Creation of High-Performance Heterogeneous Photocatalysts by Controlling Ligand Desorption and Particle Size of Gold Nanocluster

Overview

Journal Angew Chem Int Ed Engl

Specialty Chemistry

Date 2021 May 26

PMID 34038609

Citations 14

Authors

Tokuhisa Kawawaki

Yuki Kataoka

Momoko Hirata

Yuki Akinaga

Ryo Takahata

Kosuke Wakamatsu

Yu Fujiki

Miori Kataoka

Soichi Kikkawa

Abdulrahman S Alotabi

Sakiat Hossain

D J Osborn

Toshiharu Teranishi

Gunther G Andersson

Gregory F Metha

Seiji Yamazoe

Yuichi Negishi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Recently, the creation of new heterogeneous catalysts using the unique electronic/geometric structures of small metal nanoclusters (NCs) has received considerable attention. However, to achieve this, it is extremely important to establish methods to remove the ligands from ligand-protected metal NCs while preventing the aggregation of metal NCs. In this study, the ligand-desorption process during calcination was followed for metal-oxide-supported 2-phenylethanethiolate-protected gold (Au) 25-atom metal NCs using five experimental techniques. The results clearly demonstrate that the ligand-desorption process consists of ligand dissociation on the surface of the metal NCs, adsorption of the generated compounds on the support and desorption of the compounds from the support, and the temperatures at which these processes occurred were elucidated. Based on the obtained knowledge, we established a method to form a metal-oxide layer on the surface of Au NCs while preventing their aggregation, thereby succeeding in creating a water-splitting photocatalyst with high activity and stability.

Citing Articles

Activation of photocatalytic CO reduction by loading hydrophobic thiolate-protected Au nanocluster cocatalyst.

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PMID: 39974339 PMC: 11833898. DOI: 10.1039/d4na01045k.

Structural Evolution of Stapes Controls the Electrochemical CO Reduction on Bimetallic Cu-doped Gold Nanoclusters.

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Ultrafine Rhodium-Chromium Mixed-Oxide Cocatalyst with Facet-Selective Loading for Excellent Photocatalytic Water Splitting.

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