Time-resolved X-ray spectroscopy catches catalytic reaction on gold nanoparticles

A series of very interesting experiments has been performed at beamline ID26 at the European Synchrotron Radiation facility (ESRF), Grenoble, to see how gold nanoparticles catalyze carbon monoxide (CO) with oxygen (O₂) into carbon dioxide (CO₂). High-energy resolution X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals how the oxygen becomes chemically active when bound to the particles. The reaction took place when the scientists switched from a flow of O₂ to one of CO - the O₂ bound to the gold reacts with the CO to form CO₂. The technique can be applied to a variety of reactions. For more information, see the paper, "Activation of Oxygen on Gold/Alumina Catalysts: In Situ High-Energy-Resolution Fluorescence and Time-Resolved X-ray Spectroscopy", Jeroen A. van Bokhoven et al., Angewandte Chemie, published online June 21, 2006.