Nanomaterial-based catalysts are mostly heterogeneous crystals broken up into nanoparticles to enhance catalytic activity. Between the dimensions on an atomic/nanoscale and normal dimensions, which identifies bulk material, nanomaterial is a size range where some remarkable properties are seen to occur.

Nanoparticle catalysts are active for the hydrogenolysis of C-Cl bonds such as polychlorinated biphenyls. Another reaction is hydrogenation of halogenated aromatic amines is also important for the synthesis of herbicides and pesticides as well as diesel fuel.

Nanotechnology has a profound impact on increasing the catalytic activity on account of its high surface area to volume ratio, which helps the catalysts at the nanoscale to interact better with the reactants due to the availability of a large number of atoms on surfaces.

Efficient catalysis: Due to the presence of highly active sites, nanoparticle catalysts are generally able to accelerate chemical reactions with higher efficiency, which helps increase reaction rates, reduce energy consumption, and reduce production costs.