title: Nanoscale magnetic stirring bars for heterogeneous catalysis in microscopic systems.
abstract: Nanometer-sized magnetic stirring bars containing Pd nanoparticles (denoted as Fe3 O4 -NC-PZS-Pd) for heterogeneous catalysis in microscopic system were prepared through a facile two-step process. In the hydrogenation of styrene, Fe3 O4 -NC-PZS-Pd showed an activity similar to that of the commercial Pd/C catalyst, but much better stability. In microscopic catalytic systems, Fe3 O4 -NC-PZS-Pd can effectively stir the reaction solution within microdrops to accelerate mass transfer, and displays far better catalytic activity than the commercial Pd/C for the hydrogenation of methylene blue in an array of microdroplets. These results suggested that the Fe3 O4 -NC-PZS-Pd could be used as nanoscale stirring bars in nanoreactors.
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructures and Nanotechnology, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing (China).
authors.forename: Shuliang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Changyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Yongbin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Peipei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Fangfang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Weiguo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Song
keywords: heterogeneous catalysis; magnetic stirring bars; microscopic systems; nanoparticles