Robotics-assisted high-throughput catalytic investigation of PVP nanoparticles in the oxidation of morin

BACKGROUND: Conventional methods used to evaluate the activity of catalysts are time consuming and tedious, which only several catalysts can successfully be discovered. By employing robotics, this approach can be shorted tremendously. A robotics-assisted high-throughput system for the fast and effective catalytic evaluation of Pd- and Au-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated. RESULTS: Palladium and gold PVP NPs were synthesised by employing ethylene glycol in the polyol method. These NPs were evaluated for the oxidation of morin using a high-throughput system, including a liquid handling robot, a 96-well plate and a microplate reader. The catalyst concentration variation step for both catalysts (Pd- and Au-PVP NPs) was performed in one experiment in a 96-well plate. A concentration range, including 12 concentrations in four replicates, was investigated simultaneously. Therefore, with one experiment, the optimal concentration of both catalysts could be determined. A similar approach was followed for the concentration variation steps of morin and hydrogen peroxide at different temperatures. This was done to determine the effect of concentration on the observed rate (k_obs). CONCLUSION: The catalytic oxidative degradation of morin can be investigated in a fast and effective way by employing robotics and a high-throughput system. This system can also be applied to screen catalysts (homogeneous and heterogeneous catalyst) and the parallel synthesis of nanoparticles – particularly dendrimer-encapsulated nanoparticles.