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Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) were prepared by the homogeneous mixing of continuous flows of an aqueous tetrachloroauric acid solution and a sodium borohydride solution applying a microstructured static mixer. The online characterization and screening of this fast process (~2 s) was enabled by coupling a micromixer operating in continuous-flow mode with a conventional in-house small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) setup. This online characterization technique enables the time-resolved investigation of the growth process of the nanoparticles from an average radius of ca. 0.8 nm to about 2 nm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a continuous-flow SAXS setup for time-resolved studies of nanoparticle formation mechanisms that does not require the use of synchrotron facilities. In combination with X-ray absorption near edge structure microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy the obtained data allow the deduction of a two-step mechanism of gold nanoparticle formation. The first step is a rapid conversion of the ionic gold precursor into metallic gold nuclei, followed by particle growth via coalescence of smaller entities. Consequently it could be shown that the studied synthesis serves as a model system for growth driven only by coalescence processes.
A facile approach for the synthesis of monodisperse gold nanoparticles with radii in the range of 7 to 20 nm is presented. Starting from monodisperse seeds with radii of 7 nm, produced in the first step, the addition of a defined amount of additional precursor material permits distinct size regulation and the realization of predicted nanoparticle sizes. These information were derived from ex- and in situ investigations by comprehensive small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and UV-Vis data to obtain information on the physicochemical mechanisms. The obtained mechanisms can be transferred to other seeded growth processes. Compared to similar approaches, the presented synthesis route circumvents the use of different reducing or stabilizing agents. The size of resulting nanoparticles can be varied over a large size range presented for the first time without a measurable change in the shape, polydispersity or surface chemistry. Thus, the resulting nanoparticles are ideal candidates for size dependence investigations.
Although metallic nanoparticles play an important role in the area of nanotechnology, a coherent mechanistic explanation for the evolution of the particles during their chemical synthesis has not yet been provided in many cases. To gain a profound understanding of the growth mechanism of colloidal nanoparticles, new approaches using Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS) combined with X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) are presented. This combination allows for insights into two prominent syntheses routes of gold nanoparticles (GNP): The 'slow' reaction using sodium citrate (30-90 min) as a reducing agent and the 'fast' reaction employing NaBH4 (within few seconds). In the first case data derived with the coupled XANES and SAXS suggests a four-step particle formation mechanism. For the second system a time resolution in the order of 100-200 ms was achieved by coupling a common laboratory SAXS instrument with a microstructured mixer, which allows data acquisition in a continuous-flow mode. The results indicate a coalescence driven growth process. Based on the capabilities to deduce the size, number and polydispersity of the particles, the results of both methods enable the development of mechanistic schemes explaining the different phases of particle formation and growth, thus providing a basis for improved control over the synthesis processes.
The synthesis and properties of a series of new structure-directing triblock copolymers with PEO-PB-PEO structure (PEO = poly(ethylene oxide) and PB = polybutadiene) and their application as superior pore-templates for the preparation of mesoporous titania coatings are reported. Starting from either TiCl4 or from preformed TiO2 nanocrystalline building blocks, mesoporous crystalline titanium oxide films with a significant degree of mesoscopic ordered pores are derived, and the pore size can be controlled by the molecular mass of the template polymer. Moreover, the triblock copolymers form stable micelles already at very low concentration, i.e., prior to solvent evaporation during the evaporation-induced self-assembly process (EISA). Consequently, the thickness of pore walls can be controlled independently of pore size by changing the polymer-to-precursor ratio. Thus, unprecedented control of wall thickness in the structure of mesoporous oxide coatings is achieved. In addition, the micelle formation of the new template polymers is sufficiently distinct from that of typical commercial PPO-PEO-PPO polymers (Pluronics; PPO = poly(propylene oxide)), so that a combination of both polymers facilitates bimodal porosity via dual micelle templating.
The formation mechanisms of silver nanoparticles using aqueous silver perchlorate solutions as precursors and sodium borohydride as reducing agent were investigated based on time-resolved in situ experiments. This contribution addresses two important issues in colloidal science: (i) differences and analogies between growth processes of different metals such as gold and silver and (ii) the influence of a steric stabilizing agent on the growth process. The results reveal that a growth due to coalescence is a fundamental growth principle if the monomer-supplying chemical reaction is faster than the actual particle formation.
