• Develop a catalytic device with a unique assembly structure, comprising a substrate, a film with active, passive, and catalytic materials, where the active material supports the catalytic material and the passive material acts as a bridge between them.
• Explore various substrate materials, including ceramic, semiconductor, and organic/inorganic crystals, to optimize the device’s properties, such as electrical conductivity and structural integrity.
• Implement a fabrication method involving thermal treatments and deposition techniques like sputtering or PVD/CVD to create a patterned assembly film, potentially in a nano-ribbon structure, with optional exposure to oxy-carbo-nitriding for enhanced performance.

Advantages

• As organic substrates are not involved, CM film is free of poisoning caused due organic substrate. For example, CO poisoning due to carbonaceous support.
• Lower strain in the CM is attributed to it being continuous and supported onto the PM/AM, resulting in longer life and stability.
• Low metal loading and effective utilization of expensive catalytic metal that are part of CM.
• Ultrathin CM film would be biocompatible.
• The assembly could be used for sensing gasses, fluids, or biological samples by measuring the change in electrical properties of the assembly.
• It could be used for methanol production from CO2.
• The catalytic device in the present invention can withstand annealing up to Tm/2, where Tm is the lowest melting point of substrate, PM, AM and CM.
• The AM and PM acts as a barrier layer against the diffusion of CM into the substrate.
• The method produces ultrathin metal film (UMF) on ceramic substrates. UMF has good adhesion to the substrate and is stable in corrosive, acidic, and alkaline environments.
• In some instances where CM films fully cover the AM, CM can be continuous and acts as a conductor as well as a catalyst.