Metallurgy in a beaker: nanoparticle toolkit for the rapid low-temperature solution synthesis of functional multimetallic solid-state materials

Intermetallic compounds and alloys are traditionally synthesized by heating mixtures of metal powders to high temperatures for long periods of time. A low-temperature solution-based alternative has been developed, and this strategy exploits the enhanced reactivity of nanoparticles and the nanometer diffusion distances afforded by binary nanocomposite precursors. Prereduced metal nanoparticles are combined in known ratios, and they form nanomodulated composites that rapidly transform into intermetallics and alloys upon heating at low temperatures. The approach is general in terms of accessible compositions, structures, and morphologies. Multiple compounds in the same binary system can be readily accessed; e.g., AuCu, AuCu3, Au3Cu, and the AuCu-II superlattice are all accessible in the Au-Cu system. This concept can be extended to other binary systems, including the intermetallics FePt3, CoPt, CuPt, and Cu3Pt and the alloys Ag-Pt, Au-Pd, and Ni-Pt. The ternary intermetallic Ag2Pd3S can also be rapidly synthesized at low temperatures from a nanocomposite precursor comprised of Ag2S and Pd nanoparticles. Using this low-temperature solution-based approach, a variety of morphologically diverse nanomaterials are accessible: surface-confined thin films (planar and nonplanar supports), free-standing monoliths, nanomesh materials, inverse opals, and dense gram-scale nanocrystalline powders of intermetallic AuCu. Importantly, the multimetallic materials synthesized using this approach are functional, yielding a room-temperature Fe-Pt ferromagnet, a superconducting sample of Ag2Pd3S (Tc = 1.10 K), and a AuPd4 alloy that selectively catalyzes the formation of H2O2 from H2 and O2. Such flexibility in the synthesis and processing of functional intermetallic and alloy materials is unprecedented.     

PtSn/Al2O3/MCM-41催化剂的丙烷脱氢催化性能

用微型催化反应装置评价, 并结合X射线粉末衍射(XRD)、表面积和孔结构测试、程序升温还原(TPR)、氢化学吸附和热重分析等方法研究了负载型PtSn/γ-Al2O3, PtSn/MCM-41和PtSn/Al2O3/MCM-41催化剂的丙烷脱氢反应催化性能. 发现PtSn/Al2O3/MCM-41催化剂具有较PtSn/MCM-41催化剂高的丙烷脱氢反应活性和较PtSn/γ-Al2O3催化剂高的反应稳定性. 实验结果表明, 纯硅MCM-41载体表面的锡物种因与载体相互作用较弱故易被还原, 导致铂金属分散度和催化剂的丙烷脱氢活性较低. 用Al2O3修饰MCM-41可以增强Sn物种与Al2O3/MCM-41载体之间的相互作用, 提高PtSn/Al2O3/MCM-41催化剂铂金属分散度和丙烷脱氢催化活性. 并且, 积炭后的PtSn/Al2O3/MCM-41催化剂具有较高的铂金属表面裸露度, 故具有较高的丙烷脱氢反应稳定性. PtSn/Al2O3/MCM-41催化剂优良的丙烷脱氢催化性能可能不仅与Sn-载体Al2O3/MCM-41较强的相互作用有关, 而且与Al2O3/MCM-41载体的介孔结构有关.     

Investigation of redox properties of different PtSn/Al2O3 catalysts.

Alumina-supported Sn and PtSn particles are studied by 119Sn M?ssbauer spectroscopy after oxidation and reduction under various conditions. The observed species of Sn(IV), Sn(II) and Sn(0) are grouped in several categories, each being characterised by distinct structural properties. Tin phases in contact with the support or with platinum are identified. The results are used to establish a model describing the phase transformations occurring in PtSn particles under oxidising or reducing conditions. Particular attention is paid to the reduction/reoxidation mechanisms governing H2/O2 double titrations. An increased reactivity of tin towards oxygen, induced by the contact with platinum, is demonstrated. It is shown that tin contributes to the oxygen uptake VO1 of a first titration cycle by platinum-catalysed transformation of Sn(II) into an oxometallic phase Pt(x)Sn(O). The oxygen titre VO2 of a second cycle is due to O2 chemisorption on platinum only.     

