Solid State NMR Studies of Heterogeneous Alumina, Silica and Titania Supported Pt Nanoparticle Catalyst Systems

The structure-function relationship of heterogeneous catalyst systems for hydrogenation reactions is often underpinned by the interaction of the precious metal catalyst nanoparticle with its support material. Using a multinuclear solid state NMR approach, this study seeks to explore the catalyst-support interaction prior to and after the reduction of the metal oxide catalyst in situ on the support material. A large range of these systems has been manufactured using conventional techniques where the catalytic metal species are mounted on oxide supports via nitrate solution deposition, and the reduction of these metal species with increasing temperature produces metal oxide nanoparticles, and then eventually metal nanoparticles interacting/bonding with the oxide support material. Solid state NMR is a short-range technique which is particularly suited to studying disordered systems and small nanoparticle systems with reduced translational symmetry. This project will focus on platinum oxide (and nickel oxide) particle deposition, with the 195Pt nucleus providing an excellent probe of the metal speciation formed; the support materials will be studied using conventional 29Si MAS, 27Al MAS, and 49Ti static NMR techniques. This project will be undertaken in conjunction with industrial partners (Johnson Matthey) who are one of the world leading catalyst producing companies.