# US 11,027,258 B2 · Copper nanoparticle-titania composite nanoarchitectures

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- Number: US 11,027,258 B2
- Document ID: US11027258B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/472,782
- Filed: 2017-03-29
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-29
- Assignees: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
- Applicants: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
- Inventors: Jeremy J. Pietron; Paul A. Desario; Debra R. Rolison; Todd H. Brintlinger; Rhonda Michele Stroud
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027258B2

## CPC

- B01J 23/72: Copper
- B01J 21/063: {Titanium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof}
- B01J 35/39: Photocatalytic properties
- B01J 35/393: {Metal or metal oxide crystallite size}
- B01J 35/45: Nanoparticles
- B01J 35/647: {2-50 nm}
- B01J 37/0072: {Preparation of particles, e.g. dispersion of droplets in an oil bath}
- B01J 37/0215: {Coating}
- B01J 37/344: {of electromagnetic wave energy}
- C01B 3/042: Decomposition of water (by electrolysis of water C25B1/04)
- C01B 3/10: by reaction of water vapour with metals
- C01B 13/0207: {Water}
- C07B 33/00: Oxidation in general
- C07D 301/03: by oxidation of unsaturated compounds, or of mixtures of unsaturated and saturated compounds
- B01J 2235/00: Indexing scheme associated with group B01J35/00, related to the analysis techniques used to determine the catalysts form or properties
- B01J 2235/15: X-ray diffraction
- B01J 2235/30: Scanning electron microscopy; Transmission electron microscopy
- Y02E 60/36: Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- C07B: GENERAL METHODS OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; APPARATUS THEREFOR (preparation of carboxylic acid esters by telomerisation C07C67/47; telomerisation C08F)
- C07D: HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS (macromolecular compounds C08)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A composition having: titania aerogel having titania nanoparticles and copper nanoparticles. Each of the copper nanoparticles is in contact with more than one of the titania nanoparticles. A method of: providing a titania aerogel, and forming or depositing copper nanoparticles onto the surface of the titania aerogel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A composition comprising:
titania aerogel comprising titania nanoparticles;
wherein the aerogel has a continuous mesoporous network; and
catalytic nanoparticles comprising metallic copper;
wherein the catalytic nanoparticles are distributed throughout the titania aerogel; and
wherein each of the catalytic nanoparticles is in contact with more than one of the titania nanoparticles.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the catalytic nanoparticles comprise less than 15 wt % copper oxide.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the catalytic nanoparticles are free of stabilizing ligands.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is made by a method comprising:
providing the titania aerogel;
forming or depositing the catalytic nanoparticles onto the titania aerogel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The composition of claim 4, wherein the catalytic nanoparticles are formed by photodeposition.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the titania nanoparticles are 10-15 nm in size.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A method comprising:
providing the composition of claim 1;
performing a surface plasmon resonance-driven reaction on the composition.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the reaction is oxidation of an alcohol.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the reaction is oxidation of methanol.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the reaction is oxidation of water.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the reaction is oxidation of ethylene or propene.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A method comprising:
providing the composition of claim 1;
performing a catalyzed reaction on the composition.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the reaction is oxidation of ethylene or propene.

### Claim 14

A method comprising:
providing a titania aerogel comprising titania nanoparticles;
wherein the aerogel has a continuous mesoporous network; and
forming or depositing catalytic nanoparticles comprising metallic copper onto the titania aerogel;
wherein the catalytic nanoparticles are distributed throughout the titania aerogel; and
wherein each of the catalytic nanoparticles is in contact with more than one of the titania nanoparticles.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the catalytic nanoparticles are formed by photodeposition.