| Description |
The composition of catalysts surfaces such as crystal orientation, surface chemistry, and adsorbed material effect the catalytic rate. It is therefore important to understand the different length scales to develop a better catalyst. Here we look at understanding the role of junctions between nanoparticles on photocatalysis. Next, we study the effect of the surface on a catalytic rate and finally, the influence of fluid near the surface in confined geometries, and how it perturbs the properties of a fluid.The formation of interparticle junctions increases the electron density (hot spots) and near-field intensity between assemblies of plasmonic nanoparticles in the presence of light. Studies are lacking in understanding the role of hot spots that are used in sensing. Here, we test the effect of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) clusters to demonstrate an enhanced photocatalytic effect compared to gold monomers using a wastewater treatment reaction. Such systems, therefore, can be used in dye degradation from textile industries.Another method to increase catalytic activity is to expose more catalytic surface area. Nanoparticles, to increase its shelf-life, are often stabilized by capping agents. These capping agents, such as citrate, can block active catalytic sites, lowering the reaction rate. Hereby we discuss a convenient method to strip citrate from AuNPs surfaces in order to expose more active catalytic sites, which in turn will increase the reaction rate. We demonstrate an increased reaction rate by monitoring the degradation of a dye. Finally, we will look at diffusion-ordered spectroscopy nuclear magnetic resonance (DOSY-NMR) results of organic compounds in confined space to understand their thermodynamic property such as density and the effect on the transport properties, which has applications in asymmetrical catalysis. In our study, we will look at macroscopic property such as density for several molecules (alcohols, alkanes, and aromatics) and relate it to diffusion data to understand how a bulk property of a fluid is perturbed in confinement. By ensuring a consistent substrate and probing the behavior of a collection of compounds, we uncover nonintuitive relationships and highlight the need for additional experimental data and fundamental molecular physical chemistry insight. |
