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Oxide‐Supported Gold Clusters and Nanoparticles in Catalysis: A Computational Chemistry Perspective
Author(s) -
Tosoni Sergio,
Pacchioni Gianfranco
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
chemcatchem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1867-3899
pISSN - 1867-3880
DOI - 10.1002/cctc.201801082
Subject(s) - catalysis , oxide , heterogeneous catalysis , nanoparticle , nucleation , chemistry , nanotechnology , adsorption , colloidal gold , methanol , materials science , organic chemistry
This review provides an insight into the simulation of gold nanoparticles supported on oxide surfaces, with particular emphasis on the applications in heterogeneous catalysis. Some important methodological issues are firstly addressed: the polymorphism of small gold clusters, the difficulty in determining the actual charge state of adsorbed gold atoms, the relevance of long‐range dispersion and relativistic effects and the size‐effects in modelling Au nanoparticles. Then, the adsorption of Au species on oxides is addressed by comparing bulk oxides to ultrathin oxide films supported on metals. The role of defects as nucleation centres is also discussed. Finally, this review addresses the contribution from computational studies on the mechanisms involving Au‐based heterogeneous catalysts in important reactions such as the CO oxidation, the water‐gas shift reaction and the CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol.