Nature-Inspired Multifunctional Nano-Microreactors: Pd Nanoclusters-Integrated Bioengineered Skin Channels for...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomimetic Engineering
• Catalysis

Background:

• Catalytic materials often suffer from product inhibition and hydrogen adherence, limiting efficiency.
• Nature-inspired design offers strategies for advanced catalytic materials with multifunctional microenvironments.
• Ammonia borane (AB) hydrolysis is a key reaction for hydrogen generation, but faces challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present bioengineered multifunctional skin nano-microchannels (N─MCs) integrated with Pd nanoclusters (Pd/N─MCs) for efficient hydrogen production from AB.
• To address product inhibition and hydrogen adherence issues in AB hydrolysis.
• To develop a scalable and sustainable strategy for multifunctional nano-microreactors.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of N─MCs with a hydrophilic-aerophobic environment and tunable surface chemistry.
• Integration of Pd nanoclusters onto N─MCs (Pd/N─MCs).
• Modification of N─MCs via exhaustive methylation of lysyl amino groups to create positively charged [Pd/N─MCs]⁺.

Main Results:

• Pd/N─MCs demonstrated prevention of product inhibition and hydrogen adherence.
• The N─MCs exhibited a hydrophilic-aerophobic environment, mitigating product inhibition and hydrogen bubble adherence.
• A high turnover frequency (TOF) of 3589 h⁻¹ was achieved with positively charged [Pd/N─MCs]⁺.

Conclusions:

• The developed Pd/N─MCs platform offers a unique mechanism to overcome limitations in catalytic hydrogen generation.
• Nature-inspired design principles, applied to nano-microreactors, provide a scalable and sustainable approach for efficient hydrogen production.
• This work advances the field of bioinspired systems for catalysis and energy applications.