New Strategies for the Preparation of Sinter-Resistant Metal-Nanoparticle-Based Catalysts

Supported metal nanoparticles are widely used as catalysts in the industrial production of chemicals, but still suffer from deactivation because of metal leaching and sintering at high temperature. In recent years, serious efforts have been devoted to developing new strategies for stabilizing metal nanoparticles. Recent developments for preparing sinter-resistant metal-nanoparticle catalysts via strong metal-support interactions, encapsulation with oxide or carbon layers and within mesoporous materials, and fixation in zeolite crystals, are briefly summarized. Furthermore, the current challenges and future perspectives for the preparation of highly efficient and extraordinarily stable metal-nanoparticle-based catalysts, and suggestions regarding the mechanisms involved in sinter resistance, are proposed.