添加锡组分对Pt/ZSM-5催化剂丙烷脱氢反应性能的影响

丙烷脱氢制丙烯是优化利用炼厂气和油田伴生气资源的一条重要途径,这方面的研究已日益引起研究者的关注[1～5].对γ-Al2O3为载体的负载型铂催化剂丙烷脱氢催化性能已进行了深入的研究.通过引入特定的助剂,可以提高负载型铂催化剂低碳烷烃脱氢选择性和稳定性[6,7].与Ce、Zn、V、La、Cr、Fe、Zr、Mn等助剂比较,Sn助剂更有利于提高催化剂丙烷脱氢的反应稳定性[8].     

直接乙醇燃料电池PtSn/C电催化剂的合成表征和性能

采用多元醇法制备了n(Pt)/n(Sn)比为2:1,3:1,4:1的PtSn/C电催化剂.通过XRD,TEM、循环伏安和氢化学吸附技术对催化剂进行了表征.TEM和XRD结果表明,不同比例的PtSn/C金属粒子的平均粒径均小于4nm,且粒径分布较窄;该系列催化剂中Pt具有fcc结构;PtSn间的相互作用使Pt晶格参数增大.循环伏安和氢化学吸附实验结果表明,加入Sn可抑制Pt对氢的吸附,Pt3Sn/C对乙醇的氧化电流比Pt4Sn/C高约1倍.用不同n(Pt)/n(Sn)比的催化剂作为直接醇类燃料电池阳极电催化剂,在相同条件下,随着Sn含量的增加,单电池最大输出功率逐渐增大,当Sn含量继续增大时,单池性能反而下降.导致不同比例PtSn催化剂活性差别的原因可能是由于Sn与Pt间的合金化程度不同和催化剂粒子尺寸效应及Sn含量对电池阻抗等几方面因素所致.对40h寿命测试前后的阳极Pt3Sn/C催化剂的分析(EnergydispersiveX-rayanalysis,EDX)结果表明,PtSn含量在测试前后均有所降低,PtSn催化剂的寿命尚有待改善.     

Synthesis of atomically ordered AuCu and AuCu(3) nanocrystals from bimetallic nanoparticle precursors

A new multistep approach was developed to synthesize atomically ordered intermetallic nanocrystals, using AuCu and AuCu(3) as model systems. Bimetallic nanoparticle aggregates are used as precursors to atomically ordered nanocrystals, both to precisely define the stoichiometry of the final product and to ensure that atomic-scale diffusion distances lower the reaction temperatures to prevent sintering. In a typical synthesis, PVP-stabilized Au-Cu nanoparticle aggregates synthesized by borohydride reduction are collected by centrifugation and annealed in powder form. At temperatures below 175 degrees C, diffusion of Cu into Au occurs, and the atomically disordered solid solution Cu(x)Au(1)(-)(x) exists. For AuCu, nucleation occurs by 200 degrees C, and atomically ordered AuCu exists between 200 and 400 degrees C. For AuCu(3), an AuCu intermediate nucleates at 200 degrees C, and further diffusion of Cu into the AuCu intermediate at 300 degrees C nucleates AuCu(3). Atomically ordered AuCu and AuCu(3) nanocrystals can be redispersed as discrete colloids in solution after annealing between 200 and 300 degrees C.     

Colloidal synthesis and structural control of PtSn bimetallic nanoparticles

PtSn bimetallic nanoparticles with different particle sizes (1-9 nm), metal compositions (Sn content of 10-80 mol %), and organic capping agents (e.g., amine, thiol, carboxylic acid and polymer) were synthesized by colloidal chemistry methods. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements show that, depending on the particle size, the as-prepared bimetallic nanocrystals have quasi-spherical or faceted shapes. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses indicate that for all samples the signals of both Pt and Sn can be detected from single nanoparticles, confirming that the products are actually bimetallic but not only a physical mixture of pure Pt and Sn metal nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements were also conducted on the bimetallic particle systems. When compared with the diffraction patterns of monometallic Pt nanoparticles, the bimetallic samples show distinct shifts of the Bragg reflections to lower degrees, which gives clear proof of the alloying of Pt with Sn. However, a quantitative analysis of the lattice parameter shifts indicates that only part of the Sn atoms are incorporated into the alloy nanocrystals. This is consistent with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements that reveal the segregation of Sn at the surfaces of the nanocrystals. Moreover, short PtSn bimetallic nanowires were synthesized by a seed-mediated growth method with amine-capped bimetallic particles as precursors. The resulting nanowires have an average width of 2.3 nm and lengths ranging from 5 to 20 nm.     

