In recent years, there have been three significant pieces of research which helped propel gold catalysis research into the forefront: the discoveries that gold/silica can catalyse the hydrogenation of pentene, that gold on carbon can be used in the hydrochlorination of acetylene and that deposition-precipitation (DP) methods can be used to prepare nanogold on titania capable of enabling the oxidation of CO at very low temperatures. The synthesis of small gold particles, their characterisation and peculiar properties are considered together with their behaviour as heterogeneous catalysts for a variety of reactions. Some of the issues concerning the practical application of gold catalysts are also discussed.
Part of the book: Catalytic Application of Nano-Gold Catalysts