Metal Molecules (M-M)

By Nanogap

Our Core Technology NANOGAP has developed a completely new form of material, Metal Molecules, M-M, which will be integral in the development of new advanced technologies and products, revolutionizing chemical, pharma and energy industries. With M-M technology, NANOGAP has created a 3rd dimension to the periodic table creating new materials with size dependent properties. Metal Molecules are clusters of a few metal atoms, at less than a nanometer in size M-M are smaller than conventional metal nanoparticles. Main problems that M-M solve Catalyst Deactivation M-M do not suffer poisoning and can be stable up to 900ºC. Catalysts can deactivate over time due to various factors, such as fouling, sintering, poisoning, or surface contamination. Developing catalysts with improved stability and resistance to deactivation is crucial to ensure longer catalyst lifetimes and reduce the need for frequent replacement. Cost-effectiveness M-M do not suffer poisoning and can be stable up to 900ºC. Catalysts can deactivate over time due to various factors, such as fouling, sintering, poisoning, or surface contamination. Developing catalysts with improved stability and resistance to deactivation is crucial to ensure longer catalyst lifetimes and reduce the need for frequent replacement. M-M are made with non scarce non-Pt metals Many catalysts used today rely on scarce or environmentally harmful materials. Developing catalysts that are more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and derived from abundant resources is a pressing challenge. Green catalyst design aims to minimize the use of toxic substances, reduce energy consumption, and promote more eco-friendly processes. Catalytic properties and stability Metal Molecules can be used to prepare heterogeneous, homogeneous, thermo-, photo-, and electro- catalysts. They are suitable for a broad range of chemical reactions including oxidation, reduction, hydrogenation, and dehydrogenation. Properties can be tuned through choice of Metal, size of Metal Molecule, and choice of support. Benefits include lower activation energies, increased conversion and selectivity, lower temperature and pressure operating conditions, and with exceptionally high stability, at temperatures up to 900 o C, and in the pH range 1-14, and against sintering, and oxidation. Compared to conventional catalysts they are very resistant to typical poisons, such as sulfur, chloride and carbon monoxide. Cost effectiveness and environmental impact As Metal Molecules are so small, effectively all surface and no bulk, very small loadings, <1%, can be utilized. Further as Metal Molecule properties are primarily size dependent rather than element dependent, low cost and abundant Copper and Silver Metal Molecules can be used as alternatives to expensive and scarce Platinum group metals with similar results, offering a cost effective and environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional PGM based catalysts. Industrialization Metal-Molecules are manufactured by scalable aqueous methods and low-cost raw materials, no “exotic” processing equipment is required. Metal Molecules are deposited onto typical industrial catalyst supports to prepare Metal Molecule Catalysts that look and handle like conventional catalysts, but with improved performance. Comparison of Bulk metal, Metal NP and Metal molecules: Bulk metal >100nm; Metal NP 1-100 nm; Metal molecules <0.7nm Bonding Metallic. An array of positive ions in a sea of electrons. Covalent. Shared pairs of electrons. Electronic structure Delocalized electrons. Conductive properties. Quantum confinement of electrons. Band gap structure. Semiconductor/Molecular properties. Dispersion / Solution characteristics n/a Requires surface dispersion / stabilizing agents to form stable dispersions Dissolves like molecules, forming stable solutions with weak solvent interactions, like hydrogen bonding Properties Bulk properties. (element specific) Surface enhanced properties. (element specific) New and unique properties (size specific).