Dresden 2020 – scientific programme

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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik

CPP 107: Emerging Topics in Chemical and Polymer Physics, New Instruments and Methods

CPP 107.5: Talk

Friday, March 20, 2020, 10:45–11:00, ZEU 255

Modulating Selectivity of Nitrites Reduction by Leveraging Polymer-Induced Solvation Effects — •Pengcheng Huang, Huaping Zhao, and Yong Lei — Technische Universität Ilmenau, 98693, Ilmenau, Germany.

Closing the nitrogen cycle is essential for mitigating the negative environmental impact of fertilizers run-offs from intensive -crops production and -farming.1 The key in these processes is to activate nitrogen-containing species (e.g. nitrites, nitrates, and nitro-organic molecules) in heavily diluted aqueous environments into inert products (e.g. nitrogen) in the presence of reducing agents using supported metal catalysts. The modification of the metal and/or support chemistry, nano-architecture, and topology can lead to changes in the transport and binding of the reactive species, which can be leveraged to favor a specific pathway of the reaction.2 In this contribution, we propose a strategy to modulate the selectivity of N-O bond activation reactions by tailoring the solvation-microenvironment around the metal cluster. To demonstrate this concept we have developed polymer over-coatings on metal-catalysts that can act as *co-solvents* to simultaneously; 1) control the selectivity and activity of the catalyst towards the desired product to maximize atom-efficiency of the process, and 2) prevent catalyst deactivation by preventing the sintering, lixiviation, and poisoning. In this contribution, we will show the effects of the polymer brushes chemistry (poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) on the molecular transport, catalyst selectivity and activity of Pd-supported on non-porous SiO2 colloidal particles as model catalysts.