Multistep solution-mediated formation of AuCuSn2: mechanistic insights for the guided design of intermetallic solid-state materials and complex multimetal nanocrystals

Understanding how solids form is a challenging task, and few strategies allow for the elucidation of reaction pathways that are useful for designing new solids. Here, we describe an unusual multistep reaction pathway that leads to the formation of AuCuSn(2), a new ternary intermetallic compound that was discovered as nanocrystals using a low-temperature solution route. The formation of AuCuSn(2) using a modified polyol process occurs through a multistep pathway that was elucidated by taking aliquots throughout the course of the reaction and studying the products using a variety of techniques. The reaction proceeds through four distinct steps: (a) formation of Au nanoparticles at or near room temperature, mediated by a galvanic reaction between Au(3+) and Sn(2+) (forming Au(0) and Sn(4+), precipitated as SnO(2) that forms a shell around the nanoparticles), (b) formation of NiAs-type AuSn nanoparticles, along with Cu and Sn, upon addition of NaBH(4), (c) aggregation and thermal interdiffusion to form AuCu(x)Sn(y) alloy nanoparticles, and (d) nucleation of intermetallic AuCuSn(2), which has an ordered NiAs-derived structure. The proposed mechanism was tested by starting the reaction with the AuSn intermediate. AuSn nanoparticles were synthesized separately and reacted with Cu and Sn nanoparticles, and ordered AuCuSn(2) formed as expected. Elucidation of this reaction pathway has important implications for guiding the design of new intermetallic solids, as well as for controlling the synthesis of complex multimetal nanocrystals.     

Platinum-Tin/Tin Oxide/CNT Catalysts for High-Performance Electrocatalytic Ethanol Oxidation

Ethanol is a promising liquid clean energy source in the energy conversion field. However, the self-poisoning caused by the strongly adsorbed reaction intermediates (typically, CO) is a critical problem in ethanol oxidation reaction. To address this issue, we proposed a joint use of two strategies, alloying of Pt with other metals and building Pt/metal-oxide interfaces, to achieve high-performance electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation. For this, a well-designed synthetic route combining wet impregnation with a two-step thermal treatment process was established to construct PtSn/SnO_x interfaces on carbon nanotubes. Using this route, the alloying of Pt−Sn and formation of PtSn−SnO_x interfaces can simultaneously be achieved, and the coverage of SnO_x thin films on PtSn alloy nanoparticles can be facilely tuned by the strong interaction between Pt and SnO_x. The results revealed that the partial coverage of SnO_x species not only retained the active sites, but also enhanced the CO anti-poisoning ability of the catalyst. Consequently, the H−PtSn/SnO_x/CNT-2 catalyst with an optimized PtSn−SnO_x interface showed significantly improved performances toward the ethanol oxidation reaction (825 mA mg_Pt⁻¹). This study provides deep insights into the structure-performance relationship of PtSn/metal oxide composite catalysts, which would be helpful for the future design and fabrication of high-performance Pt-based ethanol oxidation reaction catalysts.     

添加碱土金属对负载型铂锡催化剂长链烷烃脱氢反应性能的影响

用微型催化反应装置结合吡啶吸附 红外光谱、热重、氢化学吸附和程序升温等还原手段,研究了添加碱土金属离子助剂对负载型PtSn/γ-Al2O3催化剂长链烷烃(C10~13)脱氢反应性能的影响。结果表明,碱土金属助剂的引入可以降低催化剂积炭量、提高催化剂铂金属表面裸露度,从而提高催化剂脱氢反应稳定性。但强碱性的碱土金属助剂如Ba2+的引入增强了锡与载体之间的相互作用,减弱了锡与铂之间的相互作用, 导致反应后催化剂铂金属表面裸露度下降,故PtSnBa/γ-Al2O3催化剂脱氢活性较低。     

Theoretical evidence of PtSn alloy efficiency for CO oxidation

The efficiency of PtSn alloy surfaces toward CO oxidation is demonstrated from first-principles theory. Oxidation kinetics based on atomistic density-functional theory calculations shows that the Pt3Sn surface alloy exhibits a promising catalytic activity for fuel cells. At room temperature, the corresponding rate outstrips the activity of Pt(111) by several orders of magnitude. According to the oxidation pathways, the activation barriers are actually lower on Pt3Sn(111) and Pt3Sn/Pt(111) surfaces than on Pt(111). A generalization of Hammer's model is proposed to elucidate the key role of tin on the lowering of the barriers. Among the energy contributions, a correlation is evidenced between the decrease of the barrier and the strengthening of the attractive interaction energy between CO and O moieties. The presence of tin modifies also the symmetry of the transition states which are composed of a CO adsorbate on a Pt near-top position and an atomic O adsorption on an asymmetric mixed PtSn bridge site. Along the reaction pathways, a CO2 chemisorbed surface intermediate is obtained on all the surfaces. These results are supported by a thorough vibrational analysis including the coupling with the surface phonons which reveals the existence of a stretching frequency between the metal substrate and the CO2 molecule.     

