Inverse miniemulsion-based preparation of raspberry-like Au/SiO2 nanocomposite particles with high catalytic activity towards reduction of p-nitrophenol

摘要

A convenient method based on the inverse miniemulsion technique was proposed to prepare raspberrylike Au/SiO2 nanocomposite particles (NCPs). HAuCl4 was incorporated into porous SiO2 nano-supports through a sol-gel process of a silica precursor in inverse miniemulsions. Raspberry-like Au/SiO2 NCPs were subsequently obtained through in situ reduction of the incorporated HAuCl4 by hydrazine at the surface of SiO2 nano-supports. Most of Au nanoparticles (NPs) were half-embedded in the SiO2 nanosupports and were covered by a thin layer of porous SiO2, offering a good morphological stability to the Au/SiO2 NCPs. The content of Au NPs of the Au/SiO2 NCPs could be adjusted by the loading of HAuCl4. The influences of the HAuCl4 loading on the particle size and particle morphology of the Au/SiO2 NCPs, the pore properties of the SiO2 nano-supports, as well as the properties of the Au NPs were systematically investigated. The formation mechanism of the raspberry-like Au/SiO2 NCPs was discussed. All the synthesized Au/SiO2 NCPs displayed a high catalytic activity towards the reduction of p-nitrophenol. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.