through a "bottom - up" approach at the nanoscale (INANOMAT)
Nanoscale metal particles are currently being developed for use as advanced materials with new catalytic properties. Some structures at the nanosize dimension display new behaviours that are not exhibited by the bulk materials. Very often the catalytic activity depends on the size and the shape of the metallic nanoparticles playing role of the active phase. An effective size control of the metal nanoparticles is very important in order to investigate their catalytic activity.
The objective of this research programme in INANOMAT is to study the correlation of the solid state properties of nanosize particles with their reactivity. The supported metal nanoparticles will be prepared by the reverse micelles method in water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsion. Reverse microemulsion is an isotropic liquid media with nanometer water droplets dispersed in a continuous oil phase and stabilized by surfactant molecules at the water/oil interface. Metal cations constrained in the water droplets can react with reducing agent to form the metallic nanoparticles.
Financing:
PAI - Belgian Federal Science Policy
FRIA grants