Atomic Layer Deposition of Gold Nanoparticles with Controlled Size and Distribution on Titania Support

• Published in: ChemNanoMat : chemistry of nanomaterials for energy, biology and more biology and more, 2022-07, Vol.8 (7), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Xie, Huichen, Li, Zheng, Zhu, Jian, Li, Can
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: atomic layer deposition; H2 evolution reaction; nanoparticles; photocatalysis; size and distribution
• ISSN: 2199-692X; 2199-692X
• DOI: 10.1002/cnma.202200116

Nano‐sized gold particles have shown unique merits in the field of catalysis, sensing and imaging, whereas their controllable synthesis with sub‐nanometer size and narrow distribution on a support still remains a challenge. Herein, we developed a facile and controllable process of atomic layer deposition (ALD) using dimethyl(acetylacetonate)gold (Me2Au(acac)) and ozone as the precursor reactants to directly synthesize ultrafine Au nanoparticles on titania support. The size of Au nanoparticles could be precisely controlled via the modulation of depositing temperature and the counter reactant. Additionally, the dispersion of Au nanoparticles on the support is decreased by pre‐calcining TiO2 in air, which is due to the decreased surface hydroxyls concentration on support, leading to less adsorption sites of gold precursor. Moreover, we demonstrated that Au nanoparticles prepared by this method on TiO2 could function as an effective co‐catalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. Ultrafine Au nanoparticles with a narrowly distributed size were synthesized on TiO2 by ALD using Me2Au(acac) and ozone as the precursor reactants.