Colloidal Nanocrystals as Building Blocks for Well-Defined Heterogeneous Catalysts

The goal of this perspective is to highlight the use of colloidal nanocrystals in the preparation of heterogeneous catalysts of well-defined structures with the objective to advance catalytic science. Colloidal nanocrystals are prepared with control over size, shape, and composition and are used as precursors to provide supported systems of interest in different areas of catalysis. Advances in the preparation of this class of catalysts are discussed, as well as their use to understand the effect of size, shape, composition, and support chemistry in catalyzed reactions. The use of these materials for microscopy and spectroscopy studies, especially in the investigation of structural changes that occur to catalytic materials, is also highlighted. Finally, challenges and opportunities in the field are discussed to underline prospects and limitations of this approach. It is expected that this area will grow in interest in the future and that these materials will help elucidate several aspects of catalytic science through a systematic approach introduced by using controlled colloidal nanocrystals.