E01-JEM ARM 200CF
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Abstract: In the past decades, many efforts have been devoted to characterizing {001} platelet defects in type Ia diamond. It is known that N is concentrated at the defect core. However, an accurate description of the atomic structure of the defect and the role that N plays in it is still unknown. Here, by using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy we have determined the atomic arrangement within platelet defects in a natural type Ia diamond and matched it to a prevalent theoretical model. The platelet has an anisotropic atomic structure with a zigzag ordering of defect pairs along the defect line. The electron energy-loss near-edge fine structure of both carbon K- and nitrogen K-edges obtained from the platelet core is consistent with a trigonal bonding arrangement at interstitial sites. The experimental observations support an interstitial aggregate mode of formation for platelet defects in natural diamond.
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Feb 2018
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B18-Core EXAFS
E01-JEM ARM 200CF
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Chiara
Genovese
,
Manfred E.
Schuster
,
Emma K.
Gibson
,
Diego
Gianolio
,
Victor
Posligua
,
Ricardo
Grau-crespo
,
Giannantonio
Cibin
,
Peter
Wells
,
Debi
Garai
,
Vladyslav
Solokha
,
Sandra
Krick Calderon
,
Juan J.
Velasco-velez
,
Claudio
Ampelli
,
Siglinda
Perathoner
,
Georg
Held
,
Gabriele
Centi
,
Rosa
Arrigo
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[17031, 10306]
Open Access
Abstract: The carbon–carbon coupling via electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide represents the biggest challenge for using this route as platform for chemicals synthesis. Here we show that nanostructured iron (III) oxyhydroxide on nitrogen-doped carbon enables high Faraday efficiency (97.4%) and selectivity to acetic acid (61%) at very-low potential (−0.5 V vs silver/silver chloride). Using a combination of electron microscopy, operando X-ray spectroscopy techniques and density functional theory simulations, we correlate the activity to acetic acid at this potential to the formation of nitrogen-coordinated iron (II) sites as single atoms or polyatomic species at the interface between iron oxyhydroxide and the nitrogen-doped carbon. The evolution of hydrogen is correlated to the formation of metallic iron and observed as dominant reaction path over iron oxyhydroxide on oxygen-doped carbon in the overall range of negative potential investigated, whereas over iron oxyhydroxide on nitrogen-doped carbon it becomes important only at more negative potentials.
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Mar 2018
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B18-Core EXAFS
E01-JEM ARM 200CF
I11-High Resolution Powder Diffraction
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Abstract: Industrial olefin metathesis catalysts generally suffer from low reaction rates and require harsh reaction conditions for moderate activities. This is due to their inability to prevent metathesis active sites (MAS) from aggregation and their intrinsic poor adsorption and activation of olefin molecules. Here, isolated tungstate species as single molecular MAS is immobilized inside zeolite pores by Brønsted acid sites (BAS) on the inner surface. It is demonstrated for the first time that unoccupied BAS in atomic proximity to MAS enhance olefin adsorption and greatly facilitate the formation of metallocycle intermediates in a stereospecific manner. Thus, effective cooperative catalysis takes place over the BAS-MAS pair. In consequence, for the cross-metathesis of ethene and trans-2-butene to propene, under the same mild reaction conditions, the propene production rate over WOx/USY is ca. 7,300 times that over the industrial WO3/SiO2 based catalyst. A propene yield up to 79% (80% selectivity) without observable deactivation was obtained over WOx/USY for a wide range of reaction conditions.
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Apr 2018
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B18-Core EXAFS
E01-JEM ARM 200CF
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Ruoyu
Xu
,
Liqun
Kang
,
Johannes
Knossalla
,
Jerrik
Mielby
,
Qiming
Wang
,
Bolun
Wang
,
Junrun
Feng
,
Guanjie
He
,
Yudao
Qin
,
Jijia
Xie
,
Ann-christin
Swertz
,
Qian
He
,
Søren
Kegnæs
,
Dan J.l.
