Using gold nanoparticles for catalysis

Nanoparticulate Au catalysts are active under mild conditions, even at ambient temperature or less, and this makes them unique. They will therefore be effective in reducing running costs of chemical plants and could increase the selectivity of the reactions involved where applicable. In pollution control applications, such as air cleaning, low light-off autocatalysts, and purification of hydrogen streams used for fuel cells, they have the characteristics to become the catalysts of choice, especially now that their durability and resistance to poisons is being shown to be better than had been anticipated. Use of mixed precious metal catalysts can produce even higher activities than the use of Au alone.