Scale-up of cluster beam deposition to the gram scale with the matrix assembly cluster source for heterogeneous catalysis (propylene combustion)

Cluster beam deposition is a solvent-free method to prepare films of nanoparticles, one obvious application being heterogeneous catalysis. To address the problem of low cluster deposition rates, a novel cluster beam source, the “Matrix Assembly Cluster Source” was invented recently. Following the proof of principle studies, here, we demonstrate a further scale-up by 2 orders of magnitude, equivalent to reaching a production of ∼10 mg of clusters (Au100) per hour. This allows the preparation of cluster-decorated powder catalysts at the gram scale, comfortably sufficient for practical catalysis studies of novel materials at the research level, as demonstrated here by the catalytic combustion of propylene.Cluster beam deposition is a solvent-free method to prepare films of nanoparticles, one obvious application being heterogeneous catalysis. To address the problem of low cluster deposition rates, a novel cluster beam source, the “Matrix Assembly Cluster Source” was invented recently. Following the proof of principle studies, here, we demonstrate a further scale-up by 2 orders of magnitude, equivalent to reaching a production of ∼10 mg of clusters (Au100) per hour. This allows the preparation of cluster-decorated powder catalysts at the gram scale, comfortably sufficient for practical catalysis studies of novel materials at the research level, as demonstrated here by the catalytic combustion of propylene.