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At least 415 records · Page 23

Ripening of Rh Nanoparticle Catalysts in Reverse Water–Gas Shift via a Data-Driven Model Combining Physics, Theory, and Experiment

Degradation via sintering is an ongoing challenge that impedes the broad commercial success of supported metallic nanoparticle catalysts. To mitigate degradation via informed catalyst design and process operations, here we aim to disambiguate the underlying mechanisms of sintering by combining theory and experiment in a quantitative framework. While mechanistic sintering models exist, they only model a single sintering pathway, even though multiple sintering mechanisms can occur simultaneously or dominate at different stages of the process. Data-driven machine learning models have emerged as a means to represent complex processes through data regression. However, machine learning models have very large data needs and lack mechanistic insights due to their black-box encoding. To develop an interpretive model of catalyst degradation via sintering, we constructed a hybrid model combining mechanistic “physics-based” models and data-driven methods to obtain both reliable predictions and mechanistic insights regarding experimentally observed sintering phenomena. Focusing on nanoparticle sintering in the Rh–TiO 2 catalyst for the reverse water–gas shift (RWGS) reaction, the hybrid model couples a mechanistic term for Ostwald ripening with energy values calculated via density functional theory (DFT) with a parametric, data-driven discrepancy function term for unmodeled mechanisms. The hybrid model is trained using Bayesian inference with data collected from small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) in situ experiments wherein average nanoparticle diameter versus time was measured at three relevant operating temperatures. The calibrated hybrid model results show that an Ostwald ripening-only model parameterized with fixed DFT energies does not fully capture the time and temperature dependence of the SAXS-observed sintering kinetics, and that an additional functional contribution, or DFT energy calibration, is required to reconcile simulation and experiment. Analysis of the hybrid-model error confirms that the hybrid model outperforms both the purely mechanistic and purely data-driven alternatives in terms of expected predictive accuracy for time-evolving average particle sizes. Furthermore, the results support the hypothesis that the Ostwald ripening mechanism is less important for explaining the sintering phenomena as operating temperature increases under an assumed fixed DFT parameterization. This could be explained in one of two ways: either latent, unmodeled sintering mechanisms dominate at higher temperatures, or the DFT uncertainty increases with temperature. The proposed modeling approach directly links theory to experiments and simulations via a statistical hybrid modeling framework and can be extended to other catalytic systems to improve predictive models and mechanistic understanding.

Bayesian hybrid modeling↗

Vapor-Phase Aggregation of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles in a Rapidly Cooling Plasma

Local conditions, such as temperature and oxygen availability, have a pronounced effect on the formation and evolution of fallout following a nuclear explosion. While the behavior of nuclear-relevant materials such as uranium has begun to be explored under a wider range of environments, little is known about the behavior of plutonium. Here, using cerium as a surrogate, we track the vapor-phase aggregation of cerium oxide nanoparticles created in a plasma flow reactor under conditions of controlled temperature at two different oxygen fugacities. In situ optical emission spectroscopy is used to measure the variations in the spectral intensity of atomic and molecular species with temperature and oxygen content. We find that the relative rate of gas-phase oxidation of cerium is highly dependent on both temperature and local redox conditions within the flow reactor, to the extent that doubling the oxygen availability effectively doubles the amount of vapor-phase cerium monoxide at high temperatures (>2000 K). Condensed cerium oxide nanoparticles are also collected and analyzed ex situ via transmission electron microscopy and grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering to determine their elemental composition, crystal structure, and size distribution. The size and morphology of the condensed nanoparticles are independent of local redox conditions, forming the same crystal type with the same size distribution regardless of oxygen availability. Postcondensation particle evolution, however, is found to be predominantly driven by temperature, with the average particle size increasing as particles cool and subsequently aggregate. These results expand our understanding of the chemical and physical behavior of refractory oxides that form during the early stages of fallout formation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Modeling Structural Colors from Disordered One-Component Colloidal Nanoparticle-Based Supraballs Using Combined Experimental and Simulation Techniques

