Engineering Pt in ceria for a maximum metal-support interaction in catalysis.

Conventional supported metal catalysts are metal nanoparticles deposited on high surface area oxide supports with a poorly defined metal-support interface. Typically, the traditionally prepared Pt/ceria catalyzes both methanation (H2/CO to CH4) and water-gas shift (CO/H2O to CO2/H2) reactions. By using simple nanochemistry techniques, we show for the first time that Pt or PtAu metal can be created inside each CeO2 particle with tailored dimensions.