Spontaneous formation of core/shell bimetallic nanoparticles: a calorimetric study

We showed recently that low entropy core/shell structured nanoparticles form spontaneously from the physical mixture of a dispersion of Ag nanoparticles and that of another noble metal (Rh, Pd, or Pt) at room temperature. Here we use isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and show that the initial step of such a spontaneous process is strongly exothermic. When the alcohol dispersion of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP)-protected Rh nanoparticles (average diameter 2.3 nm) was titrated into the alcoholic dispersion of PVP-protected Ag nanoparticles, a strong exothermic enthalpy change, DeltaH, was observed: DeltaH = -908 kJ/mol for Ag(S) nanoparticle (average diameter 10.8 nm) and -963 kJ/mol for Ag(L) nanoparticles (average diameter 22.5 nm). The strength of interaction increases in the order of Rh/Ag > Pd/Ag > Pt/Ag. This strong exothermic interaction is considered as a driving force to from low entropy bimetallic nanoparticles by simple mixing of two kinds of monometallic nanoparticles. We show also that exothermic interactions occur between a pair of noble metal nanoparticles themselves by using ITC.     

Kinetics of Spontaneous Bimetallization between Silver and Noble Metal Nanoparticles

A physical mixture of polymer‐protected Ag nanoparticles and Rh, Pd, or Pt nanoparticles spontaneously forms Ag‐core bimetallic nanoparticles. The formed nanoparticles were smaller than the parent Ag nanoparticles. In the initial process of this reaction, the surface plasmon absorption of Ag nanoparticles diminished and then almost ceased within one hour. Within several minutes, the decrease in Ag surface plasmon absorption could be analyzed by second‐order reaction. This reaction was accelerated with an increase of temperature and the energy gap in the Fermi level between Ag and the other metals. The activation energy (E_a) of this reaction could be determined. An electron transfer reaction from Ag to other metal nanoparticles was proposed as the initial interaction between these metal nanoparticles because the Fermi level of Ag is relatively high, and the electron transfer is possible in terms of energy. The Marcus plot between the rate constant and the driving force, roughly estimated from the work function of metals, and the observed E_a values reasonably explained the proposed electron transfer mechanism.     

Observed Dramatically Improved Catalysis of Ag Shell on Au/Ag Core‐shell Nanorods is Due to Silver Impurities Released During Etching Process

Core/shell bimetallic nanoparticles are highly popular in electrocatalysis; it is argued that the core metal enhances the catalytic properties of the shell. We have investigated the electrocatalytic properties of Au/Ag core‐shell nanorods (Au/Ag NRs) where Ag shell was thinned by aging in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. We observed excellent electrocatalysis toward hydrogen peroxide electroreduction upon decreasing the Ag shell thickness, which would, at first, appear to imply a strong synergistic effect of the Au core with the Ag shell for electrocatalysis. We show, however, that this electrocatalysis is not caused by particular Au/Ag core/shell structures but rather by the presence of residual silver impurities in the form of Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) formed during the preparation of the thin‐layer silver shell/gold core nanorods.     

Preparation and characterization of Ag(Au) bimetallic core–shell nanoparticles with new seed growth method

Ag(Au) bimetallic core–shell nanoparticles were prepared by a new seed growth method. Ascorbic acid was used to reduce the complex of HAuCl₄ and hexadecyltrimethylammoniumbromide (CTAB). This resulted in the forming of colorless Au(I) (AuCl₂⁻). It was used as the growth solution to prepare these bimetallic core–shell nanoparticles. These nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed these nanoparticles exhibited core–shell shape and there was large amount of Ag in the shell. These nanoparticles could be produced in a few minutes without violent stirring and the method was easy and convenient compared with others. The effect of amount of AuCl₂⁻ on the shape of nanoparticles was also studied. Many small gold nanoparticles were formed on the surface of bimetallic core–shell nanoparticles in the presence of excess AuCl₂⁻. The mechanisms were also proposed to explain the process of colloidal preparation.     

