Precise synthesis of structural parameter controlled metal cluster catalysts

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H06026
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Physical chemistry
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University (2017-2018); The University of Tokyo (2016)
• Principal Investigator: Yamazoe Seiji 首都大学東京, 理学研究科, 教授 (40510243)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 金属クラスター / 触媒 / ゾルゲル法 / 金属酸化物クラスター

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The synthesis of supported metal cluster catalysts with atomic precision is essential for their catalytic application because metal clusters consisting of less than 100 atoms show size-specific catalysis. In this project, we developed a new synthesis method of atomically precise gold cluster catalysts protected by metal oxide shell by the use of thiolate-protected gold cluster as a template. First, we synthesized Au25(SR)18 cluster with OH function group in the ligand. The metal oxide-protected gold cluster catalyst was synthesized by the reaction of metal oxide precussor with -OH functional group of the cluster by sol-gel method and following heat treatment to remove the thiolate ligands. We successfully synthesized the metal oxide-protected gold clusters without aggregation. Finally,we applied the metal oxide protected gold cluster catalysts for the hydrogenation of nitro phenol. We found the support affected the catalytic activities.

Free Research Field

クラスター科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

担持金属クラスター触媒のサイズ・組成を原子精度で制御した研究が報告されているが，担体までも制御した系統的な研究はない．申請者が研究を進めている配位子保護金属クラスターはサイズ・組成制御に加え，配位子の自在制御が可能である．本研究ではこれまで利用されてこなかったこれら特性に着目し，全ての構造因子を独立に精密制御可能な触媒合成法を新たに開発する．さらに，本研究は触媒作用に対する担体効果を浮き彫りにする基盤的研究で，得られた成果は高活性な触媒開発のための新しい触媒設計指針となる．合理的な設計指針に基づく新材料の合成は，闇雲な材料開発に一石を投じるものであり，今後の触媒化学の発展に貢献できる．