Shape-controlled conversion of beta-Sn nanocrystals into intermetallic M-Sn (M=Fe, Co, Ni, Pd) nanocrystals

The ability to control the shape of metal nanocrystals is critical to applications such as catalysis, magnetism, and plasmonics. Despite significant advances in controlling the shapes of single-metal nanocrystals, rigorous shape control of multimetal nanocrystals remains challenging, and has been limited largely to alloy systems of similar metals. Here we describe a robust strategy that produces shape-controlled intermetallic nanocrystals involving elements of notably different reduction potentials, reduction kinetics, and reactivity. The approach utilizes shape- and size-controlled beta-Sn nanocrystals as reactive templates that can be converted into binary M-Sn (M=Fe, Co, Ni, Pd) intermetallic compounds by reaction with appropriate metal salt solutions under reducing conditions. The result, demonstrated in detail for the FeSn2 system, is a variety of nanostructures with morphologies that include spheres, cubes, hollow squares, U-shaped structures, nanorods, and nanorod dimers. Our experiments demonstrate a size- and shape-dependent reactivity toward the formation of hollow FeSn2 nanostructures and provide empirical guidelines for the formation of other intermetallic nanocrystals. In addition to those of FeSn2, nanocrystals of intermetallic PdSn, CoSn3, and NiSn3 can be formed using this same chemical conversion strategy.     

Promotion of PtRu/C anode catalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction by addition of Sn modifier

PtRu/C anode electrocatalysts modified by Sn were prepared for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Their phase structures, surface species, surface compositions, and EOR activities were characterized by XRD, XPS, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), and CV, respectively. It has been found that in the PtRu/Sn_xC and PtSn/C alloy catalysts, some Sn alloyed with Pt to form Pt–Sn phase existed as the metallic state, however, the excess Sn existed as the amorphous SnO or crystalline SnO₂. Surface analyses and electrochemical measurements suggest that the surface Ru and amorphous SnO instead of the crystalline SnO₂ are important species for the promotion of EOR. As a result, compared with PtSn/C, the I₀₆ was enhanced about 200% for the PtRu/C electrocatalyst with 10 wt% of Sn modification.     

Silica‐Encapsulated Pt‐Sn Intermetallic Nanoparticles: A Robust Catalytic Platform for Parahydrogen‐Induced Polarization of Gases and Liquids

Recently, a facile method for the synthesis of size‐monodisperse Pt, Pt₃Sn, and PtSn intermetallic nanoparticles (iNPs) that are confined within a thermally robust mesoporous silica (mSiO₂) shell was introduced. These nanomaterials offer improved selectivity, activity, and stability for large‐scale catalytic applications. Here we present the first study of parahydrogen‐induced polarization NMR on these Pt‐Sn catalysts. A 3000‐fold increase in the pairwise selectivity, relative to the monometallic Pt, was observed using the PtSn@mSiO₂ catalyst. The results are explained by the elimination of the three‐fold Pt sites on the Pt(111) surface. Furthermore, Pt‐Sn iNPs are shown to be a robust catalytic platform for parahydrogen‐induced polarization for in vivo magnetic resonance imaging.     

In situ time-resolved XAFS study on the structural transformation and phase separation of Pt3Sn and PtSn alloy nanoparticles on carbon in the oxidation process

