Catalyst discovery through megalibraries of nanomaterials

Abstract

Significance Discovering new materials is traditionally a slow process, as the materials genome encompasses a massive parameter space, particularly on the nanoscale where synthesis methods are less universal. To overcome this challenge, a cantilever-free lithography method has been used to deposit millions of discrete nanoreactors on a substrate, which can be transformed into millions of nanoparticles spatially encoded in terms of composition and size. These compositions were screened for their ability to catalytically grow carbon nanotubes, and a composition (Au 3 Cu) was identified as optimum for this application. More generally, this combinatorial method of synthesizing nanoparticle megalibraries offers researchers a platform for identifying structures with desired properties at a rate not previously possible.