High-throughput, combinatorial synthesis of multimetallic nanoclusters.
Yonggang YaoZhennan HuangTangyuan LiHang WangYifan LiuHelge S SteinYimin MaoJinlong GaoMiaolun JiaoQi DongJiaqi DaiPengfei XieHua XieSteven D LaceyIchiro TakeuchiJohn M GregoireRongzhong JiangChao WangAndre D TaylorReza Shahbazian-YassarLiangbing HuPublished in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2020)
Multimetallic nanoclusters (MMNCs) offer unique and tailorable surface chemistries that hold great potential for numerous catalytic applications. The efficient exploration of this vast chemical space necessitates an accelerated discovery pipeline that supersedes traditional "trial-and-error" experimentation while guaranteeing uniform microstructures despite compositional complexity. Herein, we report the high-throughput synthesis of an extensive series of ultrafine and homogeneous alloy MMNCs, achieved by 1) a flexible compositional design by formulation in the precursor solution phase and 2) the ultrafast synthesis of alloy MMNCs using thermal shock heating (i.e., ∼1,650 K, ∼500 ms). This approach is remarkably facile and easily accessible compared to conventional vapor-phase deposition, and the particle size and structural uniformity enable comparative studies across compositionally different MMNCs. Rapid electrochemical screening is demonstrated by using a scanning droplet cell, enabling us to discover two promising electrocatalysts, which we subsequently validated using a rotating disk setup. This demonstrated high-throughput material discovery pipeline presents a paradigm for facile and accelerated exploration of MMNCs for a broad range of applications.
Keyphrases
- high throughput
- single cell
- label free
- sensitive detection
- multiple sclerosis
- energy transfer
- quantum dots
- study protocol
- fluorescent probe
- high resolution
- small molecule
- randomized controlled trial
- cell therapy
- gold nanoparticles
- ms ms
- ionic liquid
- stem cells
- phase iii
- metal organic framework
- phase ii
- crystal structure
- case control
- double blind