Particle synthesis: methods

Conceptually, these particle synthesis methods can be classified into three main groups ... 

Aerosol techniques on-line sizing of colloidal nanoparticles, 20-40 ultrafine powder synthesis, 64 Ag particles, synthesis method, 128 Aluminum nitride powder prepared via chemical synthesis, characterization using Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy, 312-332... 

Ordered structures develop within seconds to minutes after film deposition in contrast with the timescale of days typical of particle synthesis methods. 

Greater dimensional control and thinner tapes in multilayer ceramics are the driving forces for techniques to prepare finer particles. Metal organic decomposition and hydrothermal processing are two synthesis methods that have the potential to produce submicrometer powders having low levels of agglomeration to meet the demand for more precise tape fabrication. 

The unprotected Pt, Rh and Ru nanoclusters prepared according to the alkaline EG synthesis method in EG with metal concentrations of 0.3-3.7g/l have small average particle sizes of l.l-1.3nm and narrow size distributions from 0.7 to 2.2nm, as measured by TEM (Figure 1 and Table 1) [11]. The Os nanoclusters (3.7 g/1) prepared by this method have an average diameter of 0.9 nm and a size distribution of 0.6-1.8nm (Figure 2) [12]. 

The alkaline EG synthesis method has been successfully applied to the preparation of unprotected bimetallic nanocluster colloids with controllable composition. Figure 3 shows the TEM image of bimetallic Pt/Ru nanoclusters (Pt/Ru molar ratio = 1 1.9, total metal concentration 1.85 g/1) with an average particle size of 1.9 nm and a size distribution from 1.4 to 2.4 nm. XRD pattern of the bimetallic nanoclusters is shown in Figure... 

In the chemical preparation of unprotected metal colloids, the metal concentration usually has a significant influence on the particle size of obtained metal nanoclusters. For example, when increasing Pd concentration from 0.1 to 1.0 mM in the preparation of Pd metal colloids by the thermal decomposition of Pd acetate in methyl isobutyl ketone, the average Pd particle size increased from 8 to 140nm [6,7]. However, in the alkaline EG synthesis method, the size of metal nanoclusters was only slightly dependent on the metal concentration of the colloidal solution. The colloidal Pt particles prepared with a metal concentration of 3.7 g/1 had an average diameter of... 

Xin and co-workers modified the alkaline EG synthesis method by heating the metal hydroxides or oxides colloidal particles in EG or EG/water mixture in the presence of carbon supports, for preparing various metal and alloy nanoclusters supported on carbon [20-24]. It was found that the ratio of water to EG in the reaction media was a key factor influencing the average size and size distribution of metal nanoparticles supported on the carbon supports. As shown in Table 2, in the preparation of multiwalled carbon nanotube-supported Pt catalysts... 

The small metal particle size, large available surface area and homogeneous dispersion of the metal nanoclusters on the supports are key factors in improving the electrocatalytic activity and the anti-polarization ability of the Pt-based catalysts for fuel cells. The alkaline EG synthesis method proved to be of universal significance for preparing different electrocatalysts of supported metal and alloy nanoparticles with high metal loadings and excellent cell performances. 

Among various methods to synthesize nanometer-sized particles [1-3], the liquid-phase reduction method as the novel synthesis method of metallic nanoparticles is one of the easiest procedures, since nanoparticles can be directly obtained from various precursor compounds soluble in a solvent [4], It has been reported that the synthesis of Ni nanoparticles with a diameter from 5 to lOnm and an amorphous-like structure by using this method and the promotion effect of Zn addition to Ni nanoparticles on the catalytic activity for 1-octene hydrogenation [4]. However, unsupported particles were found rather unstable because of its high surface activity to cause tremendous aggregation [5]. In order to solve this problem, their selective deposition onto support particles, such as metal oxides, has been investigated, and also their catalytic activities have been studied. 

Almquist, C.B. and Biswas, P. (2002) Role of synthesis method and particle size of nanostructured Ti02 on its photoactivity. Journal of Catalysis, 212 (2), 145—156. 

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