Method and system for forming plug and play metal catalysts
A metal catalyst is formed by vaporizing a quantity of metal and a quantity of carrier forming a vapor cloud. The vapor cloud is quenched forming precipitate nanoparticles comprising a portion of metal and a portion of carrier. The nanoparticles are impregnated onto supports. The supports are able to be used in existing heterogeneous catalysis systems. A system for forming metal catalysts comprises means for vaporizing a quantity of metals and a quantity of carrier, quenching the resulting vapor cloud and forming precipitate nanoparticles comprising a portion of metals and a portion of carrier. The system further comprises means for impregnating supports with the nanoparticles.
1. A method of making a metal catalyst comprising:
a. providing a quantity of nanoparticles, wherein the step of providing comprises:
(i) loading feed material in a powdered form, the feed material comprising a quantity of catalyst material and a quantity of carrier material in a desired ratio of catalyst material to carrier material, into a plasma gun comprising a plasma reactor and a highly turbulent quench chamber;
(ii) vaporizing the quantity of catalyst material and the quantity of carrier material in the plasma reactor thereby forming a vapor cloud of catalyst and carrier material; and
(iii) quenching the vapor cloud of catalyst material and carrier material utilizing the highly turbulent quench chamber, thereby forming solidified nanoparticles comprising catalyst material and carrier material;
b. providing a quantity of supports; and
c. combining the supports with the nanoparticles, wherein the step of combining the supports with the nanoparticles comprises suspending the nanoparticles in a solution, thereby forming a suspension.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the supports comprise pores and voids.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the catalyst material comprises any one of at least one metal, at least one metal alloy, and any combination thereof.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier material comprises an oxide.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the oxide comprises silica, alumina, yttria, zirconia, titania, ceria, baria, and any combination thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein combining the supports with the nanoparticles further comprises mixing the suspension with the supports.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the suspension further comprises a dispersant and surfactant.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein combining the supports with the nanoparticles further comprises mixing the suspension with a slurry having the supports suspended therein.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the slurry comprises any one of an organic solvent, an aqueous solvent, and a combination thereof.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising drying the supports.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising exposing the supports to any one of heat, pressure and a combination thereof, thereby bonding the nanoparticles onto the supports, wherein the supports having pores.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the nanoparticles comprise a first portion comprising the catalyst material bonded to a second portion comprising the carrier material.
13. The method of claim 8 wherein the slurry does not react with the nanoparticles.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising agitating the suspension, thereby aiding the impregnation of the supports with the nanoparticles.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the steps impregnating and drying the supports with the nanoparticles are repeated, thereby increasing the loading of nanoparticles onto the supports.