Publications by authors named "Michael D Amiridis"

Rh(CH) species grafted on the HY zeolite framework significantly enhance the activation of H that reacts with CH ligands to form CH. While in this case, the simultaneous activation of CH and H and the reaction between these species on zeolite-loaded Rh cations is a legitimate hydrogenation pathway yielding CH, the results obtained for Rh(CO)(CH)/HY materials exposed to H convincingly show that the support-assisted CH hydrogenation pathway also exists. This additional and previously unrecognized hydrogenation pathway couples with the conversion of CH ligands on Rh sites and contributes significantly to the overall hydrogenation activity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rh-dendrimer nanocomposites were synthesized in solution under different conditions and were subsequently used as precursors for the preparation of ZrO2-supported Rh nanoparticles. Elemental analysis, UV-vis, XPS, and STEM measurements were used to estimate the extent of the Rh-dendrimer interactions and to illustrate how the solution pH and dialysis affect the number of Rh atoms complexed with each dendrimer molecule, as well as the final size of the ZrO2-supported Rh particles. When the solution acidity was not controlled and the solution was not purified by dialysis, Rh particles with sizes in the 1-6 nm range were formed on the ZrO2 support.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pt/gamma-Al2O3 catalysts were prepared using hydroxyl-terminated generation four (G4OH) PAMAM dendrimers as the templating agents and the various steps of the preparation process were monitored by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. The EXAFS results indicate that, upon hydrolysis, chlorine ligands in the H(2)PtCl(6) and K(2)PtCl(4) precursors were partially replaced by aquo ligands to form [PtCl3(H2O)3]+ and [PtCl2(H2O)2] species, respectively. The results further suggest that, after interaction of such species with the dendrimer molecules, chlorine ligands from the first coordination shell of Pt were replaced by nitrogen atoms from the dendrimer interior, indicating that complexation took place.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The interaction of avidin with biotin was studied on functionalized quartz surfaces terminated with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (3-APTMS), 2,2'-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylenediamine) (DADOO), and fourth-generation amine-terminated polyamidoamine (G4-NH2 PAMAM) dendrimers with the use of Fourier transform infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (FT-IRRAS). In particular, the molecular recognition ability of these surfaces was quantified through FT-IRRAS in combination with the use of an alkyne dicobalt hexacarbonyl probe coupled with avidin. The degree of nonspecific adsorption of avidin was determined by exposure of the amine-terminated and/or biotinylated surfaces to solutions of biotin-saturated avidin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

MgO-, SiO2-, and gamma-Al2O3-supported platinum clusters and particles (with average diameters ranging from 11 to 45 A) and zeolite-supported Ir4 clusters (approximately 6 A in diameter) were characterized by extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy in the presence of H2, O2, ethene, propene, and ethane, as well as under conditions of alkene hydrogenation catalysis. The results indicate that under various atmospheres, the presence of adsorbates affects the smaller platinum clusters (11 A) on gamma-Al2O3 more substantially than the larger platinum particles (i.e.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A series of tetragonal zirconia-supported CuO oxide catalysts with various CuO loadings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron spin resonance (ESR), ultraviolet and visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV/vis-DRS), and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) measurements. The results indicate that the dispersion capacity of copper oxide on this support is approximately 8.6 Cu(2+) ions/nm(2) ZrO(2).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The catalytic performance of cluster-derived PtFe/SiO(2) bimetallic catalysts for the oxidation of CO has been examined in the absence and presence of H(2) (PROX) and compared to that of Pt/SiO(2). PtFe(2)/SiO(2) and Pt(5)Fe(2)/SiO(2) samples were prepared from PtFe(2)(COD)(CO)(8) and Pt(5)Fe(2)(COD)(2)(CO)(12) organometallic cluster precursors, respectively. FTIR data indicate that both clusters can be deposited intact on the SiO(2) support.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) investigation of a family of supported Ru catalysts prepared from Ru hydroxyl-terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimer-metal nanocomposite (DMN) precursors has been conducted. Ru particle sizes observed following deposition of DMNs on a HRTEM grid can be controlled within a 0.9-1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The structural and catalytic properties of SiO2- and TiO2 -supported Pt-Au bimetallic catalysts prepared by coimpregnation were compared with those of samples of similar composition synthesized from a Pt2Au4(C{triple bond}CBut)8 cluster precursor. The smallest metal particles were formed when the bimetallic cluster was used as a precursor and TiO2 as the support. FTIR data indicate that highly dispersed Au crystallites in these samples, presumably located in close proximity to Pt, are capable of linearly coordinating CO molecules with a characteristic vibration observed at 2111 cm(-1).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The adsorption of CO on Al2O3- and SiO2-supported Ru catalysts has been investigated through FTIR spectroscopy. Deconvolution of the spectra obtained reveals the presence of 11 distinct bands in the case of Ru/Al2O3 and 10 bands in the case of Ru/SiO2, which were assigned to different carbonyl species adsorbed on reduced as well as partially oxidized Ru sites. Although most of these bands on both supports are similar, they exhibit substantial differences in terms of stability.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

TiO2- and gamma-Al2O3-supported Pt catalysts were characterized by HRTEM, XPS, EXAFS, and in situ FTIR spectroscopy after activation at various conditions, and their catalytic properties were examined for the oxidation of CO in the absence and presence of H2 (PROX). When gamma-Al2O3 was used as the support, the catalytic, electronic, and structural properties of the Pt particles formed were not affected substantially by the pretreatment conditions. In contrast, the surface properties and catalytic activity of Pt/TiO2 were strongly influenced by the pretreatment conditions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A series of bimetallic Al2O3-supported Rh-Ge catalysts was prepared by surface redox reactions under controlled hydrogen atmosphere. The surface properties of these catalysts were probed via in-situ FTIR spectroscopic studies of adsorbed CO and were compared to those of monometallic Rh catalysts that had undergone similar treatments. The results indicate that Ge addition results in the formation and stabilization of smaller rhodium ensembles at the expense of larger Rh0 surfaces.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The interaction of avidin with biotin on a functional Au surface containing fourth generation amine-terminated polyamidoamine (G4-NH(2) PAMAM) dendrimers was investigated through the use of Fourier transform infrared reflection-adsorption spectroscopy (FT-IRRAS). The first step in the fabrication of the functional surfaces used was the construction of an aldehyde-terminated self-assembled monolayer (SAM) through the treatment of Au-coated glass slides with ethanol solutions of self-synthesized 2-hydroxypentamethylene sulfide (HPMS). The as-formed aldehyde-terminated monolayer was subsequently immersed in methanol solutions of G4-NH(2) PAMAM dendrimer to obtain well-organized primary amine-terminated surfaces.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF