Comparative studies of gold catalysts prepared via solvated metal atom impregnation and conventional impregnation: characterization and low-temperature co oxidation

Supported Au catalysts for low-temperature CO oxidation were prepared by solvated metal atom impregnation (SMAI) and conventional impregnation (CI). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations indicated that gold in all the samples was in the metallic state. TEM and XRD measurements showed that the mean diameter of Au particles prepared by SMAI was smaller than that of those prepared by CI with the same gold content. Catalytic tests showed that SMAI catalysts had higher CO oxidation activity than CI catalysts with the same compositions. Both SMAI and CI Au/TiO₂catalysts exhibited high activities in low temperature CO oxidation. Full CO conversion was obtained at 323 K for 3.1 wt.% Au/TiO₂ (SMAI) catalyst, which displayed higher activity than the 3.1 wt.% Au/D-72(SMAI) and 3.1 wt.% Au/TiO₂(CI). Although the sizes of gold particles prepared by the same method and supported on both TiO₂ and resin were comparable, the Au/TiO₂ catalysts showed significantly higher activities than the Au/resin catalysts with the same Au contents under the same reaction conditions. These results prove that not only the gold particle size, but also the support plays a key role in CO oxidation. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.