High-throughput activity screening and sorting of single catalyst particles with a droplet microreactor using dielectrophoresis

Anne Eva Nieuwelink; Jeroen C. Vollenbroek; Roald M. Tiggelaar; Johan G. Bomer; Albert van den Berg; Mathieu Odijk; Bert M. Weckhuysen

doi:10.1038/s41929-021-00718-7

High-throughput activity screening and sorting of single catalyst particles with a droplet microreactor using dielectrophoresis

Anne Eva Nieuwelink
, Jeroen C. Vollenbroek
, Roald M. Tiggelaar
, Johan G. Bomer
, Albert van den Berg
, Mathieu Odijk
, Bert M. Weckhuysen^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

University of Twente

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Solid catalysts are complex, multi-component materials with large interparticle heterogeneities that hamper statistically relevant in-depth catalyst characterization. Here we introduce an automated high-throughput screening and sorting method for catalyst particles. A droplet microreactor was developed for fluorescence-activated sorting of catalyst particles using dielectrophoresis. Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) particles stained with styrene derivatives were analysed with the analytical platform developed and sorted based on catalytic activity. Highly active and low-to-moderately active catalyst particles were sorted using 4-fluorostyrene or 4-methoxystyrene as probe, respectively. FCC particles were encapsulated in liquid droplets, where fluorescent FCC particles activated the dielectrophoretic sorter and were sorted within 200 ms. Post-sorting analysis of 4-fluorostyrene-stained and sorted catalyst particles was done using fluorescence microscopy and micro-X-ray fluorescence. This confirmed that the sorted particles were the least deactivated and showed the highest acidity, while non-sorted particles contained more metal poisons. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1070–1079
Journal	Nature Catalysis
Volume	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-021-00718-7
Publication status	Published - Dec 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Netherlands Center for Multiscale Catalytic Energy Conversion, an NWO gravitation programme funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the government of the Netherlands. We thank L. I. Segerink and K. Groothuis-Oudshoorn (both University of Twente, UT) for help with SPSS analysis. We thank F. Meirer (Utrecht University, UU) for scientific discussions and help regarding µXRF data analysis. We thank T. Hartman (UU) for the graphical abstract.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

Funding

This work was supported by the Netherlands Center for Multiscale Catalytic Energy Conversion, an NWO gravitation programme funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the government of the Netherlands. We thank L. I. Segerink and K. Groothuis-Oudshoorn (both University of Twente, UT) for help with SPSS analysis. We thank F. Meirer (Utrecht University, UU) for scientific discussions and help regarding µXRF data analysis. We thank T. Hartman (UU) for the graphical abstract.

Access to Document

10.1038/s41929-021-00718-7

s41929-021-00718-7Final published version, 3.98 MBLicence: Taverne

Cite this

@article{580c483341b344feb72de0810585c348,

title = "High-throughput activity screening and sorting of single catalyst particles with a droplet microreactor using dielectrophoresis",

abstract = "Solid catalysts are complex, multi-component materials with large interparticle heterogeneities that hamper statistically relevant in-depth catalyst characterization. Here we introduce an automated high-throughput screening and sorting method for catalyst particles. A droplet microreactor was developed for fluorescence-activated sorting of catalyst particles using dielectrophoresis. Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) particles stained with styrene derivatives were analysed with the analytical platform developed and sorted based on catalytic activity. Highly active and low-to-moderately active catalyst particles were sorted using 4-fluorostyrene or 4-methoxystyrene as probe, respectively. FCC particles were encapsulated in liquid droplets, where fluorescent FCC particles activated the dielectrophoretic sorter and were sorted within 200 ms. Post-sorting analysis of 4-fluorostyrene-stained and sorted catalyst particles was done using fluorescence microscopy and micro-X-ray fluorescence. This confirmed that the sorted particles were the least deactivated and showed the highest acidity, while non-sorted particles contained more metal poisons. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].",

