Microwave synthesis of supported Au and Pd nanoparticle catalysts for CO oxidation

Abstract

We report the microwave synthesis and characterization of Au and Pd nanoparticle catalysts supported on CeO 2, CuO, and ZnO nanoparticles for CO oxidation. The results indicate that supported Au/CeO 2 catalysts exhibit excellent activity for low-temperature CO oxidation. The Pd/CeO 2 catalyst shows a uniform dispersion of Pd nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution within the ceria support. A remarkable enhancement of the catalytic activity is observed and directly correlated with the change in the morphology of the supported catalyst and the efficient dispersion of the active metal on the support achieved by using capping agents during the microwave synthesis. The significance of the current method lies mainly in its simplicity, flexibility, and the control of the different factors that determine the activity of the nanoparticle catalysts. © 2005 American Chemical Society.