Preparation of silica-coated Pt metal nanoparticles using microemulsion and their catalytic performance

Pt–SiO2 catalysts were prepared by using water-in-oil type microemulsion. The catalysts were prepared by hydrolysis of tetraethylorthosilicate in the microemulsion containing Pt species, followed by calcination in air and reduction with H2. This preparation method for Pt–SiO2 provided Pt metal nanoparticles with a diameter of ca. 6 nm covered uniformly with silica layers, while a conventional impregnation method formed Pt metal particles supported on the silica surface. The Pt catalysts coated with silica (coat-Pt) showed different catalytic performance for the competitive oxidation of mixed hydrocarbons from Pt catalysts supported on silica (imp-Pt), i.e. in the competitive oxidation of methane and iso-butane, coat-Pt catalysts preferentially oxidized methane, while iso-butane was oxidized selectively over imp-Pt catalysts. The results of the adsorption of Ar on coat-Pt showed that silica in coat-Pt had porous structures of pore diameters <1 nm. Because the porous structure of silica, which wrapped Pt metal particles, controlled the diffusion rate of reactant molecules, coat-Pt showed a specific catalytic performance for competitive oxidation.