However, Au NCs are more resistant to poisoning. Focusing on Au NCs, Zhou et al. studied atomically precise thiolate protected Au25-940 NPs corresponding to a size range between 1-3 nm. Au144 was found to be the most active with about 115 A gAu -1 for the EOR exhibiting a molecular-like behaviour whereas larger NPs are metallic . Ligand-free ultrasmall NPs were obtained directly on carbon using high temperature (300 °C) process leading to active materials for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and EOR . Unfortunately, the synthesis method is relatively complex and energy intensive (high temperature) and probably support-dependent. i.e. relatively more complex and demanding to implement that the proposed synthetic approach.