Yolk‐Shell Gold Nanoparticles as Model Materials for Support‐Effect Studies in Heterogeneous Catalysis: Au, @C and Au, @ZrO 2 for CO Oxidation as an Example

Abstract

Gold yolk-shell materials have been synthesized and used as model catalysts for the investigation of support effect in CO oxidation. The catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles of ca. 14 nm has been studied using carbon as inert support, and compared with an equivalent material using zirconia as support. The strong positive effect of metal oxides like zirconia on the activity of gold has been proved. Additionally, size effects were also investigated using carbon as support in order to discriminate only the contribution of the nanoparticle size on the catalytic activity of gold. Therefore,gold nanoparticles of 7 nm were studied showing a less pronounced positive effect on the activity than the metal oxides effect.