SUPPORTED METAL CATALYST AND METHOD OF MAKING THE CATALYST
Provided is a method for making a supported metal catalyst. The method includes forming a mixture comprising a high surface area support, a reducing agent precursor that decomposes to produce reducing gases below about 1200° C., and a metal catalyst precursor. The mixture is heated to a temperature sufficient to decompose the reducing agent precursor to produce a reducing agent, and then cooled to form the supported metal catalyst.
1 . A method for making a supported metal catalyst comprising:
forming a mixture comprising a high surface area support, a reducing agent precursor that decomposes to produce reducing gases below about 1200° C., and a metal catalyst precursor;
heating the mixture in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to a temperature sufficient to decompose the reducing agent precursor to produce a reducing agent; and
cooling the mixture to form the supported metal catalyst.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the high surface area support has a surface area ranging from about 10 m 2 /g to about 2000 m 2 /g.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the high surface area support comprises at least one of carbon, carbon oxide, carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphite oxide, alumina, silica, titania, magnesia, ceria, a ceramic comprising nitride, a ceramic comprising boride or a ceramic comprising oxide.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the high surface area support comprises at least one of a high surface area carbon, activated carbon, carbon nanospheres, or a lanthanide group oxide.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reducing agent precursor is urea.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein and the mixture is heated to a temperature above 600° C.
7 . The method of claim 1 in which the metal precursor is chosen from a metal amine complex, a metal salt, a metal-organic compound, a metal containing molecule with an organic cyclic group, a metal azide, a metal carbonyl, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide or combinations thereof.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal precursor comprises one or more precious metal atoms or transition metal atoms.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the metal precursor comprises one or more noble group metal atoms.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal precursor comprises Pt atoms, Pd atoms, Ni atoms or Fe atoms
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the metal precursor comprises at least one of a plurality of different compounds or a plurality of metal species.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the supported metal catalyst comprises the high surface area support at more than 50% of the mixture by weight; and the molar ratio of the urea:metal atoms in the metal precursor is greater than one.
13 . A supported metal catalyst formed by a method comprising
forming a mixture comprising a high surface area support, a reducing agent precursor that decomposes to produce reducing gases below about 1200° C., and a metal precursor;
heating the mixture in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to a temperature above a decomposition temperature of the reducing agent precursor; and
cooling the mixture to form the supported metal catalyst.
14 . The supported metal catalyst of claim 13 , wherein the high surface area support has a surface area ranging from about 10 m 2 /g to about 2000 m 2 /g.
15 . The supported metal catalyst of claim 14 , wherein the high surface area support comprises at least one of carbon, carbon oxide, carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphite oxide, alumina, silica, titania, magnesia, ceria, a ceramic comprising nitride, a ceramic comprising boride or a ceramic comprising oxide.
16 . The supported metal catalyst of claim 14 , wherein the high surface area support comprises at least one of a high surface area carbon, activated carbon, carbon nanospheres, or a lanthanide group oxide.
17 . The supported metal catalyst of claim 13 , wherein the reducing agent precursor is urea.
18 . The supported metal catalyst of claim 13 , wherein the metal precursor comprises one or more precious metal atoms or transition metal atoms.
19 . The supported metal catalyst of claim 13 , wherein the metal precursor comprises one or more noble group metal atoms.
20 . The supported metal catalyst of claim 13 , wherein the metal precursor comprises Pt atoms, Pd atoms, Ni atoms or Fe atoms.
21 . The supported metal catalyst of claim 13 , wherein the supported metal catalyst comprises the high surface area support at more than 50% of the mixture by weight; and the molar ratio of the urea:metal atoms in the metal precursor is greater than one.