Bridging the gap between surface science and industrial catalysis.

Understanding the structure-activity relationships of catalytic solids has always been hampered by the complexity and nonuniform structures of catalyst particles. Materials based on well-defined colloidal metal particles are ideal model solids to investigate such structure-activity relationships. A new paper by Tsang et al. in this issue indicates that highly selective alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde hydrogenation Pt-based catalysts can be obtained following the decoration of Pt nanocrystals with a second metal. The effects of the particle size, substrate shape, and electronic modifications were related to the sample activity. The possibility of depositing these tailor-made colloidal particles onto conventional supports opens exciting new routes toward rational catalyst design and ultraselective catalytic processes.