Influences of synthesis conditions and mesoporous structures on the gold nanoparticles supported on mesoporous silica hosts

Loading gold on mesoporous materials via different methods has been actively attempted in the literature, but the knowledge about the influences of synthesis details and different mesoporous structures on the size and thermal stability of gold nanoparticles supported on mesoporous hosts is still limited. In this study, Au/HMS, Au/MCM-41, Au/MCM-48, Au/SBA-15, and Au/SBA-16 samples were prepared by modifying a variety of mesoporous silicas by amine ligands followed by loading HAuCl4 and calcination. The influences of different amine ligands ((3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane versus N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine), solvents (water versus ethanol), calcination temperatures (200 or 550 °C), and mesoporous structures on the size of supported gold nanoparticles were systematically investigated employing nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurement, X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance UV–vis spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Interestingly, while big and irregular gold particles situate on MCM-48 with bicontinuous three-dimensional pore structure and relatively small pore size (2.4 nm) upon calcination at 550 °C, homogeneous and small gold nanoparticles maintain inside SBA-15 with one-dimensional pore structure and relatively big pore size (6.8 nm). Apparently, the pore structure and pore size of mesoporous silica hosts play a key role in determining the size and thermal stability of the supported gold nanoparticles. Our results may provide some useful clues for the rational design of supported metal catalysts by choosing suitable mesoporous hosts.