Silica films mean better catalysts in confined two-dimensional spaces

(Nanowerk News) Researchers are making catalysts more efficient by designing materials that contain tiny amounts of catalysts in microscopic cavities. These nanoscale materials have spaces smaller than a single virus. Now, scientists have shown that porous silica films less than one nanometer thick boost the catalytic activity of a metal palladium (Pd) surface for carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation. CO oxidation is a critical reaction in environmental chemistry. The confined two-dimensional space between the metal catalyst and the silica film enhanced CO conversion….