- Gold has been a fascinating metal for use in jewelry and well as industrial applications because of its high resistance against conventional oxidizing environments.
- The unique property of Au is mainly dictated by its atomic arrangement in the crystal structure, technically called face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice.
- Scientists have introduced new catalytic properties in gold by altering the most stable fcc lattice, converting it into a new avatar that can trigger gold-based catalysis for industry.
- Tuning of crystal structures and shapes of micro-sized noble metals or micro-crystallites have revealed
- Fascinating catalytic, optical, electrical, and magnetic properties that enable developments of environmentally friendly and durable nano-technological applications.
- Scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), have stabilized gold in non-cubic lattice, unfurling efficient catalytic properties of the metal.
- Stabilized Au in mixed lattices consisting of lower symmetry lattices in the form of micro-crystallites, induced by geometrical constraints.
- In contrast to conventional bulk fcc gold, these micro-crystallites are more efficient in their catalytic activity.
- Besides, the crystallites behave nobler than the conventional fcc Au in mercury and aqua regia.
- Thus, these Au crystallites behave quite differently from our day to day used ones, and the credit goes to the underlying unconventional lattices.
- The central part of the crystallite is rich in lower symmetry lattices while being capped by the fcc rich tips, which explains their unique behavior in aqua regia.
- Besides, co-presence of compression and expansion to the extent of approximately 5% (compared with conventional fcc Au) in the micrometer-sized crystallite helps the crystallites remain ambient stable for years.
- Such study of the spatial distribution of the different phases can allow exploration of new properties in a much better way.