Bright, saturated structural colors in birds have inspired synthesis of self-assembled, disordered arrays of assembled nanoparticles with varied particle spacings and refractive indices. However, predicting colors of assembled nanoparticles, and thereby guiding their synthesis, remains challenging due to the effects of multiple scattering and strong absorption. In this work, we use a computational approach to first reconstruct the nanoparticles’ assembled structures from small-angle scattering measurements and then input the reconstructed structures to a finite-difference time-domain method to predict their color and reflectance. This computational approach is successfully validated by comparing its predictions against experimentally measured reflectance and provides a pathway for reverse engineering colloidal assemblies with desired optical and photothermal properties.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Biomimetic Control over Bimetallic Nanoparticle Structure and Activity via Peptide Capping Ligand Sequence

Here, the controlled design of bimetallic nanoparticles (BNPs) is a key goal in tailoring their catalytic properties. Recently, biomimetic pathways demonstrated potent control over the distribution of different metals within BNPs, but a direct understanding of the peptide effect on the compositional distribution at the interparticle and intraparticle levels remains lacking. We synthesized two sets of PtAu systems with two peptides and correlated their structure, composition, and distributions with the catalytic activity. Structural and compositional analyses were performed by a combined machine learning-assisted refinement of X-ray absorption spectra and Z-contrast measurements by scanning transmission electron microscopy. The difference in the catalytic activities between nanoparticles synthesized with different peptides was attributed to the details of interparticle distribution of Pt and Au across these markedly heterogeneous systems, comprising Pt-rich, Au-rich, and Au core/Pt shell nanoparticles. The total amount of Pt in the shells of the BNPs was proposed to be the key catalytic activity descriptor. This approach can be extended to other systems of metals and peptides to facilitate the targeted design of catalysts with the desired activity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Ultrafast Photoflash Synthesis of High-Entropy Oxide Nanoparticles

High-entropy metal oxides (HEOs) have recently received growing attention for broad energy conversion and storage applications due to their tunable properties. HEOs typically involve the combination of multiple metal cations in a single oxide lattice, thus bringing distinctive structures, controllable elemental composition, and tunable functional properties. Many synthesis methods for HEOs have been reported, such as solid-state reactions and carbon thermal shock methods. These methods frequently are energy-intensive or require relatively expensive heating equipment. In this work, we report an ultrafast photoflash synthesis method for HEO nanoparticles on diverse substrates. The energy input is provided by a commercial Xe photoflash unit, which triggers exothermic reactions to convert metal salt precursors to HEO nanoparticles within tens of milliseconds. The formation of HEO nanoparticles is attributed to the ultrafast heating (∼106 K/s) and cooling (∼105 K/s) rates of the photoflash and overall high temperature (>1000 K) during the ultrafast synthesis process. When the synthesized CoNiFeCrMn oxide (HEO) is tested as an oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalyst, it shows similar activity to similar materials prepared by other methods. We believe this photoflash synthesis provides a simple method for many others to synthesize diverse HEOs and explore their properties and potential applications.

exothermic reaction synthesis↗

Efficient Measurement of Length Distribution of 1D Nanoparticles in Solution via Optical Polarimetry

