In the present work, Mn3O4 was prepared by various methods and successfully loaded with metallic Au nanoparticles reduced by hydrazine hydrate using microwave irradiation (MWI) method. The surface morphology and composition of the prepared samples were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption, temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The experimental results showed that no significant changes in some textural and structural properties of the samples due to preparation method or Au nanoparticles deposition. While the surface composition and reducibility of the samples were greatly affected by preparation method and Au deposition. The CO oxidation reaction over the samples was selected as a model reaction to study the relation between surface properties of the samples and their catalytic performance. The results showed that a direct proportionality exists between the reducibility and the CO oxidation activity of catalysts. The kinetic study of the reaction showed that the reaction is first order. Moreover, the samples exhibited good stability in CO oxidation at 100% conversion for around 30 h under the reaction conditions.
Keywords: CO oxidation; Gold; Mn3O4; XPS; nanoparticles.