Tuning the Catalytic Activity and Selectivity of Pd Nanoparticles Using Ligand-Modified Supports and Surfaces.

The organic moiety plays an essential role in the design of homogeneous catalysts, where the ligands are used to tune the catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability of the transition metal centers. The impact of ligands on the catalytic performance of metal nanoparticle catalysts is still less understood. Here, we prepared supported nanoparticle (NP) catalysts by the immobilization of preformed Pd NPs on the ligand-modified silica surfaces bearing amine, ethylenediamine, and diethylenetriamine groups.

Catalytic oxidation of cinnamyl alcohol using Au-Ag nanotubes investigated by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) enables ultrasensitive detection of adsorbed species at the catalyst surface. However, it is quite difficult to combine catalytic and SERS activities on the same material. Here we report the application of well-defined Au-Ag nanotubes as both SERS substrates and catalysts for the oxidation of cinnamyl alcohol.

High performance gold nanorods and silver nanocubes in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of pesticides.

The behavior of Au nanorods and Ag nanocubes as analytical sensors was evaluated for three different classes of herbicides. The use of such anisotropic nanoparticles in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) experiments allows the one to obtain the spectrum of crystal violet dye in the single molecule regime, as well as the pesticides dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), trichlorfon and ametryn. Such metallic substrates show high SERS performance at low analyte concentrations making them adequate for use as analytical sensors.