Droplet‐Based Microfluidics Platform for the Synthesis of Single‐Atom Heterogeneous Catalysts

Wet chemical approaches are among the most versatile and scalable strategies for preparing single‐atom heterogeneous catalysts (SACs). However, despite their broad application, the synthesis of SACs via these routes remains largely ad hoc, with limited attention to the effect of different synthetic...

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Main Authors: Thomas Moragues, Sharon Mitchell, Dario Faust Akl, Javier Pérez-Ramírez, Andrew deMello
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-VCH 2023-04-01
Series:Small Structures
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/sstr.202200284
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author Thomas Moragues
Sharon Mitchell
Dario Faust Akl
Javier Pérez-Ramírez
Andrew deMello
author_facet Thomas Moragues
Sharon Mitchell
Dario Faust Akl
Javier Pérez-Ramírez
Andrew deMello
author_sort Thomas Moragues
collection DOAJ
description Wet chemical approaches are among the most versatile and scalable strategies for preparing single‐atom heterogeneous catalysts (SACs). However, despite their broad application, the synthesis of SACs via these routes remains largely ad hoc, with limited attention to the effect of different synthetic parameters on the stabilization of metal species. As a proof of concept, herein, a microfluidic platform is demonstrated for short‐timescale (<10 s), systematic syntheses of SACs via wet impregnation using a range of metal precursor–carrier combinations. The microfluidic environment within rapidly mixed, nanoliter droplets ensures precise control of the concentrations and residence times of the support particles in the metal precursor solutions. This enables the rapid assessment of the influence of the metal precursor concentration on the uptake and dispersion of the adsorbed metal species, as demonstrated for the synthesis of palladium and platinum SACs based on a high‐surface form of graphitic carbon nitride (C3N4). Extension to SACs based on other metals (Ni) and relevant carriers (N‐doped carbon, γ‐alumina) confirms the generality of the synthesis method. The microfluidic approach opens possibilities for high‐throughput parameter screening and mechanistic studies in the design of heterogeneous single‐atom catalysts.
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spelling doaj.art-9d34f087c27f4aacaec008e63433999e2023-07-26T01:35:45ZengWiley-VCHSmall Structures2688-40622023-04-0144n/an/a10.1002/sstr.202200284Droplet‐Based Microfluidics Platform for the Synthesis of Single‐Atom Heterogeneous CatalystsThomas Moragues0Sharon Mitchell1Dario Faust Akl2Javier Pérez-Ramírez3Andrew deMello4Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering ETH Zürich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10 8093 Zürich SwitzerlandInstitute of Chemical and Bioengineering ETH Zürich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10 8093 Zürich SwitzerlandInstitute of Chemical and Bioengineering ETH Zürich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10 8093 Zürich SwitzerlandInstitute of Chemical and Bioengineering ETH Zürich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10 8093 Zürich SwitzerlandInstitute of Chemical and Bioengineering ETH Zürich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10 8093 Zürich SwitzerlandWet chemical approaches are among the most versatile and scalable strategies for preparing single‐atom heterogeneous catalysts (SACs). However, despite their broad application, the synthesis of SACs via these routes remains largely ad hoc, with limited attention to the effect of different synthetic parameters on the stabilization of metal species. As a proof of concept, herein, a microfluidic platform is demonstrated for short‐timescale (<10 s), systematic syntheses of SACs via wet impregnation using a range of metal precursor–carrier combinations. The microfluidic environment within rapidly mixed, nanoliter droplets ensures precise control of the concentrations and residence times of the support particles in the metal precursor solutions. This enables the rapid assessment of the influence of the metal precursor concentration on the uptake and dispersion of the adsorbed metal species, as demonstrated for the synthesis of palladium and platinum SACs based on a high‐surface form of graphitic carbon nitride (C3N4). Extension to SACs based on other metals (Ni) and relevant carriers (N‐doped carbon, γ‐alumina) confirms the generality of the synthesis method. The microfluidic approach opens possibilities for high‐throughput parameter screening and mechanistic studies in the design of heterogeneous single‐atom catalysts.https://doi.org/10.1002/sstr.202200284droplet microfluidicsmetal dispersionsingle-atom heterogeneous catalystssynthesis methodswet impregnation
spellingShingle Thomas Moragues
Sharon Mitchell
Dario Faust Akl
Javier Pérez-Ramírez
Andrew deMello
Droplet‐Based Microfluidics Platform for the Synthesis of Single‐Atom Heterogeneous Catalysts
Small Structures
droplet microfluidics
metal dispersion
single-atom heterogeneous catalysts
synthesis methods
wet impregnation
title Droplet‐Based Microfluidics Platform for the Synthesis of Single‐Atom Heterogeneous Catalysts
title_full Droplet‐Based Microfluidics Platform for the Synthesis of Single‐Atom Heterogeneous Catalysts
title_fullStr Droplet‐Based Microfluidics Platform for the Synthesis of Single‐Atom Heterogeneous Catalysts
title_full_unstemmed Droplet‐Based Microfluidics Platform for the Synthesis of Single‐Atom Heterogeneous Catalysts
title_short Droplet‐Based Microfluidics Platform for the Synthesis of Single‐Atom Heterogeneous Catalysts
title_sort droplet based microfluidics platform for the synthesis of single atom heterogeneous catalysts
topic droplet microfluidics
metal dispersion
single-atom heterogeneous catalysts
synthesis methods
wet impregnation
url https://doi.org/10.1002/sstr.202200284
work_keys_str_mv AT thomasmoragues dropletbasedmicrofluidicsplatformforthesynthesisofsingleatomheterogeneouscatalysts
AT sharonmitchell dropletbasedmicrofluidicsplatformforthesynthesisofsingleatomheterogeneouscatalysts
AT dariofaustakl dropletbasedmicrofluidicsplatformforthesynthesisofsingleatomheterogeneouscatalysts
AT javierperezramirez dropletbasedmicrofluidicsplatformforthesynthesisofsingleatomheterogeneouscatalysts
AT andrewdemello dropletbasedmicrofluidicsplatformforthesynthesisofsingleatomheterogeneouscatalysts