The dynamic behavior and kinetics of the structural transformation of supported bimetallic nanoparticle catalysts with synergistic functions in the oxidation process are fundamental issues to understand their unique catalytic properties as well as to regulate the catalytic capability of alloy nanoparticles. The phase separation and structural transformation of Pt(3)Sn/C and PtSn/C catalysts during the oxidation process were characterized by in situ time-resolved energy-dispersive XAFS (DXAFS) and quick XAFS (QXAFS) techniques, which are element-selective spectroscopies, at the Pt L(III)-edge and the Sn K-edge. The time-resolved XAFS techniques provided the kinetics of the change in structures and oxidation states of the bimetallic nanoparticles on carbon surfaces. The kinetic parameters and mechanisms for the oxidation of the Pt(3)Sn/C and PtSn/C catalysts were determined by time-resolved XAFS techniques. The oxidation of Pt to PtO in Pt(3)Sn/C proceeded via two successive processes, while the oxidation of Sn to SnO(2) in Pt(3)Sn/C proceeded as a one step process. The rate constant for the fast Pt oxidation, which was completed in 3 s at 573 K, was the same as that for the Sn oxidation, and the following slow Pt oxidation rate was one fifth of that for the first Pt oxidation process. The rate constant and activation energy for the Sn oxidation in PtSn/C were similar to those for the Sn oxidation in Pt(3)Sn/C. In the PtSn/C, however, it was hard for Pt oxidation to PtO to proceed at 573 K, where Pt oxidation was strongly affected by the quantity of Sn in the alloy nanoparticles due to swift segregation of SnO(2) nanoparticles/layers on the Pt nanoparticles. The mechanisms for the phase separation and structure transformation in the Pt(3)Sn/C and PtSn/C catalysts are also discussed on the basis of the structural kinetics of the catalysts themselves determined by the in situ time-resolved DXAFS and QXAFS.     

Cluster growth and fragmentation in the highly fluxional platinum derivatives of Sn9 4-: synthesis, characterization, and solution dynamics of Pt2@Sn17 4- and Pt@Sn9H 3-

Sn94- reacts with Pt(PPh3)4 in ethylenediamine/toluene solvent mixtures in the presence of 2,2,2-cryptand to give four different complexes: "Rudolph's complex" of proposed formula [Sn9Pt(PPh3)x]4- (2), the previously reported [Pt@Sn9Pt(PPh3)]2- ion (3), and the title complexes Pt2@Sn174- (4) and Pt@Sn9H3- (5). The use of Pt(norbornene)3 instead of Pt(PPh3)4 gives complex 4 exclusively. The structure of 4 contains two Pt atoms centered in a capsule-shaped Sn17 cage. The complex is highly dynamic in solution showing single, mutually coupled 119Sn and 195Pt NMR resonances indicative of an intramolecular liquidlike dynamic exchange process. Complex 5 has been characterized by selectively decoupled 1H, 119Sn, and 195Pt NMR experiments and shows similar liquidlike fluxionality. In addition, the H atom scrambles across the cage showing small couplings to both Sn and Pt atoms. Neither 3 nor 4 obeys Wades rules; they adopt structures more akin to the subunits in alloys such as PtSn4. The structural and chemical relevance to supported PtSn4 heterogeneous catalysts is discussed.     

B修饰的ZrO2及其制备p H值对PtSn/B-ZrO2丙烷脱氢反应性能的影响（英文）

丙烯作为一种重要的石油化工基础原料,传统上是从石脑油蒸汽裂解或催化裂化过程中作为副产物生产的.随着原油的枯竭和页岩气开发技术的成熟,通过乙烷蒸汽裂解制备乙烯更具吸引力并已得到广泛的工业应用,但该路线乙烯选择性高,而副产物丙烯数量有限.为满足不断增加的丙烯需求量,利用油田气和页岩气中低附加值的丙烷为原料,将其直接脱氢制丙烯(PDH)具有重要的现实意义.目前已开发成功的PDH技术采用的催化剂主要为负载PtSn型催化剂和Cr基催化剂.其中,Pt基催化剂较Cr基催化剂更加环境友好,因此得到了更广泛的应用.由于Pt元素的昂贵和稀有,制备低Pt含量和良好性能的催化剂极具吸引力.UOP Oleflex工艺开发的最新一代催化剂DEH-16仅含有0.3 wt%Pt,相对于前一代催化剂Pt含量降低30%.然而,许多文献报道,随着Pt含量的降低,催化剂的稳定性很容易恶化,降低Pt含量并保持催化剂性能仍具有一定的挑战.研究表明,含有更多Lewis酸性位点和更少Bronsted酸位点的催化剂显示出较好的丙烷脱氢活性和丙烯选择性.此外,源自缺陷位或配位不饱和位的Lewis酸性位也可为负载的金属颗粒提供锚定位点.BASF对ZrO2作为载体的丙烷脱氢催化剂进行了广泛研究,但其催化剂尚未完全商业化.有文献报道,ZrO2负载的PtSn催化剂在脱氢反应中的稳定性较差.将元素硼(B)加入到ZrO2中可以极大地抑制Bronsted酸性而提高Lewis酸量和酸强度,因此我们推测含有适量配位不饱和Zr位点的ZrO2作为PtSn丙烷脱氢催化剂载体可能具有优异的性能.载体的合成pH值对催化剂PDH性能也会有影响.然而,目前还没有硼改性的ZrO2(B-ZrO2)合成pH值对PDH催化性能影响的研究.本文研究了B-ZrO2的合成pH值(9,10和11)对PtSn/B-ZrO2在丙烷脱氢反应中催化性能的影响.Py-IR结果表明各pH值下合成的B-ZrO2均只有Lewis酸,NH3-TPD结果则表明B-ZrO2的Lewis酸量和强度随合成pH值的增加而增加.XPS结果显示,载体对Pt和Sn电子性质的影响不容忽视.由于OSC与CO氧化活性之间没有线性关系,因此Pt和Sn之间的相互作用程度在CO氧化反应中可能起主要作用,并有如下递增趋势:PtSn/B-ZrO2-9相似文献   