Catalysis, energy storage, and light harvesting require functional materials with tailored porosity and nanostructure. However, common synthesis methods that employ polymer micelles as structure-directing agents fail for zinc oxide, for cobalt oxide, and for metal carbonates in general. We report the synthesis of the oxides and carbonates of zinc, cobalt, and aluminum with micelle-templated structure. The synthesis relies on poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(butadiene)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymers and a new type of precursor formed by chemical complexation of a metal nitrate with citric acid. A general synthesis mechanism is deduced. Mechanistic insights allow for the prediction of optimal processing conditions for different oxides and carbonates based on simple thermogravimetric analysis. Employing this synthesis, films of ZnO and Co3O4 with micelle-controlled mesoporosity become accessible for the first time. It is the only soft-templating method reported so far that also yields mesoporous metal carbonates. The developed synthesis is generic in nature and can be applied to many other metal oxides and carbonates.
Size-controlled synthesis of colloidal silver nanoparticles based on mechanistic understanding
(2013)
Metal nanoparticles have attracted much attention due to their unique properties. Size control provides an effective key to an accurate adjustment of colloidal properties. The common approach to size control is testing different sets of parameters via trial and error. The actual particle growth mechanisms, and in particular the influences of synthesis parameters on the growth process, remain a black box. As a result, precise size control is rarely achieved for most metal nanoparticles. This contribution presents an approach to size control that is based on mechanistic knowledge. It is exemplified for a common silver nanoparticle synthesis, namely, the reduction of AgClO4 with NaBH4. Conducting this approach allowed a well-directed modification of this synthesis that enables, for the first time, the size-controlled production of silver nanoparticles 4–8 nm in radius without addition of any stabilization agent.
Various applications such as automotive catalysts, photocatalysis and sensors rely on thin coatings with high active surface area. The development of new and improved coatings requires in-depth understanding of the film morphology and texture. Especially the film porosity is a key parameter to identify structure-property relationships in applications. However, an accurate porosity determination of thin porous coatings is a challenging. In this contribution we present and discuss a new approach for determining the porosity of films by x-rays at SEM.
Pd/TiO2 coatings with template-controlled mesopore structure as highly active hydrogenation catalyst
(2015)
Micro-structured reactors offer excellent mass and heat transport capabilities and can therefore sustain very high reaction rates and space–time-yields also for highly exothermic catalytic reactions. However, such high rates cannot be reached when the reactors are coated or filled with conventional catalysts powders. We present a strategy for the direct synthesis of highly active wall-coated supported catalysts via co-deposition of a pore template (here micelles formed from PEO-b-PPO-b-PEO) and a precursors for the metal oxide (TiCl4) along with a compatible precursor for the active metal (PdCl2). The obtained catalytic coatings possess a template-controlled open pore structure and excellent mechanical stability. Moreover, the active metal is highly dispersed and well-distributed across the coating also at high Pd loadings. The corresponding high activity along with rapid mass transfer enabled by the open pore system results in the best space–time-yields in the gas-phase hydrogenation of butadiene reported so far in literature for a supported catalyst.
Iridium oxide is the catalytic material with the highest stability in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performed under acidic conditions. However, its high cost and limited availability demand that IrO2 is utilized as efficiently as possible. We report the synthesis and OER performance of highly active mesoporous IrO2 catalysts with optimized surface area, intrinsic activity, and pore accessibility. Catalytic layers with controlled pore size were obtained by soft-templating with micelles formed from amphiphilic block copolymers poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butadiene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide). A systematic study on the influence of the calcination temperature and film thickness on the morphology, phase composition, accessible surface area, and OER activity reveals that the catalytic performance is controlled by at least two independent factors, that is, accessible surface area and intrinsic activity per accessible site. Catalysts with lower crystallinity show higher intrinsic activity. The catalyst surface area increases linearly with film thickness. As a result of the templated mesopores, the pore surface remains fully active and accessible even for thick IrO2 films. Even the most active multilayer catalyst does not show signs of transport limitations at current densities as high as 75 mA cm-2.
