Detection and measurement of surface electron transfer on reduced molybdenum oxides (MoO(x)) and catalytic activities of Au/MoO(x).

The sensing of electrons confined inside surface defect sites has been demonstrated. Tetracyanoethylene was employed as a single-electron acceptor to characterize the reduction of fully oxidized MoO(3) . Electron transfer deposits negative charge on closely contacted gold nanoparticles on the surface, which explains the high catalytic activity in the aerobic oxidation of alcohols.