Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mesoporous Co–B amorphous alloy films with enhanced catalytic efficiency prepared from a mixed-surfactant solution

  • Article
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Co–B films were synthesized through the solvent evaporation-assisted chemical reduction method by using a mixed-surfactant solution containing Span 40 and (1S)-(+)-10-camphorsulfonic acid. With the characterization of x-ray diffraction, selected-area electron diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron micrography, and transmission electron micrography, the resulting Co–B films were identified to be amorphous alloys with mesoporous structure. The synergistic effect of two kinds of surfactants is essential for the formation of mesoporous structure. During liquid-phase cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation to cinnamyl alcohol, the mesoporous Co–B amorphous alloy films exhibited a much higher activity and better selectivity than the solid Co–B nanoparticles prepared by direct reduction of cobalt ions with borohydride. The enhanced activity is attributed to both the mesoporous and the film structure, which provides more Co active sites for the adsorption and diffusion of reactant molecules. The improved selectivity may be related to the difference in surface curvature.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. W. Klement, R.H. Willens, and P. Duwez: Non-crystalline structure in solidified gold-silicon alloys. Nature 187, 869 (1960).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Van J. Wonterghem, S. Mrup, C.J.W. Koch, S.W. Charles, and S. Wells: Formation of ultrafine amorphous alloy particles by reduction in aqueous solution. Nature 322, 622 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. A. Molnar, G.V. Smith, and M. Bartok: New catalytic materials from amorphous metal alloys. Adv. Catal. 36, 329 (1989).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. A. Baiker: Metallic glasses in heterogeneous catalysis. Faraday Discuss. Chem. Soc. 87, 239 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Y. Chen: Chemical preparation and characterization of metalmetalloid ultrafine amorphous alloy particles. Catal. Today 44, 3 (1998).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. J.F. Deng, H.X. Li, and W.J. Wang: Progress in design of new amorphous alloy catalysts. Catal. Today 51, 113 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. R. Schlgl and S.B. Hamid Abd: Nanocatalysis: Mature science revisited or something really new. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 43, 1628 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. H. Zhang, Q. Zhu, Y. Zhang, Y. Wang, L. Zhao, and B. Yu: Onepot synthesis and hierarchical assembly of hollow Cu2O microspheres with nanocrystals-composed porous multishell and their gas-sensing properties. Adv. Funct. Mater. 17, 2766 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. G.S. Attard, C.G. Gltner, J.M. Corker, S. Henke, and R.H. Templer: Liquid-crystal templates for nanostructured metals. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. Engl. 36, 1315 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. F. Schth: Non-siliceous mesostructured and mesoporous materials. Chem. Mater. 13, 3184 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Y. Yamauchi and K. Kuroda: Rational design of mesoporous metals and related nanomaterials by a soft-template approach. Chem. Asian J. 3, 664 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. A. Saramat, M. Andersson, S. Hant, P. Thormhlen, M. Skoglundh, G.S. Attard, and A.E.C. Palmqvist: Differences in catalytic properties between mesoporous and nanoparticulate platinum. Eur. Phys. J. D 43, 209 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. H.X. Li, Q.F. Zhao, Y. Wan, W.L. Dai, and M.H. Qiao: Selfassembly of mesoporous NiB amorphous alloy catalysts. J. Catal. 244, 251 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. H. Li, H.X. Yang, and H.X. Li: Highly active mesoporous CoB amorphous alloy catalyst for cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation to cinnamyl alcohol. J. Catal. 251, 233 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Q. Meng, H. Li, and H.X. Li: Self-assembly of mesoporous ruthenium-boron amorphous alloy catalysts with enhanced activity in maltose hydrogenation to maltitol. J. Phys. Chem. C 112, 11448 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Y.F. Lu, R. Ganguli, C.A. Drewien, M.T. Anderson, C.J. Brinker, W.L. Gong, Y.X. Guo, H. Soyez, B. Dunn, M.B. Huang, and J.I. Zink: Continuous formation of supported cubic and hexagonal mesoporous films by sol-gel dip-coating. Nature 389, 364 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Y. Yamauchi, T. Ohsuna, and K. Kuroda: Synthesis and structural characterization of a highly ordered mesoporous PtRu alloy via evaporation-mediated direct templating. Chem. Mater. 19, 1335 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. G. Sakai, T. Yoshimura, S. Isohata, M. Uota, H. Kawasaki, T. Kuwahara, D. Fujikawa, and T. Kijima: Synthesis of nanogroove- network-structured platinum nanosheets and their carbonsupported forms using a mixed-surfactant templating approach. Adv. Mater. 19, 237 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. K. Luo, C.T. Walker, and K.J. Edler: Mesoporous silver films from dilute mixed-surfactant solutions by using dip-coating. Adv. Mater. 