Synthesis of carbon-supported sub-2 nanometer bimetallic catalysts by strong metal–sulfur interaction

Small-sized bimetallic nanoparticles that integrate the advantages of efficient exposure of the active metal surface and optimal geometric/electronic effects are of immense interest in the field of catalysis, yet there are few universal strategies for synthesizing such unique structures. Here, we report a novel method to synthesize sub-2 nm bimetallic nanoparticles (Pt–Co, Rh–Co, and Ir–Co) on mesoporous sulfur-doped carbon (S–C) supports. The approach is based on the strong chemical interaction between metals and sulfur atoms that are doped in the carbon matrix, which suppresses the metal aggregation at high temperature and thus ensures the formation of small-sized and well alloyed bimetallic nanoparticles. We also demonstrate the enhanced catalytic performance of the small-sized bimetallic Pt–Co nanoparticle catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of nitroarenes.

The strong interactions between metal and sulfur atoms doped in a carbon matrix allow for the synthesis of supported sub-2 nanometer M–Co (M = Pt, Rh, Ir) bimetallic nanocluster catalysts.     

Combining optical lithography with rapid microwave heating for the selective growth of Au/Ag bimetallic core/shell structures on patterned silicon wafers

We demonstrate a novel approach for the production of patterned films of nanometer-sized Au/Ag bimetallic core/shell nanoparticles (NPs) on silicon wafers. In this approach, we first self-assembled monodisperse Au NPs, through specific Au...NH(2) interactions, onto a silicon substrate whose surface had been modified with a pattern of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) groups to form a sandwich structure having the form Au NPs/APTMS/SiO(2). These Au NPs then served as seeds for growing the Au/Ag bimetallic core/shell NPs: we reduced silver ions to Ag metal on the surface of Au seeds under rapid microwave heating in the presence of sodium citrate. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed that the Au/Ag bimetallic core/shell NPs grew selectively on the regions of the surface of the silicon wafer that had been patterned with the Au seeds. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that we could synthesize well-scattered, high-density (>82%) thin films of Au/Ag bimetallic core/shell NPs through the use of this novel strategy. The patterned structures that can be formed are simple to produce, easily controllable, and highly reproducible; we believe that this approach will be useful for further studies of nanodevices and their properties.     

Nanoparticle‐enhanced bamboo‐like tubular nanofibers for active capture of particulate matter

We proposed a thought of active capture of particles by improving the interaction force between fibers and particles. Nanoparticle‐enhanced tubular nanofibers (Ag‐SPNTs) were prepared by template‐free cationic polymerization followed by surface modification. Ag‐SPNTs have coarse surface and bamboo‐like tubular structure with a diameter of approximately 80‐150 nm. Ag nanoparticles were embedded on the nanofibers surface, and the content of Ag nanoparticles in the nanofibers could be tuned by changing the concentration of [Ag(NH₃)₂]⁺ in the preparation process. f‐d curve measured by AFM showed that increasing the content of Ag nanoparticles in the nanofibers resulted in the enhanced interaction force between the nanofiber surface and particles. Particle matter capture test showed that the number of captured microscaled/naonoscaled particles on the fiber surface increased obviously for the nanoparticle‐enhanced tubular nanofibers (Ag‐SPNTs) compared to the nanofibers without nanoparticle (SPNTs), probably due to the increased interaction force and adhesion energy between fiber surface and particles. Filtration property test showed that the Ag‐SPNTs fiber films had a better filtration performance with a higher filter efficiency and QF value than that of SPNTs. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019     

Local structural characterization of Au/Pt bimetallic nanoparticles

In this study, we examined the amount-dependent change in morphology for a series of Au/Pt bimetallic nanoparticles synthesized using chemical reduction. The Au/Pt molar ratio was varied from 1/1 to 1/4 to synthesize Pt shell layers with different thicknesses. We have obtained that these bimetallic nanoparticles can form flower-like nanoparticles. Moreover, an extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis was used to demonstrate the structure of Au/Pt bimetallic nanoparticles. The EXAFS results confirmed the formation of a core–shell structure and inter-diffusion between Au and Pt atoms. The composition of the shell layer was found to be Pt-enriched Au/Pt alloy.     

