A new bioinspired approach using peptide based biomineralizaion was utilized to design mesoporous germania supported nanocatalysts consisting of metallic nanoparticles embedded within germania. We have embedded Au-Pd, Co-Pt and Au nanoparticles in germania. In the case of Au nanoparticles, different sizes of the nanoparticles were used as templates for the formation of germania nanoshells. The Au nanoparticles were functionalized in order to bind to the peptide motif T-G-H-Q-S-P-G-A-Y-A-A-H, which can specifically recognize and bind to germanium ions and promote the formation of nanoshells around the metal particles. The control of nanoshell size, pore organization and metal colloid occupancy was investigated. In the case of bimetallic nanoparticles, the Au-Pd nanoparticles were sonochemically embedded into the porous germania matrix and as a proof of concept, the catalytic activity of the nanocomposite materials was examined by the study of degradation of the nitro aromatic compound, p-nitroaniline. Since detailed studies related to germania based materials are currently limited, this work will help in the fundamental understanding of Ge-based nanomaterials. Investigation of the mechanism involved in the formation will give us an insight about its formation and stability.
Back to Symposia: Nanomaterial Chemistry
Back to The 33rd Northeast Regional Meeting (July 14-17, 2005)