Issue 3, 2008

Converting nanocrystalline metals into alloys and intermetallic compounds for applications in catalysis

Abstract

Multi-metal nanoparticles, particularly alloys and intermetallic compounds, are useful catalysts for a variety of chemical transformations. Supported intermetallic nanoparticle catalysts are usually prepared by depositing precursors onto a support followed by high-temperature annealing, which is necessary to generate the intermetallic compound but causes sintering and minimizes surface area. Here we show that solution chemistry methods for converting metal nanoparticles into intermetallic compounds are applicable to supported nanoparticle catalyst systems. Unsupported nanocrystalline Pt can be converted to nanocrystalline PtSn, PtPb, PtBi, and FePt3 by reaction with appropriate metal salt solutions under reducing conditions. Similar reactions convert Al2O3, CeO2, and carbon-supported Pt nanoparticles into PtSn, PtPb, PtSb, Pt3Sn, and Cu3Pt. These reactions generate supported alloy and intermetallic nanoparticles directly in solution without the need for high temperature annealing or additional surface stabilizers. These supported intermetallic nanoparticles are catalytically active for chemical transformations such as formic acid oxidation (PtPb/Vulcan) and CO oxidation (Pt3Sn/graphite). Notably, PtPb/Vulcan XC-72 was found to electrocatalytically oxidize formic acid at a lower onset potential (0.1 V) than commercial PtRu/Vulcan XC-72 (0.4 V).

Graphical abstract: Converting nanocrystalline metals into alloys and intermetallic compounds for applications in catalysis

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
06 Aug 2007
Accepted
05 Nov 2007
First published
22 Nov 2007

J. Mater. Chem., 2008,18, 275-282

Converting nanocrystalline metals into alloys and intermetallic compounds for applications in catalysis

J. C. Bauer, X. Chen, Q. Liu, T. Phan and R. E. Schaak, J. Mater. Chem., 2008, 18, 275 DOI: 10.1039/B712035D

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