Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
Metal nanoparticle/ionic liquid/cellulose: new catalytically active membrane materials for hydrogenation reactions
Marcos A Gelesky1, Carla W Scheeren, Lucas Foppa
1Institute of Chemistry, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Abstract:
Transition metal-containing membrane films of 10, 20, and 40 μm thickness were obtained by the combination of irregularly shaped nanoparticles with monomodal size distributions of 4.8 ± 1.1 nm (Rh(0)) and 3.0 ± 0.4 nm (Pt(0)) dispersed in the ionic liquid (IL) 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (BMI·(NTf)(2)) with a syrup of cellulose acetate (CA) in acetone. The Rh(0) and Pt(0) metal concentration increased proportionally with increases in film thickness up to 20 μm, and then the material became metal saturated. The presence of small and stable Rh(0) or Pt(0) nanoparticles induced an augmentation in the CA/IL film surface areas. The augmentation of the IL content resulted in an increase of elasticity and decrease in tenacity and toughness, whereas the stress at break was not influenced. The introduction of IL probably causes an increase in the separation between the cellulose macromolecules that results in a higher flexibility, lower viscosity, and better formability of the cellulose material. The nanoparticle/IL/CA combinations exhibit an excellent synergistic effect that enhances the activity and durability of the catalyst for the hydrogenation of cyclohexene. The nanoparticle/IL/cellulose acetate film membranes display higher catalytic activity (up to 7353 h(-1) for the 20 μm film of CA/IL/Pt(0)) and stability than the nanoparticles dispersed only in the IL.
Related Concept Videos
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the surface of...
Heterogeneous Catalysis
Catalysis

