Onion-type multilamellar vesicles as an innovative tool for the preparation of metal-based heterogeneous catalysts

A new route for the preparation of metal-based catalysts has thus been investigated. Onion-grown silver and gold nanoparticles have been deposited onto a TiO2 support. As micro reactors for the synthesis of the metal nanoparticles, onions offer the possibility to control the size and shape of the nanoparticles. As previously evidenced the synthesis is spontaneous and doesn’t require any addition of a strong reducing agent. The catalyst support is “decorated” through the direct impregnation of the loaded onions. No further thermal treatment is required to obtain the active metal nanoparticles