Processing of Uniform Metal and Alloy Nanocrystals for Catalytic Applications

With the recent development of non-aqueous synthetic approaches, new understandings and synthetic systems for making well-defined nanoparticles are emerging. In non-aqueous system, surfactants are often used and play important roles in the synthesis of nanocrystals.  We recently used carbon monoxide as a reducing and capping agent in the synthesis of a range of metal and metal alloy nanoparticles. In this presentation, we will show non-aqueous synthetic media can be used to study the formation of nanocrystals through a highly controllable manner, including the uncommon Pt icosahedral nanocrystals,  which is hard to achieve in aqueous solution due to the complex, fast reaction kinetics.  This poster will also discuss the newly identified functions that organic ligands play in such reaction systems and the applications of such nanoparticles in electrocatalysis.