A Chinese research team has used carbon nanotubes loaded with rhodium nanoparticles as reactors to convert a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen into ethanol, it has been reported.

The team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics found that nanotube encapsulated rhodium nanoparticles exhibited greater catalytic activity than dispersed rhodium nanoparticles.

The development is regarded as significant since it represents the first time that the selectivity and activity of a metal-catalyzed gas phase reaction has been shown to improve from having taken place inside a nanosized carbon nanotechnology vessel.

Commenting on the results of the research process, Dr Xinhe Bao told Nanowerk: "Oxygenates containing two carbon atoms such as ethanol, acetyldehyde and acetic acid were produced, and surprisingly, the yield over the CNT-encapsulated catalyst was extraordinarily high, clearly exceeding that of the very good silica-supported catalyst. Furthermore, [the yield was also higher than] catalysts with metal particles."

He added: "We believe that our discovery may be of a quite general nature and could apply to many other processes. It is anticipated that this will motivate theoretical and experimental studies to further the fundamental understanding of the host–guest interaction within carbon and other nanotube systems."

Source:

Ethanol production inside carbon nanotubes, 08/06/07
http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=2053.php

Ethanol Production Inside Carbon Nanotubes, 08/06/07
http://www.merid.org/NDN/more.php?id=1032


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