Polymer‐Supported Bimetallic Ag@AgAu Nanocomposites: Synthesis and Catalytic Properties

Supported noble bimetallic nanomaterials have attracted great interest owing to their applications in catalysis. Herein, polystyrene‐supported Ag@AgAu bimetallic nanocomposites were synthesized by using a seed‐growth route. The size and degree of coverage of the Ag@AgAu NPs could be controlled by changing the experimental parameters. SEM, TEM, STEM, EDS, and XPS analysis was used to characterize the morphology, structure, and composition of these nanocomposites. We found that the bimetallic nanoparticles on the polystyrene beads had a core–shell structure that was comprised of a Ag core and a AgAu alloy shell. The optical properties of the nanocomposites were also studied by UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy, which indicated that the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorptions of the nanocomposites could be tailored over a large scale from 450 nm to 950 nm. The catalytic properties of the nanocomposites were studied by using the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP) by NaBH₄ as a model system. The results showed that the catalytic activity of the polystyrene‐supported Ag@AgAu bimetallic nanocomposites was remarkably superior to that of polystyrene‐supported monometallic Ag and Au nanocomposites with the same nanoparticle size. In addition, an investigation of the recycling catalytic activity of the PS‐Ag@AgAu nanocomposites revealed that the catalyst possessed good stability. The enhancement of the catalytic activity was proposed to be due to the ligand and strain effects between Ag and Au.     

Cyclohexane transformations over metal oxide catalysts. 2. Selective cyclohexane ring opening to form n-hexane over mono- and bimetallic rhodium catalysts

The activity of monometallic Rh and Pt catalysts and bimetallic Pt—Rh catalysts on oxide supports in cyclohexane ring opening to form n-hexane was studied. The Rh-containing catalysts are highly active and selective in this reaction. Cyclohexane dehydrogenation predominates in the case of the Pt catalysts. The use of the bimetallic alumina-supported Pt—Rh catalysts allows one to minimize the contribution of cyclohexane cracking and to enhance the selectivity for n-hexane with the yield of the latter slightly depending on the metal ratio in the bimetallic system under the experimental conditions.     

Synthesis, characterization, and structure-selective extraction of 1-3-nm diameter AuAg dendrimer-encapsulated bimetallic nanoparticles

The synthesis and characterization of 1-3-nm diameter, structurally well-defined, bimetallic AuAg dendrimer-encapsulated nanoparticles (DENs) are reported. Three different bimetallic structures were examined: AuAg alloys synthesized by cocomplexation and subsequent reduction of dendrimer-encapsulated Au3+ and Ag+ and core/shell [Au](Ag) and [AuAg alloy](Ag) structures (for structured materials, brackets indicate the core metal and parentheses indicate the shell metal) synthesized by a sequential loading method. Depending on the shell metal and its oxidation state, the AuAg nanoparticles can be extracted from the dendrimer into an organic phase using different surfactants. This provides a means for analyzing the composition of the shell. UV-vis, TEM, and single-particle X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to characterize the bimetallic DENs before and after extraction and show that the extraction step does not alter the size or composition of the bimetallic nanoparticles.     

Synthesis of Ag-coated polystyrene colloids by an improved surface seeding and shell growth technique

In this paper, an improved surface seeding and shell growth technique was developed to prepare Ag-polystyrene core shell composite. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) could act as the linker between Ag ions (Ag nanoparticles) and polystyrene (PS) colloids and the reducing agent in the formation of Ag nanoparticles. Due to the multi-functional characteristic of PEI, Ag seeds formed in-situ and were immobilized on the surface of PEI-modified PS colloids and no free Ag clusters coexist with the Ag “seeding” PS colloids in the system. Then, the additional agents could be added into the resulting dispersions straightly to produce a thick Ag nanoshell. The Ag nanoshell with controllable thickness was formed on the surface of PS by the “one-pot” surface seeding and shell growth method. The Ag-coverage increased gradually with the increasing of mass ratio of AgNO₃/PS. The optical properties of the Ag-PS colloids could be tailored by changing the coverage of Ag.     

Preparation of Pt/Rh bimetallic colloidal particles in polymer solutions using borohydride-reduction

Colloidal dispersions of Pt/Rh bimetallic particles have been synthesized by the reduction of Pt(IV)/Rh(III) ionic solutions by using borohydride-reduction in the presence of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone). The size and the structure of the synthesized particles have been examined by transmission electron micrograph (TEM) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). We have succeeded in producing the bimetallic Pt/Rh particles with an average diameter of 2.8 nm in polymer solutions by the stepwise addition of sodium borohydride aqueous solution. The distribution of different metallic species in a particle tended to be "cluster-in-cluster" structure, in contrast to the bimetallic particle with an average diameter of 1.4 nm synthesized by alcohol-reduction which have a core-shell structure.     