The efficient measurement of the length distribution of nanotubes, nanowires, and other one-dimensional (1D) nanoparticles in solution is important to enable their incorporation into materials and devices and to optimize their processing for properties of interest, such as thermal/electrical conductivity or mechanical strength, in suspensions and composites. We report an electric-field (E-field)-assisted optical-polarimetry technique to measure the length distribution of ensembles of high-aspect-ratio particles in dilute suspension. The degree of alignment of polarizable 1D particles suspended in a fluid under Brownian motion explicitly depends on the E-field strength and the particle length. We show that it is possible to extract the length distribution of 1D nanoparticles suspended in an insulating fluid by applying a range of E-fields and using optical polarimetry to measure the corresponding alignment order parameter. Notably, the method is relatively insensitive to the diameter of the 1D particles, which can be poorly known or vary within a sample. The technique is validated with silver nanowires and carbon nanotubes of known lengths, as well as polymer-depletion-length-separated single-wall carbon nanotube samples with length distributions independently measured with analytical ultracentrifugation. Finally, we demonstrate the ability of the optical-polarimetry technique to quantify changes in the length distribution of ultranarrow, sub-nanometer-diameter single-wall carbon nanotubes under different types and durations of ultrasonication. Within its range of applicability (polarizable 1D nanoparticles in the 0.5 to 15 μm length range, constrained by the voltage stability of the media and the suspended particles), the E-field-assisted optical-polarimetry method is a particularly efficient and accurate method to measure the length distribution of nanowires and nanotubes in suspension.

1D nanoparticles↗

Facile Measurement of the Rotation of a Single Optically Trapped Nanoparticle Using the Diagonal Ratio of a Quadrant Photodiode

Optical tweezers are a powerful tool for exploring physical properties of particles in various environments through analysis of their dynamics in a trapping potential. Analysis of the trapped particle's position is often done using interferometric back-focal-plane detection microscopy in which interference between the trapping laser and the light interacting with the trapped particle is projected on a quadrant photo-diode (QPD). The QPD measurements are almost universally the voltage ratios between the transverse components of the detector (left/right; up/down) that are calibrated to ascertain particle positions and orientations (i.e., rotation). In this paper, we demonstrate how measuring the diagonal ratio of the QPD allows tracking the spinning and orbital motion of optically trapped objects with enhanced sensitivity compared to the conventional transverse ratio and reveals additional information about particle dynamics. The diagonal ratio "balances" the signal from opposite sides of the QPD, allowing common mode noise reduction and increased measurement sensitivity of the rotating nanospheres at frequencies from below 200 Hz to above 15 kHz. We show that the variability in particle rotation rates is due to slight differences in the aspect ratio of the nanoparticles. We also measure in situ a gradual acceleration in the spinning frequency of trapped nanoparticles due to photothermal shedding of surface ligands and the resulting decrease of rotational friction in solution. The accelerating particles spin at rates exceeding 30 kHz and are eventually "optically printed" onto the glass coverslip on top of the liquid cell enclosure. The diagonal ratio is a simple, readily available, and powerful enabler for measuring rotational dynamics with a 5-fold sensitivity increase over conventional QPD measurements. This affords opportunities for controlling the orientational dynamics of trapped nanoparticles, which is crucial for various applications, including nanoscale mechanical motors.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Environment of Metal–O–Fe Bonds Enabling High Activity in CO 2 Reduction on Single Metal Atoms and on Supported Nanoparticles

Single-atom catalysts are often reported to have catalytic properties that surpass those of nanoparticles, while a direct comparison of sites common and different for both is lacking. In this work, we show that single atoms of the Pt-group embedded into the surface of Fe 3 O 4 have a greatly enhanced interaction strength with CO 2 compared with Fe 3 O 4 surface. The strong CO 2 adsorption on single Rh atoms and corresponding low activation energies lead to two-orders-of-magnitude higher conversion rates of CO 2 compared to Rh nanoparticles. This high activity of single atoms stems from the partially oxidic state imposed by their coordination to the support. Fe 3 O 4 -supported Rh nanoparticles follow the behavior of single atoms for CO 2 interaction and reduction, which is attributed to the dominating role of partially oxidic sites at the Fe 3 O 4 -Rh interface. Thus, we show a likely common catalytic chemistry for two kinds of materials thought to be different, and we show that single atoms of Pt-group metals on Fe 3 O 4 are an especially successful material for catalyzed reactions that depend primarily upon sites with the metal-O-Fe environment.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Ethanol-Induced Condensation and Decondensation in DNA-Linked Nanoparticles: A Nucleosome-like Model for the Condensed State

