Dispersing metal nanoclusters inside functional synthetic resins: scope and catalytic prospects

The use of functional resins as designable supports for metal nanoclusters [G. Schmid, G.L. Hornyak, Current Opinion in Solid State and Material Science 2 (1997) 204; G, Schmid, M. Baumle, M. Geerkens, I. Helm, C. Hoseman, T. Sawitowski, Chem. Sec. Rev. 28 (1999) 179; J.D. Aiken III, R.G. Finke, J. Mel. Catal. A: Chemical 145 (1999) 1] is reviewed, with emphasis on few existing brilliant industrial applications and on the relevant rationale able to boost far more extensive utilizations of these metal/resins composites. The authors' experience in the field is reviewed with regard to resin metallation procedures, to metal ion reduction protocols and to the controlled generation of metal nanoclusters. Moreover, the authors' experience in the evaluation of nanomorphological features of the polymer networks and of its accessibility to molecules of given size is outlined. Prospects in the exploitation of this type of catalysts in the selective hydrogenation processes are briefly described on the basis of results from these and other laboratories. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.