Electrochemistry Communications (Jun 2019)

Efficient ethanol oxidation by hemoglobin-capped gold nanoclusters: The critical role of Fe in the heme group as an oxophilic metal active site

  • Morteza Sarparast,
  • Fatemeh Molaabasi,
  • Reza Ghazfar,
  • Mona Maleka Ashtiani,
  • Mohammad Balooch Qarai,
  • Avat (Arman) Taherpour,
  • Saeed Pourjafari Amyab,
  • Mojtaba Shamsipur

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 103
pp. 42 – 47

Abstract

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Hemoglobin (Hb)-capped gold nanoclusters (Hb/AuNCs) are synthesized, characterized and introduced as durable and high-performance ethanol oxidation electrocatalysts with superior mass and specific activities. The experimental results and computational analysis suggest that the key reasons for the excellent catalytic activity of Hb/AuNCs are: (i) Fe atoms in the heme group of Hb acting as oxophilic metal active centers, via metal–metal bond formation with the AuNCs and (ii) the presence of a protein shell effectively hindering the Ostwald ripening and aggregation of AuNCs. Keywords: Hemoglobin capped gold nanocluster, Synthesis and characterization, Excellent catalytic property, Direct alcohol fuel cell, High performance ethanol oxidation