Inspired by the conventional use of ethanol to induce DNA precipitation, ethanol condensation has been applied as a routine method to dynamically tune “bond” lengths (i.e., the surface-to-surface distances between adjacent nanoparticles that are linked by DNA) and thermal stabilities of colloidal crystals involving DNA-linked nanoparticles. However, the underlying mechanism of how the DNA bond that links gold nanoparticles changes in this class of colloidal crystals in response to ethanol remains unclear. Here, we conducted a series of all-atom molecular dynamic (MD) simulations to explore the free energy landscape for DNA condensation and decondensation. Our simulations confirm that DNA condensation is energetically much more favorable under 80% ethanol conditions than in pure water, as a result of ethanol’s role in enhancing electrostatic interactions between oppositely charged species. Moreover, the condensed DNA adopts B-form in pure water and A-form in 80% ethanol, which indicates that the higher-order transition does not affect DNA’s conformational preferences. We further propose a nucleosome-like supercoiled model for the DNA condensed state, and we show that the DNA end-to-end distance derived from this model matches the experimentally measured DNA bond length of about 3 nm in the fully condensed state for DNA where the measured length is 16 nm in water. Altogether, this study provides an atomistic understanding of the mechanism underlying ethanol-induced condensation and water-induced decondensation, while our proposed nucleosome-like model allows the design of new strategies for interpreting experimental studies of DNA condensation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Electrostatic Barriers to Nanoparticle Accessibility of a Porous Matrix

Translocation from one cavity to another through a narrow constriction (i.e., a “hole”) represents the fundamental elementary process underlying hindered mass transport of nanoparticles and macromolecules within many natural and synthetic porous materials, including intracellular environments. This process is complex and may be influenced by long-range (e.g., electrostatic) particle–wall interactions, transient adsorption/desorption, surface diffusion, and hydrodynamic effects. In this study, we used a three-dimensional (3D) tracking method to explicitly visualize the process of nanoparticle diffusion within periodic porous nanostructures, where electrostatic interactions were mediated via ionic strength. The effects of electrostatic interactions on nanoparticle transport were surprisingly large. For example, an increase in the Debye length of only a few nanometers (in a material with a hole diameter of ~100 nm) increased the mean cavity escape time 3-fold. A combination of computational and experimental analyses indicated that this hindered cavity escape was due to an electrostatic energy barrier in the region of the hole, which was quantitatively explained using DLVO theory. These findings explicitly demonstrate that the cavity escape process was barrier-limited and dominated by electrostatic effects.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Hydrophilic nanoparticles that kill bacteria while sparing mammalian cells reveal the antibiotic role of nanostructures

To dissect the antibiotic role of nanostructures from chemical moieties belligerent to both bacterial and mammalian cells, here we show the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of nanoparticle-pinched polymer brushes (NPPBs) consisting of chemically inert silica nanospheres of systematically varied diameters covalently grafted with hydrophilic polymer brushes that are non-toxic and non-bactericidal. Assembly of the hydrophilic polymers into nanostructured NPPBs doesn’t alter their amicability with mammalian cells, but it incurs a transformation of their antimicrobial potential against bacteria, including clinical multidrug-resistant strains, that depends critically on the nanoparticle sizes. The acquired antimicrobial potency intensifies with small nanoparticles but subsides quickly with large ones. We identify a threshold size (d silica ~ 50 nm) only beneath which NPPBs remodel bacteria-mimicking membrane into 2D columnar phase, the epitome of membrane pore formation. This study illuminates nanoengineering as a viable approach to develop nanoantibiotics that kill bacteria upon contact yet remain nontoxic when engulfed by mammalian cells.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Predicting metal–metal interactions. I. The influence of strain on nanoparticle and metal adlayer stabilities

