Maximizing the Catalytic Activity of Nanoparticles through Monolayer Assembly on Nitrogen-Doped Graphene

We report a facile method for assembly of a mono-layer array of nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) and nano-particles (NPs) and the subsequent transfer of two layers onto a solid substrate (S). Using 3 nm NiPd NPs as an example, we demonstrate that NiPd-NG-Si (Si = silicon wafer) can function as a catalyst and show maximum NiPd catalysis for the hydrolysis of ammonia borane (H3NBH3, AB) with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 4896.8 h(-1) and an activation energy (Ea) of 18.8 kJmol(-1). The NiPd-NG-S catalyst is also highly active for catalyzing the transfer hydrogenation from AB to nitro compounds, leading to the green synthesis of quinazolines in water. Our assembly method can be extended to other graphene and NP catalyst materials, providing a new 2D NP catalyst platform for catalyzing multiple reactions in one pot with maximum efficiency.