Search

Ag/alumina catalysts with different silver contents for octane-SCR were prepared by impregnation and incipient wetness methods. Activity tests revealed that the decisive factor for high activity is not only a high dispersion of silver, but also the ability of the system to redisperse clustered silver. Determination of dispersion by TEM/HAADF and O2-chemisorption experiments resulted in values close to each other even if the results were not directly comparable. This is suggested to be due to not complete silver reduction below 700 degrees C and the samples being very heterogeneous in terms of particle size, e.g., having a bimodal size distribution. Small charged Agsigman+ clusters containing 2-8 silver atoms highly prevailed in the samples containing <2 wt% Ag and exhibiting high octane-SCR activity. In highly loaded Ag/alumina samples or those reduced and reoxidized at high temperature (>400 degrees C), large metallic particles are stabilized, resulting in poor conversion of NOx to N2.

Gold nanoparticles (5 nm and 20 nm) have been synthesized and stabilized with mercaptoundecanol. These particles, although insoluble in water or common organic solvents, spread as a thin film at the liquid-liquid interface between a water phase and an organic phase. Films of these gold nanoparticles have been observed both by conventional transmission electron microscopy of deposited samples and by cryo-transmission electron microscopy of plunge-frozen samples. The film can be monolayered and extend over centimeter-sized areas. The particle films spontaneously re-assemble and self-organize at the interface when disrupted. This self-healing capacity of the film should make it possible to build a device for continuous production and deposition of the film.

Visually striking nanoflowers composed of ZnS:Mn2+ nanoparticles are prepared and characterized. The configurations of these fractal structures are very sensitive to both the pH values of the particle solutions from which they are precipitated and the substrates on which they are deposited. At pH 2.2, the fractal structures resemble trees without leaves; at pH 7.7, they are tree-like with four arms and at pH 11.0 they resemble trees with six arms. High resolution transmission microscopy reveals that the nanoflowers are composed of ZnS:Mn2+ nanoparticles of 2-5 nm in size. X-ray photoelectron spectral data indicate that the sample compositions of nitrogen, chlorine, and sulfur vary gradually with pH values of the solutions. These changes may have an impact on both the fractal configuration and the luminescence properties. The emission spectra of the particle solutions at pH values of 2.2 and 11.0 are similar with the emission maximum at 475 nm. As the pH value approaches 7.7, the emission spectral maximum shifts to longer wavelengths. At a pH value of 7.7, the emission peak wavelength is the reddest, 520 nm. The emission peak of the nanoflowers at a pH value of 9.3 is 510 nm, while the emission spectrum of the nanoflowers at 5.2 has two peaks at 500 nm and 440 nm, respectively. These blue-green emissions are attributed to defects and are the dominant luminescence from the nanoflowers. The emission from Mn2+ dopant is only observed in the delayed spectra of the fractal solid samples.