Gold nanoparticles supported on halloysite nanotubes (Au/HNTs) were prepared by a homogeneous deposition-precipitation method. The specific characteristics of the catalyst were characterized in detail, in relation to their performance for solvent-free oxidation of benzyl alcohol. The particular structure of the catalyst resulted in high catalytic activity and stability compared with other supported gold catalysts. The enhanced catalytic activity of the Au/HNTs catalyst was mainly attributed to the presence of a higher amount of oxidized gold species and the tubular structure of the HNTs.
Keywords: Microstructure; Nanocomposites; Oxidation.