Atomic Layer Deposition of Noble Metals – New Developments in Nanostructured Catalysts

This chapter will review recent progress in the use of atomic layer deposition (ALD) to prepare noble metal nanoparticle catalysts in which the nanoparticle size, composition, and local environment can be tailored on the atomic scale to tune the reactivity, selectivity, and thermal stability of the catalysts. ALD is a thin film growth technique that uses alternating cycles of self-limiting chemical reactions between gaseous precursors and a solid surface to deposit material in an atomic layer-by-layer fashion1. By combining ALD processes for metal oxides, noble metals, and other materials relevant to catalysis, it is possible to engineer nanostructured catalysts with unique properties by depositing a sequence of discrete layers or particles which each perform a specific function. Although the idea of using ALD to prepare catalysts is not new2, recent advances in ALD technology, coupled with innovative ideas for nanofabrication, have rekindled this field and now offer potential solutions to long-standing problems in catalyst synthesis.