Gold nanoparticles encapsulated in porous carbon.

Gold nanoparticles encapsulated in porous carbon spheres with high surface areas (~800 m(2) g(-1)) have been synthesized by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP). The porous carbon-encapsulated gold nanoparticles exhibit excellent catalytic activity toward the reductions of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic nitroaromatics.