Reversible Growth of Gold Nanoparticles in the Low-Temperature Water-Gas Shift Reaction.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 36007153.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1021/acsnano.2c06504 and PMC identifier 9527796.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Supported gold nanoparticles are widely studied catalysts and are among the most active known for the low-temperature water-gas shift reaction, which is essential in fuel and energy applications, but their practical application has been limited by their poor thermal stability. The catalysts deactivate on-stream via the growth of small Au nanoparticles. Using operando X-ray absorption and in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy, we report direct evidence that this process can be reversed by carrying out a facile oxidative treatment, which redisperses the gold nanoparticles and restores catalytic activity. The use of <i>in situ</i> methods reveals the complex dynamics of supported gold nanoparticles under reaction conditions and demonstrates that gold catalysts can be easily regenerated, expanding their scope for practical application.