles in catalysis and the rough analogy between supported nanoclusters and organo-metallic cluster compounds (those with metal-metal bonds) in catalysis have motivated researchers to find connections between these two classes of materials. Thus, an obvious synthetic goal has been size-selected metal nanoclusters on supports. 

This section of this chapter includes a brief review of methods of preparation and properties of supported metal nanoclusters only catalysts that have been relatively well characterized and found to be nearly uniform are considered. The nanoclusters described here lack the structural definition 

An alternative to this physical method of preparing structurally uniform metal clusters on supports involves chemistry by which molecular metal carbonyl clusters (e.g., [Rh6(CO)i6]) serve as precursors on the support. These precursors are decarbonylated with maintenance of the metal frame to give supported nanoclusters (e.g., Rh6). Advantages of this chemical preparation method are its applicability to many porous supports, such as zeolites (and not just planar surfaces) and the opportunities to use spectroscopic methods to follow the chemistry of synthesis of the precursor on the support and its subsequent decarbonylation. Zeolites, because their molecular-scale cages are part of a regular (crystalline) structure, offer the prospect of regular three-dimensional arrays of nanoclusters. 

A limitation of supported metal nanoclusters prepared from molecular metal carbonyl clusters is that, so far, clusters of only several metals (Ru, Rh, Ir, and Os) have been made in high yields (80 to 90%, with the likely impurity species being mononuclear metal complexes). However, this disadvantage is offset by the advantage of the characterizations, which show that some clusters are stable even during catalysis, at least under mild conditions. 

Supported nanoclusters made from metal carbonyl clusters are emphasized here, because there are numerous characterization data on which to base the discussion. The synthetic methods are illustrated by the following examples. 

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The observed distribution can be readily explained upon assuming that the only part of polymer framework accessible to the metal precursor was the layer of swollen polymer beneath the pore surface. UCP 118 was meta-lated with a solution of [Pd(AcO)2] in THF/water (2/1) and palladium(II) was subsequently reduced with a solution of NaBH4 in ethanol. In the chemisorption experiment, saturation of the metal surface was achieved at a CO/Pd molar ratio as low as 0.02. For sake of comparison, a Pd/Si02 material (1.2% w/w) was exposed to CO under the same conditions and saturation was achieved at a CO/Pd molar ratio around 0.5. These observations clearly demonstrate that whereas palladium(II) is accessible to the reactant under solid-liquid conditions, when a swollen polymer layer forms beneath the pore surface, this is not true for palladium metal under gas-solid conditions, when swelling of the pore walls does not occur. In spite of this, it was reported that the treatment of dry resins containing immobilized metal precursors [92,85] with dihydrogen gas is an effective way to produce pol-5mer-supported metal nanoclusters. This could be the consequence of the small size of H2 molecules, which... 

Atomic-Scale Imaging of Supported Metal Nanocluster Catalysts in the Working State... 

II] ATOMIC-SCALE IMAGING OF SUPPORTED METAL NANOCLUSTER CATALYSTS 79... 

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) has matured markedly in the preceding decade and has emerged as a powerful technique for investigation of nanostructured metal catalysts at the atomic level, even under working conditions. The ability to image the dynamic structure and morphology of supported metal nanocluster catalysts in such detail makes HRTEM an essential complement to the arsenal of spectroscopic techniques used for characterization of... 

The results just summarized lead to the following generalizations about supported metal nanoclusters ... 

There is good agreement between EXAFS data and theoretical results characterizing structure and bonding in supported metal nanoclusters and the metal-support interface. 

Deprotonation of hydrido metal, supported metal nanoclusters, 66... 

Ir4(CO)i2 and Ir6(CO)i6, supported metal nanoclusters, 68-69 Ir4 in zeolite NaX supported metal nanoclusters, 69 theoretical investigation, 70 Iron oxide support, preparation of gold particles on, 6-7... 

Hansen PL, Helveg S, Datye A. Atomic-scale imaging of supported metal nanocluster catalysts in the working state. J Catal. 2006 50 77. 

XAS can be used in several different ways to determine local structural information about catalysts in reactive atmospheres. This structural information may be static or dynamic it may be geometric or electronic. The depth of information that can be ascertained is often dependent upon the type of catalyst, for example, supported metal nanoclusters versus bulk or surface oxides. It may also be controlled by some property of the catalyst, for example, the concentration of the element in the catalyst that is being investigated. In this section a few examples are provided to highlight the importance and relevance of XAFS in catalyst characterization. The examples are focused on (1) structural information characterizing samples in reactive atmospheres, (2) transformation of one species to another, (3) oxidation state determination, (4) determination of supported metal cluster size and shape, and (5) electronic structure. These examples illustrate the type of information that can be learned about the catalyst from XAFS spectroscopy. 

In the preparation and activation of a catalyst, it is often the case that the chemical form of the active element used in the synthesis differs from the final active form. For example, in the preparation of supported metal nanoclusters, a solution of a metal salt is often used to impregnate the oxide support. The catalyst is then typically dried, calcined, and finally reduced in H2 to generate the active phase highly dispersed metal clusters on the oxide support. If the catalyst contains two or more metals, then bimetallic clusters may form. The activity of the catalyst may depend on the metal loading, the calcination temperature, and the reduction temperature, among others. 

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