Fabrication of Multifunctional Electronic Textiles Using Oxidative Restructuring of Copper into a Cu-Based Metal-Organic Framework.

This paper describes a novel synthetic approach for the conversion of zero-valent copper metal into a conductive two-dimensional layered metal-organic framework (MOF) based on 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene (HHTP) to form Cu3(HHTP)2. This process enables patterning of Cu3(HHTP)2 onto a variety of flexible and porous woven (cotton, silk, nylon, nylon/cotton blend, and polyester) and non-woven (weighing paper and filter paper) substrates with microscale spatial resolution. The method produces conductive textiles with sheet resistances of 0.1-10.1 MΩ/cm2, depending on the substrate, and uniform conformal coatings of MOFs on textile swatches with strong interfacial contact capable of withstanding chemical and physical stresses, such as detergent washes and abrasion. These conductive textiles enable simultaneous detection and detoxification of nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide, achieving part per million limits of detection in dry and humid conditions. The Cu3(HHTP)2 MOF also demonstrated filtration capabilities of H2S, with uptake capacity up to 4.6 mol/kgMOF. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy show that the detection of NO and H2S with Cu3(HHTP)2 is accompanied by the transformation of these species to less toxic forms, such as nitrite and/or nitrate and copper sulfide and Sx species, respectively. These results pave the way for using conductive MOFs to construct extremely robust electronic textiles with multifunctional performance characteristics.

Au/TiO2-Catalyzed Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation on Morphologically Precise Anatase Nanoparticles.

Au nanoparticles (NP) on TiO2 have been shown to be effective catalysts for selective oxidation reactions by using molecular oxygen. In this work, we have studied the influence of support morphology on the catalytic activity of Au/TiO2 catalysts. Two TiO2 anatase supports, a nanoplatelet-shaped material with predominantly the {001} facet exposed and a truncated bipyramidal-shaped nanoparticle with predominantly the {101} facet exposed, were prepared by using a nonaqueous solvothermal method and characterized by using DRIFTS, XPS, and TEM. Au nanoparticles were deposited on the supports by using the deposition-precipitation method, and particle sizes were determined by using STEM. Au nanoparticles were smaller on the support with the majority of the {101} facet exposed. The resulting materials were used to catalyze the aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol and trifluoromethylbenzyl alcohol. Support morphology impacts the catalytic activity of Au/TiO2; reaction rates for reactions catalyzed by the predominantly {101} material were higher. Much of the increased reactivity can be explained by the presence of smaller Au particles on the predominantly {101} material, providing more Au/TiO2 interface area, which is where catalysis occurs. The remaining modest differences between the two catalysts are likely due to geometric effects as Hammett slopes show no evidence for electronic differences between the Au particles on the different materials.

Kinetics of H2 Adsorption at the Metal-Support Interface of Au/TiO2 Catalysts Probed by Broad Background IR Absorbance.

H2 adsorption on Au catalysts is weak and reversible, making it difficult to quantitatively study. We demonstrate H2 adsorption on Au/TiO2 catalysts results in electron transfer to the support, inducing shifts in the FTIR background. This broad background absorbance (BBA) signal is used to quantify H2 adsorption; adsorption equilibrium constants are comparable to volumetric adsorption measurements. H2 adsorption kinetics measured with the BBA show a lower Eapp value (23 kJ mol-1 ) for H2 adsorption than previously reported from proxy H/D exchange (33 kJ mol-1 ). We also identify a previously unreported H-O-H bending vibration associated with proton adsorption on electronically distinct Ti-OH metal-support interface sites, providing new insight into the nature and dynamics of H2 adsorption at the Au/TiO2 interface.