Micro structured reactors are attractive candidates for further process intensification in heterogeneous catalysis. However, they require catalytic coatings with significantly improved space-time yields compared to traditional supported catalysts. We report the facile synthesis of homogeneous nanocrystalline Pt coatings with hierarchical pore structure by electrochemical dealloying of amorphous sputter-deposited platinum silicide layers. Thickness, porosity and surface composition of the catalysts can be controlled by the dealloying procedure. XPS analysis indicates that the catalyst surface is primarily composed of metallic Pt. Catalytic tests in gas-phase hydrogenation of butadiene reveal the typical activity, selectivity and activation energy of nanocrystalline platinum. However, space time yields are about 13 to 200 times higher than values reported for Pt-based catalysts in literature. The highly open metallic pore structure prevents heat and mass transport limitations allowing for very fast reactions and reasonable stability at elevated temperatures.
The reaction of iron chlorides with an alkaline reagent is one of the most prominent methods for the synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles. We studied the particle formation mechanism using triethanolamine as reactant and stabilizing agent. In situ fast-X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering provide information on the oxidation state and the structural information at the same time. In situ data were complemented by ex situ transmission electron microscopy, wide-angle X-ray scattering and Raman analysis of the formed nanoparticles. The formation of maghemite nanoparticles (γ-Fe2O3) from ferric and ferrous chloride was investigated. Prior to the formation of these nanoparticles, the formation and conversion of intermediate phases (akaganeite, iron(II, III) hydroxides) was observed which undergoes a morphological and structural collapse. The thus formed small magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4) grow further and convert to maghemite with increasing reaction time.
One of the crucial characteristics of functionalized thin films is their porosity (i.e., the ratio between the pore volume and the volume of the whole film). Due to the very low amount of material per coated area corresponding to thin films, it is a challenge for analytics to measure the film porosity. In this work, we present an Approach to determine the porosity of thin films by means of electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) either by wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (WDX) or by energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The procedure is based on the calculation of the film mass deposition from electron-excited X-ray spectra. The
mass deposition is converted into film density by division of measured film thickness.
Finally, the film porosity is calculated from the measured film density and the density of bulk, nonporous film material. The general applicability of the procedure to determine the
porosity is demonstrated on thin templated mesoporous TiO₂
films, dip-coated on silicon
wafer, with controlled porosity in the range of 15 to 50%. The high accuracy of the mass deposition as determined from X-ray spectra was validated with independent methods (ICP-OES and weighing). Furthermore, for the validation of the porosity results, ellipsometry, interference fringes method (IFM), and focused ion beam (FIB) cross sectioning were employed as independent techniques. Hence, the approach proposed
in the present study is proven to be suited as a new analytical tool for accurate and relatively fast determination of the porosity of thin films.
Catalysts based on nickel oxide are some of the most active catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media. However, preparing catalytic coatings with high surface area and good accessibility of the active sites remains challenging.
We present a new approach for the synthesis of homogeneous and binder-free nickel oxide coatings comprising a highly accessible ordered mesopore structure. The synthesis is achieved via evaporation induced self assembly utilizing PEOPB-PEO triblock copolymers as pore template and a chemical complex of Ni2+ and citric acid as precursor. Excessive crystallization behaviour of NiO is avoided by thermal conversion of the precursor into an amorphous Ni carbonate intermediate, followed by transition of the carbonate into the metal oxide.
We present a comprehensive analysis of the obtained materials in terms of morphology, crystallinity, surface area, composition, and OER activity of differently calcined catalysts. Retaining a low crystallinity and high surface area during the Synthesis proofs to be the most important factor in obtaining a highly active OER catalyst.
Zinc oxide is a wide bandgap semiconductor with unique optical, electrical and catalytic properties. Many of its practical applications rely on the materials pore structure, crystallinity and electrical conductivity. We report a synthesis method for ZnO films with ordered mesopore structure and tuneable crystallinity and electrical conductivity. The synthesis relies on dip-coating of solutions containing micelles of an amphiphilic block copolymer and complexes of Zn2+ ions with aliphatic ligands. A subsequent calcination at 400 °C removes the template and induces crystallization of the pore walls. The pore structure is controlled by the template polymer, whereas the aliphatic ligands control the crystallinity of the pore walls. Complexes with a higher thermal stability result in ZnO films with a higher content of residual carbon, smaller ZnO crystals and therefore lower electrical conductivity. The paper discusses the ability of different types of ligands to assist in the synthesis of mesoporous ZnO and relates the structure and thermal stability of the precursor complexes to the crystallinity and electrical conductivity of the zinc oxide.