The gas-phase loading of [Zn4O(bdc)3] (MOF-5; bdc = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate) with the volatile compound [Ru(cod)(cot)] (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene, cot = 1,3,5-cyclooctatriene) was followed by solid-state (13)C magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy. Subsequent hydrogenolysis of the adsorbed complex inside the porous structure of MOF-5 at 3 bar and 150 degrees C was performed, yielding ruth...

Monolayer-protected transition metal nanoparticles are a unique family of functional nanomaterials in which the properties of the materials can be readily manipulated not only by the chemical nature of the metal cores and the organic protecting ligands, but also the metal–ligand interfacial bonding interactions. The latter is largely motivated by recent progress in nanoparticle passivation by m...

Surface Organo-Metallic Chemistry on Metals (SOMC/M) [1] provides access to a new type of materials. The strategy is to create catalytically active sites which are homogeneously dispersed and uniform in their structure by grafting organometallic precursors on well defined metallic surfaces. For example, tetrabutyltin reacts with the surface of metallic particles supported on silica leading to f...

The reaction of three types of carbon nanofibers (CNFs; platelet: CNF-P, tubular: CNF-T, herringbone: CNF-H) with [Ru3(CO)12] in toluene heated at reflux provided the corresponding CNF-supported ruthenium nanoparticles, Ru/CNFs (Ru content = 1.1-3.8 wt %). TEM studies of these Ru/CNFs revealed that size-controlled Ru nanoparticles (2-4 nm) exist on the CNFs, and that their location was dependen...

Highly-dispersed Ru nanoparticles were grown on graphene nanosheets by simultaneously reducing graphene oxide and Ru ions using ethylene glycol (EG), and the resultant Ru/graphene nanocomposites were applied as a catalyst to ammonia decomposition for COx-free hydrogen production. Tuning the microstructures of Ru/graphene nanocomposites was easily accomplished in terms of Ru particle size, morph...

Activity improvement of Ru-based catalysts is needed for efficient production of valuable chemicals from glycerol hydrogenolysis. In this work, a series of Re promoted Ru catalysts encapuslated in porous silica nanoparticles (denoted as Re-Ru@SiO₂) were prepared by coating silica onto the surface of chemically reduced Ru-polyvinylpyrrolidone colloids, and were used to catalyze the conversion of...

Ru and Ru(x)Ni(30) dendrimer encapsulated nanoparticles (DENs) were synthesized using a redox-displacement method. DEN catalytic activity for the reduction of p-nitrophenol was evaluated and found to be dependent on the ratio of metals present.

The structure evolution of twinned Ru nanoparticles supported on carbon nanotubes rearranging into Ru single nanocrystals under the microwave irradiation and the exposed surface of Ru single crystals were observed, which provided new insights into synthesis and application of metal nanoparticle catalysts.

Hollow Ru nanoparticles with ~14 nm diameter and ~2 nm shell thickness are reported for the first time, by removal of Ni from the delicately designed Ni@Ru core@shell NPs. Such hollow Ru NPs exhibit enhanced catalytic activity in the dehydrogenation of ammonia borane with respect to solid ones.

Objectives • Further improve the new catalyst consisting of a submonolayer of Pt on carbon-supported Ru nanoparticles (1%Pt/10%Ru/C) to come close to the DOE’s 2010 target of 100 μg/cm2 noble metal loading. • Further elucidate the inhibition mechanism of CO on H2 oxidation on Pt. • Reduce Ru loadings in Pt-Ru electrocatalysts. • Explore monolayer-level-supported Pt electrocatalysts for O2 reduc...