Strain-engineering of bimetallic nanomaterials is an important design strategy for developing new catalysts. In this paper, we introduce an approach for including strain effects into a recently introduced, density functional theory (DFT)-based alloy stability model. The model predicts adsorption site stabilities in nanoparticles and connects these site stabilities with catalytic reactivity and selectivity. Strain-based dependencies will increase the model’s accuracy for nanoparticles affected by finite-size effects. In addition to the stability of small nanoparticles, strain also influences the heat of adsorption of epitaxially grown metal-on-metal adlayers. In this respect, we successfully benchmark the strain-including alloy stability model with previous experimentally determined trends in the heats of adsorption of Au and Cu adlayers on Pt (111). For these systems, our model predicts stronger bimetallic interactions in the first monolayer than monometallic interactions in the second monolayer. We explicitly quantify the interplay between destabilizing strain effects and the energy gained by forming new metal–metal bonds. While tensile strain in the first Cu monolayer significantly destabilizes the adsorption strength, compressive strain in the first Au monolayer has a minimal impact on the heat of adsorption. Hence, this study introduces and, by comparison with previous experiments, validates an efficient DFT-based approach for strain-engineering the stability, and, in turn, the catalytic performance, of active sites in bimetallic alloys with atomic level resolution.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Catalytic properties of model supported nanoparticles

Nanoparticles of late transition metals are used as catalysts and electrocatalysts for industrial chemical reactions that produce fuels, convert chemical energy to electricity and clean up pollution associated with the generation and use of these fuels. For such applications, metals are usually bonded onto the surfaces of oxide or carbon support materials. To provide the energy needed for sustained economic development, we must develop new and improved solid catalysts and electrocatalysts for a variety of reactions that take better advantage of traditional and alternate energy sources (solar, wind, biomass, etc.) and avoid serious environmental problems. Additionally, since these metals are often expensive and in limited supply (e.g., Pt), we also need to develop catalysts that do not require precious metals. As a consequence, recent years have seen a dramatic increase in research aimed at providing the basic understanding needed to develop new and improved catalysts and electrocatalysts for a variety of reactions that involve nanoparticles of late transition metals supported on oxide or carbon materials. It is therefore timely to present a special issue that focusses on Catalytic Properties of Model Supported Nanoparticles. The collection highlights some of the most exciting new directions for research in this area, and provides in depth examples of some of the most cutting-edge methods, both experimental and theoretical, for studying this class of catalysts, which provide insights into structure, mechanisms, kinetics and energetics with unprecedented accuracy and detail. Finally, as Guest Editors, we present below a few of the many excellent papers published in the collection.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Scaling of silicon nanoparticle growth in low temperature flowing plasmas

Low temperature plasmas are an emerging method to synthesize high quality nanoparticles (NPs). An established and successful technique to produce NPs is using a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) in cylindrical geometry. Although a robust synthesis technique, optimizing or specifying NP properties using CCPs, is challenging. In this paper, results from a computational investigation for the growth of silicon NPs in flowing inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs) using Ar/SiH 4 gas mixtures of up to a few Torr are discussed. ICPs produce more locally constrained and quiescent plasma potentials. These positive plasma potentials produce an electrostatic trap for negatively charged NPs, which can significantly extend the residence time of NPs in the plasma, which in turn provides a controllable period for particle growth. The computational platforms used in this study consist of a two-dimensional plasma hydrodynamics model, a three-dimensional nanoparticle growth and trajectory tracking model, and a molecular dynamics simulation for deriving reactive sticking coefficients of silane radicals on Si NPs. Trends for the nanoparticle growth as a function of SiH 4 inlet fraction, gas residence time, energy deposition per particle, pressure, and reactor diameter are discussed. The general path for particle synthesis is the trapping of small NPs in the positive electrostatic potential, followed by entrainment in the gas flow upon reaching a critical particle size. Optimizing or controlling NP synthesis then depends on the spatial distribution of plasma potential, the density of growth species, and the relative time that particles spend in the electrostatic trap and flowing through higher densities of growth species upon leaving the trap.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Structural and optical properties of nanoparticles formed by laser ablation of porous silicon in liquids: Perspectives in biophotonics

