IBRC Research
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) This page is a page of the former research institute. We stopped updating on March 31.2001.
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Details of Research in the Interdisciplinary Basic Research Section, ONRI

<Conventional Studies: Particle Level>
  1. Size of gold particles is more than 10 nm.

  2. The particles are almost spherical and the perimeter attached to the support (active sites) is short.

    Inactive as a Catalyst

<Previous Studies at ONRI: Nano-particle Level>
  1. Size of gold particles is less than 5 nm.

  2. The particles are almost hemispherical and the perimeter attached to the support (active sites) is long.

    Active as a Catalyst

<Studies at this Section: Cluster Level>
  1. Size of gold particles is less than 2 nm (number of atoms < 300).

  2. Catalytic activity is abruptly changed by the atom number and steric structure of particles.

  3. Catalytic selectivity is abruptly changed by the crystallographic form of supports.

    Clarification of the "Magic Effect" and Catalyst Designing

<Application and Development>
  • Practical Catalysts Needless to Heat
  • Possibility of a New Chemical Process



by M.Date, ONRI