Impact of the Experimental Parameters on Catalytic Activity When Preparing Polymer Protected Bimetallic Nanoparticle Catalysts on Activated Carbon.

Sol immobilization is used to produce bimetallic catalysts with higher activity to monometallic counterparts for a wide range of environmental and commercial catalytic transformations. Analysis of complementary surface characterization (XPS, Boehm's titration, and zeta potential measurements) was used to elucidate alterations in the surface functionality of two activated carbon supports during acid exposure. When considered in parallel to the experimentally determined electrostatic and conformational changes of the polymer surrounding the nanoparticles, an electrostatic model is proposed describing polymer protected nanoparticle deposition with several polymer-carbon support examples described.