Experimental and theoretical investigation of high-entropy-alloy/support as a catalyst for reduction reactions

Control of chemical composition and incorporation of multiple metallic elements into a single metal nanoparticle (NP) in an alloyed or a phase-segregated state hold potential scientific merit; however, developing libraries of such structures using effective strategies is challenging owing to the thermodynamic immiscibility of repelling constituent metallic elements. Herein, we present a one-pot interfacial plasma-discharge-driven (IP-D) synthesis strategy for fabricating stable high-entropy-alloy (HEA) NPs exhibiting ultrasmall size on a porous support surface. Accordingly, an electric field was applied for 120 s to enhance the incorporation of multiple metallic elements (i.e., CuAgFe, CuAgNi, and CuAgNiFe) into ally HEA-NPs. Further, NPs were attached to a porous magnesium oxide surface via rapid cooling. With solar light as the sole energy input, the CuAgNiFe catalyst was investigated as a reusable and sustainable material exhibiting excellent catalytic performance (100% conversion and 99% selectivity within 1 min for a hydrogenation reaction) and consistent activity even after 20 cycles for a reduction reaction, considerably outperforming the majority of the conventional photocatalysts. Thus, the proposed strategy establishes a novel method for designing and synthesizing highly efficient and stable catalysts for the convertion of nitroarenes to anilines via chemical reduction.(c) 2023 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. and Science Press.

Automated summary

A novel one-pot interfacial plasma-discharge-driven (IP-D) synthesis strategy is developed to fabricate stable high-entropy-alloy (HEA) nanoparticles with ultrasmall size on a porous support surface. Multiple metallic elements are successfully incorporated into the HEA nanoparticles using an electric field, and the nanoparticles are attached to a porous magnesium oxide surface via rapid cooling. The CuAgNiFe catalyst shows excellent catalytic performance and consistent activity, outperforming conventional photocatalysts.