Copper nanoparticle-titania composite nanoarchitectures
A composition having: titania aerogel having titania nanoparticles and copper nanoparticles. Each of the copper nanoparticles is in contact with more than one of the titania nanoparticles. A method of: providing a titania aerogel, and forming or depositing copper nanoparticles onto the surface of the titania aerogel.
1. A composition comprising:
titania aerogel comprising titania nanoparticles;
wherein the aerogel has a continuous mesoporous network; and
catalytic nanoparticles comprising metallic copper;
wherein the catalytic nanoparticles are distributed throughout the titania aerogel; and
wherein each of the catalytic nanoparticles is in contact with more than one of the titania nanoparticles.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the catalytic nanoparticles comprise less than 15 wt % copper oxide.
3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the catalytic nanoparticles are free of stabilizing ligands.
4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is made by a method comprising:
providing the titania aerogel;
forming or depositing the catalytic nanoparticles onto the titania aerogel.
5. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the catalytic nanoparticles are formed by photodeposition.
6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the titania nanoparticles are 10-15 nm in size.
7. A method comprising:
providing the composition of claim 1 ;
performing a surface plasmon resonance-driven reaction on the composition.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the reaction is oxidation of an alcohol.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the reaction is oxidation of methanol.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the reaction is oxidation of water.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the reaction is oxidation of ethylene or propene.
12. A method comprising:
providing the composition of claim 1 ;
performing a catalyzed reaction on the composition.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the reaction is oxidation of ethylene or propene.
14. A method comprising:
providing a titania aerogel comprising titania nanoparticles;
wherein the aerogel has a continuous mesoporous network; and
forming or depositing catalytic nanoparticles comprising metallic copper onto the titania aerogel;
wherein the catalytic nanoparticles are distributed throughout the titania aerogel; and
wherein each of the catalytic nanoparticles is in contact with more than one of the titania nanoparticles.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the catalytic nanoparticles are formed by photodeposition.