This is a Minority Research Initiation (MRI) planning grant to investigate the behavior of bimetallic catalysts bound to an inert carrier in the absorption and reaction of nitrogen in industrial fixation. Answers to the following questions will be asked: 1. Will additional of a second metal to monometallic catalysts promote or inhibit nitrogen reduction to ammonia? 2. How are the nitrogen binding sites affected by the second metal? 3. How does nitrogen bind to these sites? 4. Does nitrogen exhibit preferential absorption on one of the metals? 5. How does hydrogen absorption influence nitrogen activation? The PI plans to do the following during the planning period: 1. The construction and testing of a catalyst evaluation apparatus. 2. The synthesis of bimetallic cluster compounds to be used as catalysts precursors. 3. Preliminary studies of the heterogenous catalytic behavior of bimetallic catalysts for nitrogen reduction to ammonia. 4. A literature survey for methods applicable to the synthesis and characterization of dinitrogen containing bimetallic cluster compounds. 5. Interaction with senior scientists and the National Science Foundation regarding the proposal preparation process.