Brett
,
Ferdi
Schüth
,
Feng Ryan
Wang
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[206191, 15151]
Abstract: Nanostructured carbons with different pore geometries are prepared with a liquid-free nanocasting method. The method uses gases instead of liquid to disperse carbon precursor, leach templates and remove impurities, minimizing synthetic procedures and the use of chemicals. The method is universal and demonstrated by the synthesis of 12 different porous carbons with various template sources. The effects of pore geometries in catalysis can be isolated and investigated. Two of the resulted materials with different pore geometries are studied as supports for Ru clusters in the hydrogenolysis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and electrochemical hydrogen evolution (HER). The porous carbon supported Ru catalysts outperform commercial ones in both reactions. It was found that Ru on bottle-neck pore carbon shows highest yield in hydrogenolysis of HMF to 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) due to a better confinement effect. A wide temperature operation window from 110 °C to 140 °C, with over 75% yield and 98% selectivity of DMF has been achieved. Tubular pores enable fast charge transfer in electrochemical HER, requiring only 16 mV overpotential to reach current density of 10 mA cm.
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Jan 2019
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E01-JEM ARM 200CF
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Richard J.
Lewis
,
Kenji
Ueura
,
Yukimasa
Fukuta
,
Simon J.
Freakley
,
Liqun
Kang
,
Feng Ryan
Wang
,
Qian
He
,
Jennifer. K.
Edwards
,
David J.
Morgan
,
Yasushi
Yamamoto
,
Graham J.
Hutchings
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[19246]
Abstract: In this study we show that using AuPd nanoparticles supported on a commercial titanium silicate (TS‐1) prepared using a wet co‐impregnation method it is possible to produce hydrogen peroxide from molecular H2 and O2 via the direct synthesis reaction. The effect of Au: Pd ratio and calcination temperature is evaluated as well as the role of Pt addition to the AuPd supported catalysts. The effect of Pt addition to AuPt nanoparticles is observed to result in a significant improvement in catalytic activity and selectivity to hydrogen peroxide with detailed characterisation indicating this is a result of selectively tuning the ratio of Pd oxidation states.
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Mar 2019
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E01-JEM ARM 200CF
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Open Access
Abstract: Wet impregnation is broadly applied for the synthesis of carbon-supported metal/metal oxide nanostructures because of its high flexibility, simplicity and low cost. By contrast, impregnated catalysts are typified by a usually undesired nanostructural and morphological heterogeneity of the supported phase resulting from a poor stabilization at the support surface. This study on graphite-supported Fe-based materials from Fe nitrate precursor is concerned with the understanding of the chemistry that dictates during the multistep synthesis, which is key to designing structurally homogeneous catalysts. By means of core-level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and atomic resolution electron microscopy, we found not only a large variety of particles sizes and morphologies but also chemical phases. Herein, thermally stable single atoms and few atoms clusters are identified together with large agglomerates of an oxy-hydroxide ferrihydrite-like phase. Moreover, the thermally induced phase transformation of the initially poorly ordered oxy-hydroxide phase into several oxide phases is revealed, together with the existence of thermally stable N impurities retained in the structure as Fe–N–O bonds. The nature of the interactions with the support and the structural dynamics induced by the thermal treatment rationalize the high heterogeneity observed in these catalysts.
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Mar 2019
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E01-JEM ARM 200CF
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[19373]
Open Access
Abstract: Iron oxide nano-crystals 0.1–1.1 μm in diameter were generated on sulfur-doped amorphous carbon surfaces by electron beam irradiation of the novel 13e− high-spin complex [Fe(4-methyl-1,2-benzenedithiolate)2][NHEt3] encapsulated in a triblock copolymer. Possible relevance to iron nano-mineralization from Fe–S ferredoxin proteins and iron dysregulation in neurological disorders is discussed.
