Size and Shape Dependence on Pt Nanoparticles for the Methylcyclopentane/Hydrogen Ring Opening/Ring Enlargement Reaction

Abstract

Monodisperse Pt nanoparticles (NPs) with well-controlled sizes in the range between 1.5 and 10.8 nm, and shapes of octahedron, cube, truncated octahedron and spheres (~6 nm) were synthesized employing the polyol reduction strategy with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the capping agent. We characterized the as-synthesized Pt nanoparticles using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution TEM, sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy (SFGVS) using ethylene/H2 reaction as the surface probe, and the catalytic ethylene/H2 reaction by means of measuring surface concentration of Pt. The nanoparticles were supported in mesoporous silica (SBA-15 or MCF-17), and their catalytic reactivity was evaluated for the methylcyclopentane (MCP)/H2 ring opening/ring enlargement reaction using 10 torr MCP and 50 torr H2 at temperatures between 160 and 300 °C. We found a strong correlation between the particle shape and the catalytic activity and product distribution for the MCP/H2 reaction on Pt. At temperatures below 240 °C, 6.3 nm Pt octahedra yielded hexane, 6.2 nm Pt truncated octahedra and 5.2 nm Pt spheres produced 2-methylpentane. In contrast, 6.8 nm Pt cubes led to the formation of cracking products (i.e. C1–C5) under similar conditions. We also detected a weak size dependence of the catalytic activity and selectivity for the MCP/H2 reaction on Pt. 1.5 nm Pt particles produced 2-methylpentane for the whole temperature range studied and the larger Pt NPs produced mainly benzene at temperatures above 240 °C.