Creation of Novel Catalytic Functions by Nanoparticulation of Gold

Gold was regarded as an inactive element for longer than a century. however, it exhibited unique catalytic properties when deposited on base metal oxides as nanoparticles with mean diameters smaller than 10 nm. especially, gold nanoparticles catalysts with 2 to 6 nm diameters are active for many reactions, such as co oxidation at a temperature as low as - 70 degrees c. some typical reactions in liquid and gas phases are listed. a new area is clusters that are smaller than 2 nm and less than 200 atoms. unique catalytic performances of gold clusters have recently been found. this paper summarizes the characteristic features of gold nanopardcles and clusters catalysts as well as their applications.