UC Berkeley

In this work, we present a modified simultaneous growth and self-aggregation method that produces ceria and silver Janus nanoparticles for the conversion of 4-nitrophenol, a chemical widely used in several industries. The nanoparticles had cerium-to-silver ratios ranging from 0 to 1.35 and well-defined heterodimer morphologies. By controlling the growth conditions, we have manipulated the interface between ceria and silver, maximizing its exposure to the chemical reactants and increasing the reaction rate constants between 2- and 4-fold. Taken together, these results can inform the design rules to achieve better performing hybrid nanocatalysts.