Patent ID: 7632774

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a nanocatalyst having an improved number of acid functional groups on the surface of a metal-based support, comprising: (i) providing a catalyst support material comprising a metal; (ii) providing an acid treatment composition comprising at least one of a mineral acid or mineral acid derivative; (iii) functionalizing the surface of the support material by mixing the acid treatment composition with the catalyst support material to react the support material with the mineral acid or derivative, wherein during the reaction, the amount of water in the acid treatment composition is less than about 20% by weight and the amount of mineral acid or mineral acid derivative in the acid treatment composition is greater than about 80% by weight; and (iv) forming a plurality of catalyst particles by reacting a plurality of organic dispersing agent molecules with a plurality of catalyst atoms; and (v) thereafter supporting the plurality of catalyst particles on the acid-functionalized support material.