Au/Ag核-壳结构纳米粒子的制备及其SERS效应

随着大量有关表面增强拉曼散射 (SERS)的实验和理论研究的开展 ,金属纳米粒子作为一类重要的 SERS增强介质 ,已引起了人们浓厚的研究兴趣 [1] .而 Au和 Ag作为最常用的活性基底物质 ,更是研究的热点 [2 ,3 ] .最近 ,美国印第安那大学的 Nie等 [4 ] 在单个银纳米粒子上 ,观察到高达 1 0 14 ～ 1 0 15的SERS因子 .同时 ,他们的另外一项工作表明银纳米粒子的形状和大小对 SERS活性有很大影响 [5] .但是 ,由于 Ag溶胶制备的重复性较差 ,且粒度分布不均匀 ,通过控制银颗粒大小而调控 SERS活性是相当困难的[6] .与 Ag相比 ,Au在可见光…     

Comparative toxicity study of Ag, Au, and Ag–Au bimetallic nanoparticles on Daphnia magna

A comparative assessment of the 48-h acute toxicity of aqueous nanoparticles synthesized using the same methodology, including Au, Ag, and Ag–Au bimetallic nanoparticles, was conducted to determine their ecological effect in freshwater environments through the use of Daphnia magna, using their mortality as a toxicological endpoint. D. magna are one of the standard organisms used for ecotoxicity studies due to their sensitivity to chemical toxicants. Particle suspensions used in toxicity testing were well-characterized through a combination of absorbance measurements, atomic force or electron microscopy, flame atomic absorption spectrometry, and dynamic light scattering to determine composition, aggregation state, and particle size. The toxicity of all nanoparticles tested was found to be dose and composition dependent. The concentration of Au nanoparticles that killed 50% of the test organisms (LC₅₀) ranged from 65–75 mg/L. In addition, three different sized Ag nanoparticles (diameters = 36, 52, and 66 nm) were studied to analyze the toxicological effects of particle size on D. magna; however, it was found that toxicity was not a function of size and ranged from 3–4 μg/L for all three sets of Ag nanoparticles tested. This was possibly due to the large degree of aggregation when these nanoparticles were suspended in standard synthetic freshwater. Moreover, the LC₅₀ values for Ag–Au bimetallic nanoparticles were found to be between that of Ag and Au but much closer to that of Ag. The bimetallic particles containing 80% Ag and 20% Au were found to have a significantly lower toxicity to Daphnia (LC₅₀ of 15 μg/L) compared to Ag nanoparticles, while the toxicity of the nanoparticles containing 20% Ag and 80% Au was greater than expected at 12 μg/L. The comparison results confirm that Ag nanoparticles were much more toxic than Au nanoparticles, and that the introduction of gold into silver nanoparticles may lower their environmental impact by lowering the amount of Ag which is bioavailable.     

Rh/Co双金属纳米颗粒的制备及其催化制氢性能

以ISOBAM-104为保护剂,采用共还原法制备了一系列不同组成的Rh/Co双金属纳米颗粒(BNPs)。采用紫外-可见吸收光谱、透射电镜及高分辨透射电镜对纳米颗粒的结构及组成进行了表征。结果表明,所制备的Rh/Co BNPs的粒径小于6.0nm,具有合金结构。催化制氢实验结果表明,Rh_(20)Co_(80)BNPs具有最高的催化制氢活性,其TOF值可高达12880mol-H_2·h~(-1)·mol-Rh~(-1),远高于Rh和Co单金属纳米颗粒的催化活性。     

Bimetallic (Ag)Au nanoparticles prepared by the seed growth method: two-dimensional assembling, characterization by energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and surface enhanced raman spectroscopy, and proposed mechanism of growth

Layered core-shell bimetallic silver-gold nanoparticles were prepared by overdeposition of Au over Ag seeds by the seed-growth method using tetrachloroauric acid, with hydroxylamine hydrochloride as the reductant. The effects of pH, reduction rate, and seeding conditions on the morphology and surface plasmon extinction of the bimetallic nanoparticles were investigated. Nanoparticles prepared by a rapid reduction in the neutral ambient and assembled into two-dimensional nanoparticulate films by adsorption of 2,2'-bipyridine were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results are consistent with Ag core and Ag/Au-alloyed shell composition of the nanoparticles. Evidence of the presence of Ag on the surface of the nanoparticles, of enrichment of the Ag/Au alloy shell by Ag toward or at the nanoparticle surface, and of modification of the nanoparticle surface by adsorbed chlorides is also provided. Reduction of the size of the Ag seeds, alloying of Ag and Au in the shell of the nanoparticles, and modification of their surfaces by adsorbed chlorides are tentatively attributed to positive charging of the nanoparticles during the electrocatalytic overdeposition of Au over Ag seeds.     