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Apr 2019
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E01-JEM ARM 200CF
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Lin
Ye
,
A. A. Hanif
Mahadi
,
Chalathan
Saengruengrit
,
Jin
Qu
,
Feng
Xu
,
Simon
Fairclough
,
Neil
Young
,
Ping-luen
Ho
,
Junjun
Shan
,
Luan
Nguyen
,
Franklin F.
Tao
,
Karaked
Tedsree
,
Shik Chi Edman
Tsang
Abstract: Ceria has been widely used as support in electrocatalysis for its high degree of oxygen storage, fast oxygen mobility and reduction and oxidation properties at mild conditions. However, it is unclear what are the underlying principles and the nature of surface involved. By controlling the growth of various morphologies of ceria nanoparticles, it is demonstrated that the cubic-form of ceria, predominantly covered with higher energy polar surface (100), as support for Pd gives much higher activity in the electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid than ceria of other morphologies (rods and spheres) with low indexed facets ((110) and (111)). High resolution TEM confirms the alternating layer-to-layer of cations and anions in (100) surface, the electrostatic repulsion of oxygen anions within the same layers gives intrinsically higher oxygen vacancies on this redox active surface in order to reduce surface polarity. DFT calculations suggest that the properties of fast oxygen mobility to re-oxidize the CO-poisoned Pd may arise from the overdosed oxygens on these ceria surface layers during electro-oxidation hence sustaining higher activity.
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Apr 2019
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E01-JEM ARM 200CF
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[18909]
Abstract: The hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) to γ-valerolactone (GVL) is a key reaction for the production of renewable chemicals and fuels, wherein acid-resistant and robust catalysts are highly desired for practical usage. Herein, an ultra-stable 0.6 wt% Ir@ZrO2@C single-atom catalyst was prepared via an in-situ synthesis approach during the assembly of UiO-66, followed by confined pyrolysis. The Ir@ZrO2@C offered not only a quantitative LA conversion and an excellent GVL selectivity (>99%), but also an unprecedented stability during recycling runs under harsh conditions (at T = 453 K, PH2 = 40 bar in pH = 3 or pH = 1 aqueous solution). By thorough spectroscopy characterizations, a well-defined structure of atomically dispersed Irδ+ atoms onto nano-tetragonal ZrO2 confined in the amorphous carbon was identified for the Ir@ZrO2@C. The strong metal-support interaction and the confinement of the amorphous carbon account for the ultra-stability of the Ir@ZrO2@C.
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May 2019
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E01-JEM ARM 200CF
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Hui
Luo
,
Nikolaos
Papaioannou
,
Enrico
Salvadori
,
Maxie
Roessler
,
Gereon
Ploenes
,
Ernst R. H.
Van Eck
,
Liviu
Tanase
,
Jingyu
Feng
,
Yiwei
Sun
,
Yan
Yang
,
Mohsen
Danaie
,
Ana
Jorge Sobrido
,
Andrei
Sapelkin
,
James
Durrant
,
Stoichko D.
Dimitrov
,
Maria-magdalena
Titirici
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[17587]
Abstract: As a new class of sustainable carbon material, the term “carbon dots” represents an “umbrella term” as there are many types of materials included. We employ a broad range of techniques to develop understanding on hydrothermally synthesized carbon dots and show how fine tuning the structural features using simple reduction/oxidation reactions can drastically affect their excited state properties. Structural and spectroscopic studies found that photoluminescence originates from direct excitation of localized fluorophores involving oxygen functional groups, while the excitation at graphene‐like features leads to ultrafast phonon‐assisted relaxation and largely quenches the fluorescent quantum yields. This is arguably the first to identify the dynamics of photoluminescence including Stokes’ shift formation, allowing us to fully resolve the relaxation pathways in these carbon dots. The comprehensive investigation sheds light on how understanding the excited state relaxation processes in different carbon structure is crucial for tuning the optical properties for any potential commercial applications.
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Aug 2019
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