We have succeeded in preparing Au/Pd core-shell nanoparticles in apo-ferritin and improving the catalytic reactivity of olefin hydrogenation relative to Pd0 nanoparticles in the cage.

TiO2 nanoparticles, as a photocatalyst for oxidation of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) as an organophosphorus simulant of chemical warfare agent, were prepared by using sol-gel method. The prepared nanoparticles were then modified with transition metals in order to decrease the electron-hole recombination and increase the photocatalytic activity. Transition metal ions including Pt...

Hydrogen species absorbed in the volume of Pd nanoparticles play a crucial role in the hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons. Recent evidence suggests that the rate of diffusion of hydrogen from the surface of Pd nanoparticles to the subsurface region critically affects the hydrogenation rate, as this rate dictates whether or not the nanoparticles can maintain a sufficient concentration of ...

Bimetallic nanoparticles with core-shell structures usually display enhanced catalytic properties due to the lattice strain created between the core and shell regions. In this study, we demonstrate the application of bimetallic Au-Pd nanoparticles with an Au core and a thin Pd shell as cathode catalysts in microbial fuel cells, which represent a promising technology for wastewater treatment, wh...

Two different types of nanoparticles dissolved in organic solution, gold stabilized by n-alkanethiols and CdSe/ZnS stabilized by n-alkane-amine, adhere preferentially to the ridges of latent fingerprints; the gold deposits catalyze silver electroless deposition from "Silver Physical Developer" (Ag-PD), an aqueous solution containing silver colloids stabilized by cationic surfactants, to form da...

Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs) stabilized by methyl cellulose (MC) were synthesized in an aqueous solution, which are monodispersed nanoparticles. PdNPs/α-Al2O3 catalyst was prepared with monodispersed PdNPs and showed better catalytic performance than Pd/α-Al2O3 catalyst prepared by the incipient wetness impregnation method using Pd(NO3)2 as a precursor. The catalysts were characterized by transmiss...

A heterogeneous Pd catalyst, biologically-mineralized palladium nanoparticles (bio-Pd), was synthesized using sulfidogenic bacteria which reduced soluble Pd(II) to catalytically-active Pd-nanoparticles (NPs). Heat treatment (processing) of bio-Pd (5 or 20 wt% on the cells) made by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans evolved supported Pd-catalyst comprising Pd-NPs held large spherical hollow structures....

Nanoditches from selective etching of periodically twinned SiC nanowires were employed to hinder the migration and coalescence of Pd nanoparticles supported on the nanowires, and thus to improve their catalytic stability for total combustion of methane. The results show that the etched Pd/SiC catalyst can keep the methane conversion of almost 100% while the unetched one has an obvious decline i...

1-wt% Pd-CeO(2) catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation of Pd nanoparticles with ceria (Pd@CeO(2)-CP), by a microemulsion procedure (Pd@CeO(2)-ME), and by normal impregnation of Pd salts (Pd/CeO(2)-IMP) in order to test the concept that Pd-CeO(2) catalysts could be more stable for the water-gas-shift (WGS) reaction when the Pd is embedded in CeO(2). Initial WGS rates measured at 250 degrees...

The energetics of elementary surface processes relevant for CO oxidation, particularly CO and O2 adsorption, were investigated by a direct calorimetric method on model Pd nanoparticles and on the extended Pd(111) single crystal surface. The focus of this study lies on a detailed understanding of how a nanometer scale confinement of matter affects the binding strength of gaseous adsorbates. We r...