Size- and support-dependent evolution of the oxidation state and structure by oxidation of subnanometer cobalt clusters

Size-Dependent Reactivity of Con- (n = 5-25) Cluster Anions toward Carbon Dioxide

A fundamental understanding of the reactivity evolution of nanosized clusters at an atomically precise level is pivotal to assemble desired materials with promising candidates. Benefiting from the tandem mass spectrometer coupled with a high-temperature ion-trap reactor, the reactions of mass-selected Con- (n = 5-25) clusters with CO2 were investigated and the increased reactivity of Co20-25- was newly discovered herein. This finding marks an important step to understand property evolution of subnanometer metal clusters (Co25-, ∼0.8 nm) atom-by-atom. The reasons behind the increased reactivity of Co20-25- were proposed by analyzing the reactions of smaller Co6-8- clusters that exhibit significantly different reactivity toward CO2, in which a lower electron affinity of Con contributes to the capture of CO2 while the flexibility of Con- could play vital roles to stabilize reaction intermediates and suppress the barriers of O-CO rupture and CO desorption.

An artificial metalloenzyme for catalytic cancer-specific DNA cleavage and operando imaging

Metalloenzymes are promising anticancer candidates to overcome chemoresistance by involving unique mechanisms. To date, it is still a great challenge to obtain synthetic metalloenzymes with persistent catalytic performance for cancer-specific DNA cleavage and operando imaging. Here, an artificial metalloenzyme, copper cluster firmly anchored in bovine serum albumin conjugated with tumor-targeting peptide, is exquisitely constructed. It is capable of persistently transforming hydrogen peroxide in tumor microenvironment to hydroxyl radical and oxygen in a catalytic manner. The stable catalysis recycling stems from the electron transfer between copper cluster and substrate with well-matched energy levels. Notably, their high biocompatibility, tumor-specific recognition, and persistent catalytic performance ensure the substantial anticancer efficacy by triggering DNA damage. Meanwhile, by coupling with enzyme-like reactions, the operando therapy effect is expediently traced by chemiluminescence signal with high sensitivity and sustainability. It provides new insights into synthesizing biocompatible metalloenzymes on demand to visually monitor and efficiently combat specific cancers.

Using first principles calculations to interpret XANES experiments: extracting the size-dependence of the (p , T) phase diagram of sub-nanometer Cu clusters in an O2 environment

We have used ab initio density functional theory together with ab initio atomistic thermodynamics, and in situ x-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) experiments, to study the oxidation of sub-nanometer clusters of Cu _n O _x supported on a hydroxylated amorphous alumina substrate in an O₂-rich environment. We obtain (p , T) phase diagrams: these differ notably for the nanoclusters compared to the bulk. Both the theory and experiment suggest that in the presence of oxygen, the cluster will oxidize from its elemental state to the oxidized state as the temperature decreases. We obtain a clear trend for the transition of Cu _n   →  Cu _n O _n/2: we see that the smaller the cluster, the greater is the tendency toward oxidation. However, we do not see a monotonic size-dependent trend for the transition of Cu _n O _n/2  →  Cu _n O _n . We suggest that theoretically computed Bader charges constitute a simple yet quantitative way to align experimental measures of XANES edges with theoretical calculations, so as to yield oxidation states for nanoclusters. Our results have important implications for the use of small clusters in fields such as nanocatalysis and nanomedicine.

Subnanometer cobalt oxide clusters as selective low temperature oxidative dehydrogenation catalysts

The discovery of more efficient, economical, and selective catalysts for oxidative dehydrogenation is of immense economic importance. However, the temperatures required for this reaction are typically high, often exceeding 400 °C. Herein, we report the discovery of subnanometer sized cobalt oxide clusters for oxidative dehydrogenation of cyclohexane that are active at lower temperatures than reported catalysts, while they can also eliminate the combustion channel. These results found for the two cluster sizes suggest other subnanometer size (CoO)_x clusters will also be active at low temperatures. The high activity of the cobalt clusters can be understood on the basis of density functional studies that reveal highly active under-coordinated cobalt atoms in the clusters and show that the oxidized nature of the clusters substantially decreases the binding energy of the cyclohexene species which desorb from the cluster at low temperature.

Current oxidative dehydrogenation processes are based on petroleum cracking that is indirect, environmentally unfriendly, and energy intensive. Here, the authors discover that subnanometer sized cobalt oxide clusters are active for oxidative dehydrogenation of cyclohexane at lower temperatures than reported catalysts.

