Au/In2O3 and Au/ZrO2 composite nanoparticles via in situ sacrificial gold electrolysis

Gold nanoparticles stabilized on metal oxide supports have found a wide range of applications especially in heterogeneous catalysis and gas sensing. A facile methodology for the in situ electrodecoration of gold nanoparticles on metal oxide supports is presented herein. Metal oxides such as indium oxide (In2O3) and zirconia (ZrO2) nanoparticles are first prepared via the sol-gel route. Subsequently, gold nanoparticles are electrodeposited in situ on the surface of these metal oxides using a modified sacrificial Au-anode electrolysis procedure. Both pristine as well as electrodecorated metal oxides are characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM, TEM). SEM images of electrodecorated metal oxides reveal successful deposition of gold nanoparticles on metal oxide supports. XPS shows that nano-sized gold is significantly available on the materials' surface and it is in the elemental oxidation state. Moreover, it is found that the electrodecoration of gold nanoparticles on metal oxide surfaces proceeds as a function of the concentration of hydroxyl groups on the surface of metal oxide supports.