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Nanosponge Tunability in Size and Crosslinking Density

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Published on: August 4, 2017

Boosting Reaction Kinetics with Viscous Nanowire Dispersions.

Jurong Dong¹, Hongkun Cao², Zhiwei Yang¹

¹Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, P. R. China.

Journal of the American Chemical Society

|April 22, 2025

Summary

In high-viscosity nanowire dispersions, chemical reaction rates unexpectedly increase, with stirring causing deceleration. Nanowires enhance kinetics by concentrating and orienting molecules while excluding bulky products.

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Area of Science:

Materials Science
Chemical Engineering
Physical Chemistry

Background:

High viscosity typically hinders chemical reactions by limiting molecular mobility.
Stirring usually accelerates reactions through enhanced diffusion and collisions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the counterintuitive enhancement of reaction rates in high-viscosity nanowire dispersions.
To elucidate the mechanisms behind altered reaction kinetics in confined nanoscale environments.

Main Methods:

Utilized molecular dynamics simulations and confocal laser scanning microscopy.
Studied photo- and thermally activated cyclic reactions in nanowire dispersions.
Compared reaction rates in dispersions with neat decane.

Main Results:

Observed over an order of magnitude enhancement in reaction rates within nanowire dispersions.
Found that stirring significantly decelerated reactions, contrary to expectations.
Demonstrated complete inhibition of azobenzene photoisomerization in the presence of nanowires.

Conclusions:

Nanowires concentrate and directionally align anisotropic molecules via grafted aliphatic chains.
The confined space around nanowires restricts the formation of bulky isomers.
Nanowires act as catalysts by controlling molecular organization and product egress, enhancing reaction kinetics.