Researchers at the US Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have witnessed the ability of nanoscale catalysts to adapt to their surroundings, potentially leading to the development of more efficient fuel-cell technologies.

A spectroscopy system in Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source enabled the scientists to observe the metamorphosing of nanoparticles composed of the catalytic metals palladium, rhodium and platinum when exposed to certain gases.

According to Gabor Somorjai, a surface science and catalysis expert who works at both Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division and UC Berkeley's department of chemistry, this will enable specialists in the field to improve the efficacy of catalysts.

"Now we can dream," Mr Somorjai commented.

"By watching catalysts change in real time, we can possibly design smart catalysts that optimally change as a reaction evolves."

Previously, scientists had been hampered by their inability to watch the reactions - they had to rely on pictures taken before and after the transformation had occurred.

Miquel Salmeron, Mr Somorgai's research partner, explained that this is crucial, as "it's difficult to tune a catalyst to do exactly what you want unless you know how it adapts during a reaction".



Source:

Secret Lives Of Catalysts Revealed, 21/10/08
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081021185101.htm