High stability three-dimensional porous PtSn nano-catalyst for ethanol electro-oxidation reaction

In addition to the theoretical research, direct ethanol fuel cells have great potential in practical applications. The performance of direct ethanol fuel cells largely depends on the electrocatalysts. Pt-based electrocatalysts have been promising candidates for advancing direct ethanol fuel cells for its high catalytic activity and great durability. Here, a PtSn catalyst with unique three-dimensional porous nanostructure has been designed and synthesized via a two-step liquid phase reduction reaction. Sn formed a self-supporting framework in PtSn alloy particles (∼3.5 nm). In ethanol electro-oxidation reaction, the PtSn catalyst exhibited high mass activity and excellent recycling time compared with that of Pt/C. After the morphology characterization before and after potential cycling, the PtSn alloy-based nano-catalyst showed good stability. The PtSn catalysts effectively avoid structural instability due to the external carriers, and prolong the leaching time of Sn. In addition, the introduction of a certain amount of Sn can also solve the poisoning phenomenon of active sites on Pt surface. The design strategy of porous alloy nano-catalyst sheds light on its applications in direct ethanol fuel cells.     

水蒸汽对PtSn／Al2O3催化剂结构及反应性能的影响

比较研究了Ａｌ２Ｏ３负载的铂及ＰｔＳｎ催化剂在氮气及水蒸汽稀释条件下的丙烷脱氢性能,并利用ＸＰＳ及氢脉冲吸附对催化剂进行了表征。结果表明,水蒸汽可促使Ｐｔ／Ａｌ２Ｏ３催化剂的铂晶粒烧结。与在氮气氛中相比,在水蒸汽存在下反应显著提高了Ｐｔ／Ａｌ２Ｏ３的丙烷转化率,却降低了丙烯的选择性。另一方面,水蒸汽可调变ＰｔＳｎ／Ａｌ２Ｏ３催化剂的结构,破坏了ＰｔＳｎ／Ａｌ２Ｏ３中与锡相互作用的铂簇团结构。从而导     

Synthesis of silica supported AuCu nanoparticle catalysts and the effects of pretreatment conditions for the CO oxidation reaction

Supported gold nanoparticles have generated an immense interest in the field of catalysis due to their extremely high reactivity and selectivity. Recently, alloy nanoparticles of gold have received a lot of attention due to their enhanced catalytic properties. Here we report the synthesis of silica supported AuCu nanoparticles through the conversion of supported Au nanoparticles in a solution of Cu(C(2)H(3)O(2))(2) at 300 °C. The AuCu alloy structure was confirmed through powder XRD (which indicated a weakly ordered alloy phase), XANES, and EXAFS. It was also shown that heating the AuCu/SiO(2) in an O(2) atmosphere segregated the catalyst into a Au-CuO(x) heterostructure between 150 °C to 240 °C. Heating the catalyst in H(2) at 300 °C reduced the CuO(x) back to Cu(0) to reform the AuCu alloy phase. It was found that the AuCu/SiO(2) catalysts were inactive for CO oxidation. However, various pretreatment conditions were required to form a highly active and stable Au-CuO(x)/SiO(2) catalyst to achieve 100% CO conversion below room-temperature. This is explained by the in situ FTIR result, which shows that CO molecules can be chemisorbed and activated only on the Au-CuO(x)/SiO(2) catalyst but not on the AuCu/SiO(2) catalyst.