Metal Catalysts for Heterogeneous Catalysis: From Single Atoms to Nanoclusters and Nanoparticles

Metal species with different size (single atoms, nanoclusters, and nanoparticles) show different catalytic behavior for various heterogeneous catalytic reactions. It has been shown in the literature that many factors including the particle size, shape, chemical composition, metal–support interaction, and metal–reactant/solvent interaction can have significant influences on the catalytic properties of metal catalysts. The recent developments of well-controlled synthesis methodologies and advanced characterization tools allow one to correlate the relationships at the molecular level. In this Review, the electronic and geometric structures of single atoms, nanoclusters, and nanoparticles will be discussed. Furthermore, we will summarize the catalytic applications of single atoms, nanoclusters, and nanoparticles for different types of reactions, including CO oxidation, selective oxidation, selective hydrogenation, organic reactions, electrocatalytic, and photocatalytic reactions. We will compare the results obtained from different systems and try to give a picture on how different types of metal species work in different reactions and give perspectives on the future directions toward better understanding of the catalytic behavior of different metal entities (single atoms, nanoclusters, and nanoparticles) in a unifying manner.

Water Oxidation by Size-Selected Co27 Clusters Supported on Fe2 O3

The complexity of the water oxidation reaction makes understanding the role of individual catalytic sites critical to improving the process. Here, size-selected 27-atom cobalt clusters (Co₂₇ ) deposited on hematite (Fe₂ O₃ ) anodes were tested for water oxidation activity. The uniformity of these anodes allows measurement of the activity of catalytic sites of well-defined nuclearity and known density. Grazing incidence X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (GIXANES) characterization of the anodes before and after electrochemical cycling demonstrates that these Co₂₇ clusters are stable to dissolution even in the harsh water oxidation electrochemical environment. They are also stable under illumination at the equivalent of 0.4 suns irradiation. The clusters show turnover rates for water oxidation that are comparable or higher than those reported for Pd- and Co-based materials or for hematite. The support for the Co₂₇ clusters is Fe₂ O₃ grown by atomic layer deposition on a Si chip. We have chosen to deposit a Fe₂ O₃ layer that is only a few unit cells thick (2 nm), to remove complications related to exciton diffusion. We find that the electrocatalytic and the photoelectrocatalytic activity of the Co₂₇ /Fe₂ O₃ material is significantly improved when the samples are annealed (with the clusters already deposited). Given that the support is thin and that the cluster deposition density is equivalent to approximately 5 % of an atomic monolayer, we suggest that annealing may significantly improve the exciton diffusion from the support to the catalytic moiety.

Electrochemical behaviour of naked sub-nanometre sized copper clusters and effect of CO2

In size-controlled naked Cu₅ and Cu₂₀ nanoclusters the latter show anodic redox processes occurring at much lower potential with respect to Cu₅, but the latter coordinate effectively CO₂ and allow to reduce CO₂ under cathodic conditions at lower overpotential.

Pronounced Size Dependence in Structure and Morphology of Gas-Phase Produced, Partially Oxidized Cobalt Nanoparticles under Catalytic Reaction Conditions

It is generally accepted that optimal particle sizes are key for efficient nanocatalysis. Much less attention is paid to the role of morphology and atomic arrangement during catalytic reactions. Here, we unravel the structural, stoichiometric, and morphological evolution of gas-phase produced and partially oxidized cobalt nanoparticles in a broad size range. Particles with diameters between 1.4 and 22 nm generated in cluster sources are size selected and deposited on amorphous alumina (Al2O3) and ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films. A combination of different techniques is employed to monitor particle properties at the stages of production, exposure to ambient conditions, and catalytic reaction, in this case, the oxidative dehydrogenation of cyclohexane at elevated temperatures. A pronounced size dependence is found, naturally classifying the particles into three size regimes. While small and intermediate clusters essentially retain their compact morphology, large particles transform into hollow spheres due to the nanoscale Kirkendall effect. Depending on the substrate, an isotropic (Al2O3) or anisotropic (UNCD) Kirkendall effect is observed. The latter results in dramatic lateral size changes. Our results shed light on the interplay between chemical reactions and the catalyst's structure and provide an approach to tailor the cobalt oxide phase composition required for specific catalytic schemes.