Synthesis of nanoporous network materials with high surface areas from the cooperative assemblage of alkyl-chain-capped metal/metal oxide nanoparticles

A simple route for the synthesis of a new class of porous metal/metal oxide nanoparticle (NP) materials such as Cu-TiO2, Au-ZrO2, Cu-ZrO2, and Au-TiO2 NPs through the cooperative assembly of presynthesis hydrophobic oleic acid (OA)-capped metal and metal oxide NPs is reported. In such a way, the synergistic interaction between metal and metal oxide NPs has gained significant interest owing to new properties that arise at the metal-metal oxide interface. Various technique including XRD, N-2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, FTIR, TEM, XPS, and catalytic test were used to monitor the physicochemical and catalytic properties of these materials. The results revealed that these porous materials exhibit homogeneous dispersion in between metal and metal oxide NPs, high surface area, and narrow interparticle pore size distribution. The catalytic properties of these metal/metal oxide NP solids (even Cu oxide NP catalysts, e.g., no noble metal catalyst) in the CO oxidation reaction are better than those of commercial noble metal catalyst (Pt/Al2O3) and the conventional metal oxide-supported Cu catalysts. Based on this synthesis approach, a variety of nanoporous multicomponent solids of both metal and metal oxide with desired proportions can be synthesized.