The paper discusses the possibility of manufacturing silicon nanoparticles, which are suitable for contrasting biological tissues imaged by optical coherence tomography, by femtosecond laser ablation of porous silicon in various liquids. The manufactured nanoparticles are characterised by average sizes of 87, 112, and 102 nm for cases of ablation in water, ethanol, and liquid nitrogen, respectively, as well as a relatively narrow size distribution, which provides additional advantages for subsequent delivery into biological tissues. Electrochemical etching, which results in the formation of layers of porous silicon, allows the yield of ablation products to be increased several-fold by lowering the ablation threshold, thereby increasing the light scattering efficiency of the prepared suspensions compared with the case of using crystalline silicon as targets. The possibility of obtaining high-contrast images of a biotissue phantom based on an agar gel with embedded nanoparticles is shown. The magnitude of the contrast depends on the liquid used for ablation and correlates with the values of the reduced scattering coefficient of the studied suspensions. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Effect of the magnetic field on the size of nanoparticles obtained by ablation of a cobalt – copper target in a liquid

Co – Cu nanoparticles were obtained by pulsed laser ablation in a liquid medium in a constant magnetic field. The organic solvent, hexane, served as a liquid medium. The influence of the magnetic field on the formation of nanoparticles was studied. It is shown that the magnetic field leads to a decrease in the size distribution width of the resulting nanoparticles. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

In situ temperature synthesis and characterization of ferroelectric PZN-4.5PT nanoparticles’ thin films using synchrotron light source

Despite the excellent properties of Pb(Zn 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 -4.5PbTiO 3 (PZN-4.5PT) single crystals, the greatest difficulty for their application on electronic devices is to make them to thin layers related to the difficulty to make them as ceramic materials. In this paper, we use the combined USAXS/SAXS/WAXS instrument at 9ID beamline at APS-ANL for in situ characterization of PZN-4.5PT inorganic perovskite nanoparticles thin films deposited on nanotextured silicon to understand the phase transitions and determine the observed microcrystals' structure. Here, the sample was annealed from ambient to 1000°C. The results revealed structure changes in the nanoparticles' thin films which could be explained by the new phase that can be assigned to the Pb 3 (PO 4 )2-based component. The peak at 31° indicates the presence of the rhombohedral phase perovskites assigned to the nanoparticles. WAXS characterization permitted to identification of many transitions during thermal annealing like dehydration or dihydroxylation of phosphorus gel -OH bonds and internal water.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Reentrant polar phase induced by the ferroionic coupling in B⁢i 1−𝑥 ⁢S⁢m 𝑥 ⁢Fe⁢O 3 nanoparticles

Using the model of four sublattices, the Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire-Kittel phenomenological approach and the Stephenson-Highland ionic adsorption model for the description of coupled polar and antipolar long-range orders in ferroics, we analytically calculated the phase diagrams and polar properties of B⁢i 1−𝑥 ⁢S⁢m 𝑥⁢ Fe⁢O 3 nanoparticles covered by surface ions with dependence on their size, surface ions density, samarium content 𝑥 , and temperature. The size effects and ferroionic coupling govern the appearance and stability conditions of the long-range ordered ferroelectric, reentrant ferrielectric, and antiferroelectric phases in B⁢i 1−𝑥 ⁢S⁢m 𝑥 ⁢Fe⁢O 3 nanoparticles. Calculated phase diagrams are in qualitative agreement with the x-ray diffraction phase analysis, electron paramagnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and electrophysical measurements of B⁢i 1−𝑥 ⁢S⁢m 𝑥 ⁢Fe⁢O 3 nanopowders sintered by the solution combustion method. The combined theoretical-experimental approach allows us to explain the influence of the ferroionic coupling and size effects in B⁢i 1−𝑥 ⁢S⁢m 𝑥 ⁢Fe⁢O 3 nanoparticles on their polar properties.

antiferroelectricity↗