Probing of hydride phase formation of Pd nanoclusters embedded in the NH2-UiO-66 metal-organic framework

With this proposal, we would like to investigate a material that could be used as a catalyst for hydrogenation reactions. A catalyst acts to increase the rate of a reaction by providing an alternative route that requires a lower energy input. A hydrogenation reaction is one that occurs between molecular hydrogen and another chemical. Various metals can be used to catalyse these reactions and hydrogen can interact with them to form two different phases when interacting with the material. The role of these phases in hydrogenation reactions is highly debated. We have made a material containing palladium metal particles on the nanoscale. In order to fully understand this material and the process by which it acts as a catalyst for hydrogenation reactions we need access to neutron spectroscopy to investigate the way in which hydrogen interacts with the palladium clusters.