Breakthrough in air purification with a catalyst that works at room temperature: Turning ammonia into harmless substances using gold nanoparticles on a metal oxide framework

Researchers have shown that a newly engineered catalyst made of gold nanoparticles supported on a metal oxide framework shows breakdown of ammonia impurities in air, with excellent selectivity for conversion to nitrogen gas. Importantly, it is effective at room temperature, making it suitable for everyday air purification systems. The team successfully identified the mechanism behind this behavior, paving the way towards the design of other novel catalytic materials.