Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic Evidence on the Origin of Selectivity in CO Electrocatalytic Reduction.

The electrocatalytic reduction of CO (COER) to liquid fuels is important for solving fossil fuel depletion. However, insufficient insight into the reaction mechanisms renders a lack of effective regulation of liquid product selectivity. Here, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) empowered by C/C isotope exchange is applied to probing the COER process on nanoporous silver (np-Ag).

Elevated occupational exposure to chlorinated phosphate esters at a construction materials manufacturing plant.

Background: Numerous studies have documented that the general population is widely exposed to organophosphate esters (OPEs), yet studies on the emissions of OPEs in the industrial application processes and their occupational exposure are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to OPEs for workers engaged in OPE-retarded construction material manufacturing plant in China.

Method: Paired dust samples (12 samples each time) from an OPEs retarded building materials manufacturing plant during the plant uptime and downtime have been analyzed for tris(2-chloroethyl)-phosphate (TCEP), tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCPP), and other commonly used OPEs.

Defect Sites in Ultrathin Pd Nanowires Facilitate the Highly Efficient Electrochemical Hydrodechlorination of Pollutants by H*.

Adsorbed atomic H (H*) facilitates indirect pathways playing a major role in the electrochemical removal of various priority pollutants. It is crucial to identify the atomic sites responsible for the provision of H*. Herein, through a systematic study of the distribution of H* on Pd nanocatalysts with different sizes and, more importantly, deliberately controlled relative abundance of surface defects, we uncovered the central role of defects in the provision of H*.

Au@Pd Bimetallic Nanocatalyst for Carbon-Halogen Bond Cleavage: An Old Story with New Insight into How the Activity of Pd is Influenced by Au.

AuPd bimetallic nanocatalysts exhibit superior catalytic performance in the cleavage of carbon-halogen bonds (C-X) in the hazardous halogenated pollutants. A better understanding of how Au atoms promote the reactivity of Pd sites rather than vaguely interpreting as bimetallic effect and determining which type of Pd sites are necessary for these reactions are crucial factors for the design of atomically precise nanocatalysts that make full use of both the Pd and Au atoms. Herein, we systematically manipulated the coordination number of Pd-Pd, d-orbital occupation state, and the Au-Pd interface of the Pd reactive centers and studied the structure-activity relationship of Au-Pd in the catalyzed cleavage of C-X bonds.

Tracking the Fate of Surface Plasmon Resonance-Generated Hot Electrons by In Situ SERS Surveying of Catalyzed Reaction.

Plasmonic catalysis is an emerging process that utilizes surface plasmon resonance (SPR) process to harnesses solar energy for the promotion of catalyzed reactions. In most cases, SPR generated hot electrons (HEs) play an indispensable role in this solar-chemical energy shift process. Therefore, understanding the effectiveness of the HEs in promoting chemical reactions, and identifying the key factors that contribute to this utilization efficiency is of profound importance.