State of gold on an Au/Al2O3 catalyst subjected to different pre-treatments: An FTIR study

Surface chemistry of group IB metals and related oxides

Catalytic surface chemistry of IB metals are reviewed with an attempt to bridge model catalysts and powder catalysts.

Nanogold supported on manganese oxide doped alumina microspheres as a highly active and selective catalyst for CO oxidation in a H2-rich stream

The exceptionally high catalytic activity for CO-PROX reaction is due to the Au–support interaction and the unique reducibility of the support.

Promoting effects of ceria on the catalytic performance of gold supported on TiO2 for low-temperature CO oxidation

Doping with Ce enhanced the Au–support synergy and modified the active sites. The effortless decomposition of carbonates and quick recovery of oxygen vacancies on the Au/CeO₂–TiO₂ surface may be responsible for its high stability.

Insights into the oxidation and decomposition of CO on Au/alpha-Fe2O3 and on alpha-Fe2O3 by coupled TG-FTIR

CO oxidation and decomposition behaviors over nanosized 3% Au/alpha-Fe2O3 catalyst and over the alpha-Fe2O3 support were studied in situ via thermogravimetry coupled to on-line FTIR spectroscopy (TG-FTIR), which was used to obtain temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) curves and evolved gas analysis. The catalyst was prepared by a sonication-assisted Au colloid based method and had a Au particle size in the range of 2-5 nm. Carburization studies of H 2-prereduced samples were also made in CO gas. According to gravimetry, for the 3% Au/alpha-Fe2O3 catalyst, there were three distinct stages of CO interaction with the Au catalyst but only two stages for the catalyst support. At low temperatures (<or=100 degrees C), only the Au catalyst had a rapid weight loss, which confirmed that CO reacted with highly active absorbed oxygen species and/or OH species which were associated with and promoted by the Au nanoparticles. Around 300 degrees C, both the catalyst and support samples experienced the reduction of Fe2O3 to Fe3O4, while above 400 degrees C further reduction to FeO and Fe metal took place. Au played no part in the kinetics of Fe3O4 formation because lattice O mobility was rate-limiting. At higher temperature where Fe3O4 was further reduced to FeO and Fe 0, the initially formed metallic Fe 0 nuclei could decompose CO molecules and release O species. Both this coproduced O species and the lattice oxygen could react with CO molecules. Thus, the CO oxidation was not limited by the mobility of lattice oxygen, and the catalytic function of Au was revealed again. Carburization of metallic Fe, created by prereduction in H 2, revealed a distinct weight gain at 350 degrees C corresponding to Fe 3C formation, as subsequently confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Sustained carbon deposition ensued at 450 degrees C. In the cases of the 3% Au/gamma-Al 2O 3 and Au/ZrO 2 catalysts prepared by the same method, however, after exposure to CO in the same temperature range, no carbon deposit was observed, indicating that although Au nanoparticles could activate the absorbed oxygen molecules at low temperatures, they were not able to activate the lattice oxygen in the three catalyst supports or to dissociate the CO molecules directly.

Catalysis by gold dispersed on supports: the importance of cationic gold

There are many examples of catalysis in solution by cationic complexes of gold, and recent results, reviewed here in this critical review, demonstrate that cationic gold species on oxide and zeolite supports are also catalytically active, for reactions including ethylene hydrogenation and CO oxidation. The catalytically active gold species on supports are evidently not restricted to isolated mononuclear gold complexes, but include gold clusters, which for at least some reactions are more active than the mononuclear complexes and for some reactions less active. Fundamental questions remain about the nature of cationic gold in supported catalysts, such as the nature of the cationic gold clusters and the nature of gold atoms at metal-support interfaces (88 references).

Formation of Nonclassical Carbonyls of Au3+ in Zeolite NaY: Characterization by Infrared Spectroscopy

Adsorption of CO on gold supported in zeolite NaY at 85 K led to the formation of (i) various carbonyls and isocarbonyls typical of the zeolite and (ii) carbonyls formed at cationic gold sites (observed in the 2186-2171 cm(-1) region). Analysis of the behavior of the bands allows their assignment to carbonyls of Au(3+) ions. At temperatures higher than 220 K, CO adsorption led to the formation of a new type of Au(3+)-CO species (2207 cm(-1)). Once formed, these complexes could be transformed into the dicarbonyls Au(3+)(CO)(2) when the sample was cooled to 85 K in the presence of CO. The results are explained by migration of Au(3+) ions to more accessible positions within the zeolite at increasing temperatures. When a CO molecule is already adsorbed, it stabilizes the Au(3+) ion in the new position, and a second CO molecule can be coordinated, thus forming a geminal species. These results are the first evidence of Au(3+)(CO)(2) complexes.