Advancing the Frontiers in Nanocatalysis, Biointerfaces, and Renewable Energy Conversion by Innovations of Surface Techniques
The challenge of chemistry in the 21st century is to achieve 100% selectivity of the desired product molecule in multipath reactions ('green chemistry') and develop renewable energy based processes. Surface chemistry and catalysis play key roles in this enterprise. Development of in situ surface techniques such as high-pressure scanning tunneling microscopy, sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy, time-resolved Fourier transform infrared methods, and ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy enabled the rapid advancement of three fields: nanocatalysts, biointerfaces, and renewable energy conversion chemistry. In materials nanoscience, synthetic methods have been developed to produce monodisperse metal and oxide nanoparticles (NPs) in the 0.8-10 nm range with controlled shape, oxidation states, and composition; these NPs can be used as selective catalysts since chemical selectivity appears to be dependent on all of these experimental parameters. New spectroscopic and microscopic techniques have been developed that operate under reaction conditions and reveal the dynamic change of molecular structure of catalysts and adsorbed molecules as the reactions proceed with changes in reaction intermediates, catalyst composition, and oxidation states. SFG vibrational spectroscopy detects amino acids, peptides, and proteins adsorbed at hydrophobic and hydrophilic interfaces and monitors the change of surface structure and interactions with coadsorbed water. Exothermic reactions and photons generate hot electrons in metal NPs that may be utilized in chemical energy conversion. The photosplitting of water and carbon dioxide, an important research direction in renewable energy conversion, is discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Chemical Sciences Division; Materials Sciences Division
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-05CH11231
- OSTI ID:
- 983116
- Report Number(s):
- LBNL-3273E
- Journal Information:
- Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of the American Chemical Society Journal Issue: 46 Vol. 131; ISSN 0002-7863; ISSN 1520-5126
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
AMINO ACIDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CATALYSIS
CATALYSTS
CHEMISTRY
ELECTRONS
ENERGY CONVERSION
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
MONITORS
OXIDES
PEPTIDES
PHOTONS
PROTEINS
REACTION INTERMEDIATES
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY
SPECTROSCOPY
VALENCE
WATER
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY