Steven L. Suib

Superwetting nanowire membranes for selective absorption

The construction of nanoporous membranes is of great technological importance for various applications, including catalyst supports, filters for biomolecule purification, environmental remediation and seawater desalination. A major challenge is the scalable fabrication of membranes with the desirable combination of good thermal stability, high selectivity and excellent recyclability. Here we present a self-assembly method for constructing thermally stable, free-standing nanowire membranes that exhibit controlled wetting behaviour ranging from superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic. These membranes can selectively absorb oils up to 20 times the materials weight in preference to water, through a combination of superhydrophobicity and capillary action. Moreover, the nanowires that form the membrane structure can be re-suspended in solutions and subsequently re-form the original paper-like morphology over many cycles. Our results suggest an innovative material that should find practical applications in the removal of organics, particularly in the field of oil spill cleanup.

Manganese Oxide Octahedral Molecular Sieves: Preparation, Characterization, and Applications

A thermally stable 3 x 3 octahedral molecular sieve corresponding to natural todorokite (OMS-1) has been synthesized by autoclaving layer-structure manganese oxides, which are prepared by reactions of MnO4- and Mn2+ under markedly alkaline conditions. The nature and thermal stability of products depend strongly on preparation parameters, such as the MnO4-/Mn2+ ratio, pH, aging, and autoclave conditions. The purest and the most thermally stable todorokite is obtained at a ratio of 0.30 to 0.40. Autoclave treatments at about 150� to 180�C for more than 2 days yield OMS-1, which is as thermally stable (500�C) as natural todorokite minerals. Adsorption data give a tunnel size of 6.9 angstroms and an increase of cyclohexane or carbon tetrachloride uptake with dehydration temperature up to 500�C. At 600�C, the tunnel structure collapses. Both Lewis and Br�nsted acid sites have been observed in OMS-1. Particular applications of these materials include adsorption, electrochemical sensors, and oxidation catalysis.

Structure–Property Relationship of Bifunctional MnO2 Nanostructures: Highly Efficient, Ultra-Stable Electrochemical Water Oxidation and Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalysts Identified in Alkaline Media

Manganese oxides of various structures (α-, β-, and δ-MnO2 and amorphous) were synthesized by facile methods. The electrocatalytic properties of these materials were systematically investigated for catalyzing both oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media. Extensive characterization was correlated with the activity study by investigating the crystal structures (XRD, HRTEM), morphologies (SEM), porosities (BET), surfaces (XPS, O2-TPD/MS), and electrochemical properties (Tafel analysis, Koutechy-Levich plots, and constant-current electrolysis). These combined results show that the electrocatalytic activities are strongly dependent on the crystallographic structures, and follow an order of α-MnO2 > AMO > β-MnO2 > δ-MnO2. Both OER studies and ORR studies reveal similar structure-determined activity trends in alkaline media. In the OER studies, α-MnO2 displays an overpotential of 490 mV compared to 380 mV shown by an Ir/C catalyst in reaching 10 mA cm(-2). Meanwhile, α-MnO2 also exhibits stability for 3 h when supplying a constant current density of 5 mA cm(-2). This was further improved by adding Ni(2+) dopants (ca. 8 h). The superior OER activity was attributed to several factors, including abundant di-μ-oxo bridges existing in α-MnO2 as the protonation sites, analogous to the OEC in PS-II of the natural water oxidation system; the mixed valencies (AOS = 3.7); and the lowest charge transfer resistances (91.8 Ω, η = 430 mV) as revealed from in situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). In the ORR studies, when reaching 3 mA cm(-2), α-MnO2 shows 760 mV close to 860 mV for the best ORR catalyst (20% Pt/C). The outstanding ORR activity was due to the strongest O2 adsorption capability of α-MnO2 suggested by temperature-programmed desorption. As a result, this discovery of the structure-related electrocatalytic activities could provide guidance in the further development of easily prepared, scalable, and low-cost catalysts based on metal oxides and their derivatives.

Porous Manganese Oxide Octahedral Molecular Sieves and Octahedral Layered Materials

This Account first gives a historical overview of the development of octahedral molecular sieve (OMS) and octahedral layer (OL) materials based on porous mixed-valent manganese oxides. Unique properties of such systems include excellent semiconductivity and porosity. Materials that are conducting and porous are rare and can offer novel properties not normally available with most molecular sieve materials. The good semiconductivity of OMS and OL systems not only permits potential applications of the conductivity of these materials but also allows characterization of these systems where charging effects are often a problem. Porous manganese oxide natural materials are found as manganese nodules, and these materials when dredged from the ocean floors have been used as excellent adsorbents of metals such as from electroplating wastes and have been shown to be excellent catalysts. Rational for synthesis of novel OMS and OL materials is related to the superb conductivity, microporosity, and catalytic activity of these natural materials. The natural systems are often found as mixtures, are poorly crystalline, and have incredibly diverse compositions due to exposure to various aqueous environments in nature. Such exposure allows ion exchange to occur. Preparation of pure crystalline OL and OMS systems is one of the very significant goals of this work. The status of this research area is one of moderate development. Opportunities exist for preparation of a multitude of novel materials. Some applications of these materials have recently been achieved primarily in the area of catalysis and membranes, and others such as sensors and adsorptive systems are likely. Characterization studies are becoming more sophisticated as new materials and proper preparation of materials for such characterization studies are being done. The research area involved in this work is solid state chemistry. The fields of materials synthesis, characterization, and applications of materials are all important in developments of this field. Researchers in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, physics, and biological sciences are actively pursuing research in this area. The most significant results found in this work are related to the novel structural and physical properties of porous manganese oxide materials. Variable pore size materials have been synthesized using structure directors and with a variety of synthetic methodologies. Transformations of tunnel materials with temperature and in specific atmosphere have recently been studied with in situ synchrotron methods. Conductivities of these materials appear to be related to the structural properties of these systems with more open structures being less conductive. Catalytic properties of these OMS and OL materials have been shown to be related to the redox cycling of various oxidations states of manganese such as Mn2+, Mn3+, and Mn4+. Chemists interested in synthesis of new materials, the chemistry of solids, enhancing the rates of catalytic reactions, and finding new applications of materials would be interested in these novel materials. Fundamental properties of electron transfer are critical to this research. Concepts of nonstoichiometry, defects, oxygen vacancies, and intermediates are fundamental to many of the syntheses, characterization, and applications such as fuel cells, catalysis, adsorption, sensors, batteries, and related applications.

Biosynthesis of Iron and Silver Nanoparticles at Room Temperature Using Aqueous Sorghum Bran Extracts

Iron and silver nanoparticles were synthesized using a rapid, single step, and completely green biosynthetic method employing aqueous sorghum extracts as both the reducing and capping agent. Silver ions were rapidly reduced by the aqueous sorghum bran extracts, leading to the formation of highly crystalline silver nanoparticles with an average diameter of 10 nm. The diffraction peaks were indexed to the face-centered cubic (fcc) phase of silver. The absorption spectra of colloidal silver nanoparticles showed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak centered at a wavelength of 390 nm. Amorphous iron nanoparticles with an average diameter of 50 nm were formed instantaneously under ambient conditions. The reactivity of iron nanoparticles was tested by the H(2)O(2)-catalyzed degradation of bromothymol blue as a model organic contaminant.

Efficient, Catalytic, Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols with Octahedral Molecular Sieves

Mixed-valent manganese octahedral molecular sieves K-OMS-2 and H-K-OMS-2 are used to oxidize a wide range of alcohols with 100 % selectivity and 90-100 % conversion in most cases. The reaction is aerobic, catalytic, mild, efficient, stable, inexpensive, selective, and environmentally friendly.

