Abstract
We developed a composite consisting of mesoporous ZrO2 thin films supporting catalytically active gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) for the oxidative removal of carbon monoxide (CO). At first, highly ordered mesoporous ZrO2 (m-ZrO2) thin films are prepared by sol-gel-based spin-coating process followed by a controlled thermal treatment process in air. Then, Au NPs are successfully dispersed and deposited over the entire framework of mesoporous ZrO2 thin films to form Au/m-ZrO2 films. The specific surface area and crystallinity of the m-ZrO2 thin films as well as the periodicity of the mesoporous framework can be controlled by adjusting the calcination temperature and the synthetic parameters. The catalytic efficiency of the optimized Au/m-ZrO2 composite film toward CO conversion reaches 94% of circulation time, and is well-retained even after 1 h (∼88%).
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•Oxidative removal of carbon monoxide (CO) at room temperature is introduced.•Ordered mesoporous ZrO2 thin films are prepared by a sol-gel method.•Au nanoparticles (NPs) are dispersed over the entire framework of mesoporous ZrO2.•The catalytic efficiency of the mesoporous ZrO2 film with Au NPs reaches 94.0%.•Indoor air purification devices can be fabricated using our catalysts.