Catalytic Oxidation Processes on Gold-Based Nanomaterials

Gold, traditionally viewed as catalytically inert in its bulk form, reveals exceptional oxidation activity when fashioned into nanostructures. At the nanoscale, gold nanoparticles, nanoporous gold and surface‐doped gold alloys engage reactant molecules via unique electronic and geometric features. Key oxidation processes include the low‐temperature conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, the selective partial oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes or esters and the oxidative dehydrogenation of primary alcohols. Nanoporous gold, characterised by a sponge‐like ligament network, combines high surface area with intrinsic silver residues to create active Au–AgO surface clusters that self‐activate under reaction conditions. Supported gold nanoparticles benefit from metal–support interactions, while step edges and low‐coordinated sites on flat surfaces enhance reactant binding and steer selectivity. Water and surface‐adsorbed intermediates often modulate oxygen activation and govern reaction kinetics. These systems promise energy‐efficient routes to fine chemicals, environmental remediation through vehicle‐exhaust treatment and sustainable oxidations under mild conditions. A deeper understanding of atomic‐scale dynamics, adsorbate‐induced restructuring and the role of ancillary species is driving the rational design of gold‐based heterogeneous catalysts with tunable activity, selectivity and long‐term stability.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have revealed that nanoporous gold exhibits dynamic surface restructuring under oxidative environments, enabling ambient‐temperature carbon monoxide oxidation through self‐activating Au–AgO surface clusters. Atomically resolved environmental transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that residual silver and oxygen collaboratively form active sites on low‐index facets, unifying the mechanistic picture of supported nanoparticles and nanoporous catalysts. In a complementary approach, adsorption of carboxylate species on stepped gold surfaces was shown to drive massive atomic rearrangement; weak van der Waals interactions among adsorbates trigger surface diffusion and facet realignment, altering the distribution of active sites and thereby modulating oxidation reactivity.

Catalytic Oxidation Processes on Gold-Based Nanomaterials publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in catalytic oxidation processes on gold-based nanomaterials across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Nanoporous gold (NPG): A high‐surface‐area gold network with nanoscale ligaments and residual silver, active for low‐temperature oxidation.

Oxidative dehydrogenation: A catalytic process in which alcohols lose hydrogen atoms and form oxidised products under an oxygen atmosphere.

Low‐coordinated sites: Surface atoms at edges or corners with fewer neighbouring atoms, often exhibiting enhanced catalytic activity.

Surface clusters: Nanoscale groupings of metal and adsorbate atoms that serve as the fundamental active units in heterogeneous catalysis.

Microflow reactor: A continuous‐flow microstructured device enabling precise control of reaction parameters and in situ analysis of catalysts.

References

1. Oxidative dehydrogenation of alcohols on gold: An experimental and computational study on the role of water and the alcohol chain length. Journal of Catalysis (2023).
2. Online coupling of a catalytic continuous microflow reactor to mass spectrometry. Talanta (2023).
3. Self-activated surface dynamics in gold catalysts under reaction environments. Nature Communications (2018).
4. Self-assembly of acetate adsorbates drives atomic rearrangement on the Au(110) surface. Nature Communications (2016).
5. Partial Oxidation of Methanol on Gold: How Selectivity Is Steered by Low-Coordinated Sites. ACS Catalysis (2024).