Samuel Vere Somerville

Shape-controlled Ru nanoparticles selectively oxidise HMF to FFCA in alkaline media (>95% conversion; 66% selectivity). Comparison of polymorphous Ru and monocrystalline Ru hourglasses reveals a crystallinity-dependent activity–stability trade-off.

The boundaries between two different crystal phases contain atoms with unique electronic structures and coordination numbers that can significantly influence catalytic performance. Cobalt phosphide adopts Co ₂ P and CoP crystal phases, and both are active for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which offers the opportunity to improve catalytic activity through the creation of phase boundaries. Here we show that mixed‐phase Co ₂ P‐CoP branched nanoparticles enriched with boundaries between the Co ₂ P and CoP phases can be synthesized by controlled phosphidation of Co branched nanoparticles. We found that the slow transformation from Co ₂ P to CoP is key to achieving Co ₂ P‐CoP phase boundaries. These nanoparticles exhibit excellent OER performance with an overpotential of 240 mV that is 81 mV lower than that of a commercial RuO ₂ standard, and is >3.5 times more active than the Co ₂ P and CoP pure‐phase counterparts. Density functional theory calculations reveal that there is a partially positive charge stabilized on the Co atoms at the crystal phase boundaries that leads to enhanced OER activity. These results highlight the effectiveness of utilizing crystal phase boundaries in nanomaterials as a strategy for enhancing catalytic performance.

An optimal 1 : 1 ratio of Co and Ni on an acidic zeolite catalyzes the conversion of polyethylene to value-added hydrocarbons by balancing hydrogen activation and suppressing methane formation.

The selective detection of two analytes was achieved by utilizing nanoparticles with isolated substrate channels, inspired by enzymes, and electrochemical potential to alter the local solution to facilitate either reaction.

Achieving sensors that can sensitively and selectively quantify levels of analytes in complex biofluids such as blood remains a significant challenge. To address this, we synthesized an array of isolated carbon nanochannels on a flat gold electrode that function as molecular sieves to prevent protein fouling and eliminate the need for antifouling layers. Utilizing a two-step pulsed technique, a reductive pulse expels negative interferences and fouling molecules followed by an oxidative pulse that oxidizes glucose at the bottom of the channel and on the gold surface. The nanoconfined environment created by the top carbon nanochannel layer (6 nm diameter, 21 nm length confirmed by TEM and SEM), with redox pulses enabled the gold catalytic center to generate hydroxide ions, fostering a higher pH environment favorable for glucose oxidation. The nonenzymatic approach to detecting glucose was shown to give equivalent data directly in whole blood to that achieved by using an enzyme blood glucose meter determined using a Clark Error Grid. This simplified sensor design, suitable for wearable systems, offers a solution for glucose monitoring in complex biofluids with a far greater stability over time.