Charge Control in Model Catalysis: The Decisive Role of the Oxide-Nanoparticle Interface

In chemistry and physics the electronic charge on a species or material is one important determinant of its properties. In the present Minireview, the essential requirements for a model catalyst system suitable to study charge control are discussed. The ideal model catalyst for this purpose consists of a material system, which comprises a single crystal metal support, covered by an epitaxially grown ultrathin oxide film, and flat, two-dimensional nanoparticles residing on this film. Several examples from the literature are selected and presented, which illustrate various aspects of electron transport from the support to the nanoparticle and vice versa. Key experiments demonstrate charge control within such model catalysts and give direct evidence for a chemical reaction at the perimeter of Au nanoparticles. The concepts derived from these studies are then taken a step further to see how they may be applied for bulk powder oxide supported nanoparticles as they are frequently found in catalytically active materials.