CO oxidation has been used as a prototypical reaction to demonstrate the potential of gold nanoparticles in promoting heterogeneous catalysis around room temperature. Here we report on a unique gold/titania-based catalyst that displays a second active regime at much lower temperatures, as low as 120 K. This new catalytic regime follows a mechanism different than that seen at higher temperatures, involving at least three titania-adsorbed CO species and a synergy between the CO and O2 uptakes on the surface. New titanate sites, formed by the treatment of Au/TiO2-amorphous catalyst with NaOH, are believed to be responsible for the opening of this new reaction channel.

Carbon monoxide oxidation at cryogenic temperatures

248th National Meeting (2014)

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