Adsorptive and Acidic Properties, Reversible Lattice Oxygen Evolution, and Catalytic Mechanism of Cryptomelane-Type Manganese Oxides as Oxidation Catalysts

Cryptomelane-type manganese oxides have been synthesized, characterized, and tested in the total oxidation of volatile organic compounds and CO oxidation. The structural, compositional, morphological, acid-base, physisorptive-chemisorptive, and thermal stability properties (especially the reversible evolution of lattice oxygen) have been studied in detail using ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy), HRSEM (high-resolution scanning electronic microscope), XRD (X-ray diffraction), IR (infrared) and adsorbate-IR, N2 and CO2 physisorption at 77 and 273 K, respectively, TPD-MS (temperature-programmed decomposition-mass spectroscopy), and TGA-DSC (thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry) techniques. Kinetic and mechanistic studies for the catalytic function have been conducted and related to the characterization results. Cryptomelane has shown to be highly microporous, by using CO2 physisorption, and highly hydrophobic, possessing both Brönsted and Lewis acid sites. A part of the lattice oxygen atoms can be reversibly removed from the framework and recovered at elevated temperature without changing the framework structure. These lattice oxygen atoms can react with CO even at room temperature and are active sites for the oxidation of benzene. The consumed lattice oxygen atoms are replenished by gaseous oxygen to complete a catalytic cycle. The ease of reversible evolution of lattice oxygen, together with the high porosity, hydrophobicity, and acidity, leads to the excellent oxidation properties of OMS-2.

Structure, porosity, and redox in porous manganese oxide octahedral layer and molecular sieve materials

The control of synthesis methods allows the preparation of unique materials such as octahedral layer (OL) and octahedral molecular sieve (OMS) systems. These mixed valent porous materials are excellent semiconductors. Conductivity in porous molecular sieve materials is unusual and leads to more favorable characterization such as less charging in relation to insulating materials like clays and zeolites. Semiconductivity of OL and OMS materials allows potential applications as sensors, redox catalysis, and in fuel cells. This review will focus on the use of composition and redox to control the structure, morphology, porosity, catalytic activity, and conductivity of such materials. A major emphasis in this field has been on the generation of new materials and the mechanism of formation of such systems.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs)

Abstract This paper reviews the literature concerning layered double hydroxides(LDHs). The synthesis, characterization and potential uses of such materials are discussed. Experiments in our laboratory concerning the pillaring of LDHs with hexacyanoferrate and other anion complexes of iron are reported. The synthesis of other LDH complexes containing Ga 3+ is also summarized. Characterization of the LDHs with X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Mossbauer spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance has been done to study the chemical and physical properties of these materials.

Photocatalytic Water Splitting—The Untamed Dream: A Review of Recent Advances

Photocatalytic water splitting using sunlight is a promising technology capable of providing high energy yield without pollutant byproducts. Herein, we review various aspects of this technology including chemical reactions, physiochemical conditions and photocatalyst types such as metal oxides, sulfides, nitrides, nanocomposites, and doped materials followed by recent advances in computational modeling of photoactive materials. As the best-known catalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen and oxygen evolution, TiO2 is discussed in a separate section, along with its challenges such as the wide band gap, large overpotential for hydrogen evolution, and rapid recombination of produced electron-hole pairs. Various approaches are addressed to overcome these shortcomings, such as doping with different elements, heterojunction catalysts, noble metal deposition, and surface modification. Development of a photocatalytic corrosion resistant, visible light absorbing, defect-tuned material with small particle size is the key to complete the sunlight to hydrogen cycle efficiently. Computational studies have opened new avenues to understand and predict the electronic density of states and band structure of advanced materials and could pave the way for the rational design of efficient photocatalysts for water splitting. Future directions are focused on developing innovative junction architectures, novel synthesis methods and optimizing the existing active materials to enhance charge transfer, visible light absorption, reducing the gas evolution overpotential and maintaining chemical and physical stability.