Self-activation of catalyst and functionalization of metal surfaces

Why can solid surfaces promote a variety of chemical reactions? We supposed that active sites or active compounds are formed over the catalyst surface during catalysis or in pretreatment. Three topics are discussed from this viewpoint in this review. The first topic is an activation of inactive MoO_x film to super-active olefin metathesis catalyst, where Mo=CHR sites are prepared on MoO_x. A total mechanism for the productive and the cross metathesis of propene was firstly established on an activated catalyst by using deuterium labeled olefins. In the second topic, a new concept of quasi-compounds is discussed by using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and it is shown that the reaction of quasi-compounds yields (Cu)₆ cluster and (–Cu–O–) strings on Ag(110). In the third topic, a self-activation of Pt–Rh alloy and Pt/Rh bimetallic surfaces during the reaction of NO + H₂ is discussed by using single crystal surfaces. STM image showed that a Pt–Rh(100) surface is activated by reacting with oxygen where a specific array of Pt and Rh atoms is established. Formation of similar active sites on the other crystallographic surfaces is responsible for structure insensitive catalysis of Pt/Rh bimetallic surfaces.     

One-pot synthesis of Ag-Au bimetallic nanoparticles with Au shell and their high catalytic activity for aerobic glucose oxidation

PVP-protected Ag(core)/Au(shell) bimetallic nanoparticles of enough small size, i.e., 1.4nm in diameter were synthesized in one-vessel using simultaneous reduction of the corresponding ions with rapid injection of NaBH(4), and characterized by HR-TEM. The Ag(core)/Au(shell) bimetallic nanoparticles show a high and durable catalytic activity for the aerobic glucose oxidation, and the catalyst can be stably kept for more than 2months under ambient conditions. The highest activity (16,890mol-glucoseh(-1)mol-metal(-1)) was observed for the bimetallic nanoparticles with Ag/Au atomic ratio of 2/8, the TOF value of which is several times higher than that of Au nanoparticles with nearly the same particle size. The higher catalytic activity of the prepared bimetallic nanoparticles than the usual Au nanoparticles can be ascribed to: (1) the small average diameter, usually less than 2.0nm, and (2) the electronic charge transfer effect from adjacent Ag atoms and protecting PVP to Au active sites. In contrast, the Ag-Au alloy nanoparticles, synthesized by dropwise addition of NaBH(4) into the starting solution and having the large mean particle size, showed a low catalytic activity.     

Capped Bimetallic and Trimetallic Nanoparticles for Catalysis and Information Technology

Summary: Polymer-capped metal nanoparticles can be recognized as a kind of macromolecule-metal nanoparticle complexes. Here the preparations of the capped bimetallic and trimetallic nanoparticles, in which each particle contains two and three elements of metal, respectively, are presented. They may have a random alloy, a core/shell, or other kinds of structure depending on the preparation method and the combination of elements. The core/shell structure is advantageous to electronically control the activity of metal catalysts. The triple core/shell structured trimetallic nanoparticles were found to have higher catalytic activity than the corresponding monometallic and bimetallic nanoparticles in three cases. Capped metal nanoparticles were also used as a dopant to liquid crystals. Liquid crystal displays, fabricated by metal nanoparticle-doped liquid crystals, showed faster response than those without dopants. Bimetalization could increase the long-term stability in the doped liquid crystal displays. Thus, metal nanoparticles can improve the electronic display system, which occupies an important position in information technology. In addition, SmCo₅ nanomagnets were successfully prepared by a chemical method, possibly providing a new building block for information technology. The prepared SmCo₅ nanoparticles have a coercivity of 1500 Oe at room temperature. The bimetallic nanoparticles may open a new field in super-high-density magnetic memories.