Breakthrough in Nanoparticle Research: Controlling Phase Structures for Catalysts

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China, have made significant strides in understanding the dynamic phase structures of ultrasmall alloy nanoparticles. According to a study published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, the ability to control phase structures and surface sites of these nanoparticles is crucial for preparing catalysts by design. Funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the research team revealed a dynamic structural stability of alumina-supported ultrasmall and equiatomic copper-gold alloy nanoparticles under reaction conditions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study highlights the importance of understanding atomic-scale phases and their correlation with ensemble-averaged structures and activities of catalysts during catalytic reactions.
  • The research team used in situ atomic-scale morphological tracking under oxygen to reveal temperature-dependent dynamic crystalline-amorphous dual-phase structures in the nanoparticles.
  • The dynamic phase stability of the nanoparticles was found to coincide with a 'conversion plateau' observed for carbon monoxide oxidation on the catalyst.
  • The understanding of atomic-scale dynamic phase structures in correlation with ensemble-average dynamic ordering/disordering phase structures and surface sites provides fresh insights into the unique synergy of the supported alloy nanoparticles.
  • The research has implications for the design and structural tuning of active and stable ultrasmall alloy catalysts under elevated temperatures.
  • The study was peer-reviewed and published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
  • The research team included Renchao Che, Han-Wen Cheng, Xiaowei Lv, Guanyu Chen, Ke Pei, Wenbin You, Jing Li, Shiyao Shan, Merry Madiou, Dong Dinh, Seyed Danial Mousavi, Zhi-Peng Wu, Shan Wang, Susan Lu, Chuan-Jian Zhong, Yazan Maswadeh, and Valeri Petkov.

Statistics:

  • The research received funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
  • The study involved the use of in situ atomic-scale morphological tracking under oxygen.
  • The nanoparticles were found to exhibit dynamic crystalline-amorphous dual-phase structures.
  • The dynamic phase stability of the nanoparticles was observed to coincide with a 'conversion plateau' for carbon monoxide oxidation.
  • The research has implications for the design and structural tuning of active and stable ultrasmall alloy catalysts under elevated temperatures.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Findings from Fudan University Provides New Data about Nanoparticles (In Situ/operando Probing of Dynamic Phase Structures of Alumina-supported Ultrasmall Copper-gold Alloy Nanoparticles Under Reaction Conditions). Nanotechnology Weekly. July 7, 2025; p 1042.
  • Angewandte Chemie International Edition. In Situ/operando Probing of Dynamic Phase Structures of Alumina-supported Ultrasmall Copper-gold Alloy Nanoparticles Under Reaction Conditions. 2025.
  • Fudan University, Acad Engn & Technol, Dept. of Materials Sciences, Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Shanghai Key Lab Mol Catalysis & Innov, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
  • National Science Foundation.
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China.
  • Angewandte Chemie International Edition can be contacted at: Wiley-v C H Verlag Gmbh, Postfach 101161, 69451 Weinheim, Germany.