Organo-Nanocups Assist the Formation of Ultra-Small Palladium Nanoparticle Catalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction |
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Authors: | Erik Biehler Qui Quach Clay Huff Tarek M. Abdel-Fattah |
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Affiliation: | Applied Research Center at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility and Department of Molecular Biology and Chemistry, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA 23606, USA; (E.B.); (Q.Q.); (C.H.) |
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Abstract: | Ultra-small palladium nanoparticles were synthesized and applied as catalysts for a hydrogen evolution reaction. The palladium metal precursor was produced via beta-cyclodextrin as organo-nanocup (ONC) capping agent to produce ultra-small nanoparticles used in this study. The produced ~3 nm nanoparticle catalyst was then characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to confirm the successful synthesis of ~3 nm palladium nanoparticles. The nanoparticles’ catalytic ability was explored via the hydrolysis reaction of sodium borohydride. The palladium nanoparticle catalyst performed best at 303 K at a pH of 7 with 925 μmol of sodium borohydride having an H2 generation rate of 1.431 mL min−1 mLcat−1. The activation energy of the palladium catalyst was calculated to be 58.9 kJ/mol. |
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Keywords: | palladium nanoparticles organo-nanocups catalysts hydrogen evolution hydride precursors |
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