19, 1506 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Y. Pei, H.R. Hu, J. Fang, M.H. Qiao, W.L. Dai, K.N. Fan, and H.X. Li: Liquid phase hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde over Sn-promoted amorphous CoB catalysts. J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem. 211, 243 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Y. Pei, J.Q. Wang, Q. Fu, P.J. Guo, M.H. Qiao, S.R. Yan, and K.N. Fan: A non-noble amorphous CoFeB catalyst highly selective in liquid phase hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde to crotyl alcohol. New J. Chem. 29, 992 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Y. Pei, P.J. Guo, M.H. Qiao, H.X. Li, S.Q. Wei, H.Y. He, and K.N. Fan: The modification effect of Fe on amorphous CoB alloy catalyst for chemoselective hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde. J. Catal. 248, 303 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. T.B.L.W. Marinellik, S. Nabuurs, and V. Ponec: Activity and selectivity in the reactions of substituted a, -unsaturated aldehydes. J. Catal. 151, 431 (1995).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. H.X. Li, Y.D. Wu, H.S. Luo, M.H. Wang, and Y.P. Xu: Liquid phase hydrogenation of acetonitrile to ethylamine over the CoB amorphous alloy catalyst. J. Catal. 214, 15 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. J.J.F. Scholten, A.P. Pijers, and A.M.L. Hustings: Surface characterization of supported and nonsupported hydrogenation catalysts. Catal. Rev.Sci. Eng. 27, 151 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. S.A. Curran, D. Zhang, S. Dundigal, and W. Blau: Doping properties of polydithienylmethine: A study on the correlation between polymer chain length, spectroscopy, and transport. J. Phys. Chem. B 110, 3924 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. K. Lee, H. Kwag, B. Kim, G.J. Kim, K.H. Kim, and S. Choe: Temperature-dependent desorption of surfactants in LLDPE blend films. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 39, 218 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. A. Yokoyama, H. Komiyama, H. Inoue, T. Masumoto, and H.M. Kimura: The hydrogenation of carbon monoxide by amorphous ribbons. J. Catal. 68, 355 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. S. Klein, J.A. Martens, R. Parton, K. Vercruysse, P.A. Jacobs, and W.F. Maier: Amorphous microporous mixed oxides as selective redox catalysts. Catal. Lett. 38, 209 (1996).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. N.S. McIntyre and M.G. Cook: X-ray photoelectron studies on some oxides and hydroxides of cobalt, nickel, and copper. Anal. Chem. 47, 2208 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. H. Li, H.X. Li, W.L. Dai, W.J. Wang, Z.G. Fang, and J.F. Deng: XPS studies on surface electronic characteristics of NiB and NiP amorphous alloy and its correlation to their catalytic properties. Appl. Surf. Sci. 152, 25 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. G.N. Glavee, K.J. Klabunde, C.M. Sorensen, and G.C. Hadjipanayis: Sodium borohydride reduction of cobalt ions in nonaqueous media. Formation of ultrafine particles (nanoscale) of cobalt metal. Inorg. Chem. 32, 474 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. H.X. Li, H. Li, W.L. Dai, and M.H. Qiao: Preparation of the NiB amorphous alloys with variable boron content and its correlation to the hydrogenation activity. Appl. Catal., A 238, 119 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. J. Zhang, Z. Dai, J. Bao, N. Zhang, and M.A. Lpez-Quintela: Self-assembly of Co-based nanosheets into novel nest-shaped nanostructures: Synthesis and characterization. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 305, 339 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. B.R. Shen, S.Q. Wei, K.N. Fan, and J.F. Deng: EXAFS study on ultrafine NiCoB amorphous catalysts. Appl. Phys. A 65, 295 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Ö Dag, S. Alayoğlu, C. Tura, and Ö Celik: Lyotropic liquidcrystalline phase of oligo(ethylene oxide) surfactant/transition metal salt and the synthesis of mesostructured cadmium sulfide. Chem. Mater. 15, 2711 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. H. Noller and W.M. Lin: Activity and selectivity of nickelcopper/alumina catalysts for hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde and mechanism of hydrogenation. J. Catal. 85, 25 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. E. Boellaard, R.J. Vreeburg, O.L.J. Gijzeman, and J.W. Geus: The interaction of carbon monoxide with nickel-iron alloys. A comparison between single crystal surfaces and supported catalysts. J. Mol. Catal. 92, 299 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. P. Gallezot and D. Richard: Selective hydrogenation of, -unsaturated aldehydes. Catal. Rev.Sci. Eng. 40, 81 (1998).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, People’s Republic of China

    Hui Li, Liu Jun, Haixia Yang & Hexing Li

Authors
  1. Hui Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Liu Jun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Haixia Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hexing Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hui Li.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Li, H., Jun, L., Yang, H. et al. Mesoporous Co–B amorphous alloy films with enhanced catalytic efficiency prepared from a mixed-surfactant solution. Journal of Materials Research 24, 3300–3307 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2009.0407

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2009.0407

Search

Navigation