author = "Nieuwelink, \{Anne Eva\} and Vollenbroek, \{Jeroen C.\} and Tiggelaar, \{Roald M.\} and Bomer, \{Johan G.\} and \{van den Berg\}, Albert and Mathieu Odijk and Weckhuysen, \{Bert M.\}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Netherlands Center for Multiscale Catalytic Energy Conversion, an NWO gravitation programme funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the government of the Netherlands. We thank L. I. Segerink and K. Groothuis-Oudshoorn (both University of Twente, UT) for help with SPSS analysis. We thank F. Meirer (Utrecht University, UU) for scientific discussions and help regarding µXRF data analysis. We thank T. Hartman (UU) for the graphical abstract. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.",

year = "2021",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1038/s41929-021-00718-7",

language = "English",

volume = "4",

pages = "1070{\textendash}1079",

journal = "Nature Catalysis",

issn = "2520-1158",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - High-throughput activity screening and sorting of single catalyst particles with a droplet microreactor using dielectrophoresis

AU - Nieuwelink, Anne Eva

AU - Vollenbroek, Jeroen C.

AU - Tiggelaar, Roald M.

AU - Bomer, Johan G.

AU - van den Berg, Albert

AU - Odijk, Mathieu

AU - Weckhuysen, Bert M.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Netherlands Center for Multiscale Catalytic Energy Conversion, an NWO gravitation programme funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the government of the Netherlands. We thank L. I. Segerink and K. Groothuis-Oudshoorn (both University of Twente, UT) for help with SPSS analysis. We thank F. Meirer (Utrecht University, UU) for scientific discussions and help regarding µXRF data analysis. We thank T. Hartman (UU) for the graphical abstract. Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

PY - 2021/12

Y1 - 2021/12

N2 - Solid catalysts are complex, multi-component materials with large interparticle heterogeneities that hamper statistically relevant in-depth catalyst characterization. Here we introduce an automated high-throughput screening and sorting method for catalyst particles. A droplet microreactor was developed for fluorescence-activated sorting of catalyst particles using dielectrophoresis. Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) particles stained with styrene derivatives were analysed with the analytical platform developed and sorted based on catalytic activity. Highly active and low-to-moderately active catalyst particles were sorted using 4-fluorostyrene or 4-methoxystyrene as probe, respectively. FCC particles were encapsulated in liquid droplets, where fluorescent FCC particles activated the dielectrophoretic sorter and were sorted within 200 ms. Post-sorting analysis of 4-fluorostyrene-stained and sorted catalyst particles was done using fluorescence microscopy and micro-X-ray fluorescence. This confirmed that the sorted particles were the least deactivated and showed the highest acidity, while non-sorted particles contained more metal poisons. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].

AB - Solid catalysts are complex, multi-component materials with large interparticle heterogeneities that hamper statistically relevant in-depth catalyst characterization. Here we introduce an automated high-throughput screening and sorting method for catalyst particles. A droplet microreactor was developed for fluorescence-activated sorting of catalyst particles using dielectrophoresis. Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) particles stained with styrene derivatives were analysed with the analytical platform developed and sorted based on catalytic activity. Highly active and low-to-moderately active catalyst particles were sorted using 4-fluorostyrene or 4-methoxystyrene as probe, respectively. FCC particles were encapsulated in liquid droplets, where fluorescent FCC particles activated the dielectrophoretic sorter and were sorted within 200 ms. Post-sorting analysis of 4-fluorostyrene-stained and sorted catalyst particles was done using fluorescence microscopy and micro-X-ray fluorescence. This confirmed that the sorted particles were the least deactivated and showed the highest acidity, while non-sorted particles contained more metal poisons. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85120938574

U2 - 10.1038/s41929-021-00718-7

DO - 10.1038/s41929-021-00718-7

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85120938574

SN - 2520-1158

VL - 4

SP - 1070

EP - 1079

JO - Nature Catalysis

JF - Nature Catalysis

ER -

High-throughput activity screening and sorting of single catalyst particles with a droplet microreactor using dielectrophoresis

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this