Surface and interface control of noble metal nanocrystals for catalytic and electrocatalytic applications

Catalysis and electrocatalysis by noble metal (NM) nanomaterials is typically surface and interface-sensitive. Effective surface and interface control over NM nanomaterials provides important foundation for studies of structure-dependent catalysis which is critical to the design of NM nanocatalysts with optimized catalytic performances for practical applications. In this review, we focus on recent progress in developing wet-chemical strategies to control the surface and interfacial structures of NM nanocrystals for catalytic and electrocatalytic applications. Approaches to control the surface structures of NM nanocrystals are first summarized and demonstrated by representative examples. We then focus discussions on how to control three different interfaces (i.e., metal metal, metal oxide and metal organic interface) on the surface of NM nanocrystals. Finally, conclusions and perspectives are given to propose the challenges in catalysis-driven surface and interface control of NM nanocrystals. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.