DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/FYK1-0A94
Defense Date
2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Chemistry
First Advisor
M. Samy El-Shall
Abstract
Solid catalyst supports of SiOx-RGO (Reduced Graphene Oxide) and UiO-67 (Universitet i Oslo) have been successfully synthesized and were loaded with palladium nanoparticles to test for a series of heterogeneous reactions. The SiOx/RGO catalysts were synthesized through laser ablation of silicon and graphite oxide micron powder and UiO-67 metal-organic framework (MOF) was synthesized through mixing of precursors with DMF/HCl solution and washing the resultant powder from impurities. The SiOx/RGO supports were later impregnated with palladium precursors which were then subject to Microwave Irradiation (MWI). The UiO-67 framework was impregnated with palladium precursors and was irradiated with pulsed Nd:YAG 532 nm laser and was purified through washing and centrifugation. The resulting catalyst supports were characterized with UV-Vis, FTIR, Raman, XRD and XPS techniques and the UiO-67 framework was subject to Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) surface area measurements before and after the catalytic reactions. The catalytic activity of palladium nanoparticles supported on SiOx/RGO and UiO-67 framework was tested in carbon cross-coupling reactions of Suzuki-Miyaura, Sonogashira reactions and oxidation of benzyl alcohol respectively. The catalysts have demonstrated excellent performance and have yielded a promising future for the catalytic supports in the previously stated reactions.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
12-8-2016
Comments
I would like to thank my dear friend John Wray for all his help and support throughout the writing.