Supported monodisperse Pt nanoparticles from [Pt3(CO)3(μ2-CO)3]52- clusters for investigating support-Pt interface effect in catalysis

Here we present a surfactant-free strategy to prepare supported monodisperse Pt nanoparticles from molecular [Pt-3(CO)(3)(mu(2)-CO)(3)](5)(2-) clusters. The strategy allows facile deposition of same-sized Pt nanoparticles on various oxide supports to unambiguously study the interface effect between noble metal and metal oxide in catalysis. In this study, Fe2O3 is demonstrated to be a superior support over TiO2, CeO2 and SiO2 to prepare highly active supported Pt nanoparticles for CO oxidation, which indicates that the interfaces between Pt and iron oxide are the active sites for O-2 activation and CO oxidation.