Simple Setup Miniaturization with Multiple Benefits for Green Chemistry in Nanoparticle Synthesis

Exploration of anion effects in solvothermal synthesis using in situ X-ray diffraction

Solvothermal synthesis presents a facile and highly flexible approach to chemical processing and it is widely used for preparation of micro- and nanosized inorganic materials. The large number of synthesis parameters in combination with the richness of inorganic chemistry means that it is difficult to predict or design synthesis outcomes, and it is demanding to uncover the effect of different parameters due to the sealed and complex nature of solvothermal reactors along with the time demands related to reactor cleaning, sample purification, and characterization. This study explores the effect on formation of crystalline products of six common anions in solvothermal treatment of aqueous and ethanolic precursors. Three different cations are included in the study (Mn2+, Co2+, Cu2+) representing chemical affinities towards different regions of the periodic table with respect to the hard soft acid base (HSAB) classification and the Goldschmidt classification. They additionally belong to the commonly used 3d transition metals and display a suitable variety in solvothermal chemistry to highlight anion effects. The results of the solvothermal in situ experiments demonstrate a clear effect of the precursor anions, with respect to whether crystallization occurs or not and the characteristics of the formed phases. Additionally, some of the anions are shown to be redox active and to influence the formation temperature of certain phases which in turn relates to the observed average crystallite sizes.

Surfactant-Free Colloidal Syntheses of Gold-Based Nanomaterials in Alkaline Water and Mono-alcohol Mixtures

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) and gold-based nanomaterials combine unique properties relevant for medicine, imaging, optics, sensing, catalysis, and energy conversion. While the Turkevich-Frens and Brust-Schiffrin methods remain the state-of-the-art colloidal syntheses of Au NPs, there is a need for more sustainable and tractable synthetic strategies leading to new model systems. In particular, stabilizers are almost systematically used in colloidal syntheses, but they can be detrimental for fundamental and applied studies. Here, a surfactant-free synthesis of size-controlled colloidal Au NPs stable for months is achieved by the simple reduction of HAuCl₄ at room temperature in alkaline solutions of low-viscosity mono-alcohols such as ethanol or methanol and water, without the need for any other additives. Palladium (Pd) and bimetallic Au _x Pd _y NPs, nanocomposites and multimetallic samples, are also obtained and are readily active (electro)catalysts. The multiple benefits over the state-of-the-art syntheses that this simple synthesis bears for fundamental and applied research are highlighted.

Chemical Insights into the Formation of Colloidal Iridium Nanoparticles from In Situ X-ray Total Scattering: Influence of Precursors and Cations on the Reaction Pathway

Iridium nanoparticles are important catalysts for several chemical and energy conversion reactions. Studies of iridium nanoparticles have also been a key for the development of kinetic models of nanomaterial formation. However, compared to other metals such as gold or platinum, knowledge on the nature of prenucleation species and structural insights into the resultant nanoparticles are missing, especially for nanoparticles obtained from Ir_xCl_y precursors investigated here. We use in situ X-ray total scattering (TS) experiments with pair distribution function (PDF) analysis to study a simple, surfactant-free synthesis of colloidal iridium nanoparticles. The reaction is performed in methanol at 50 °C with only a base and an iridium salt as precursor. From different precursor salts─IrCl₃, IrCl₄, H₂IrCl₆, or Na₂IrCl₆─colloidal nanoparticles as small as Ir_∼55 are obtained as the final product. The nanoparticles do not show the bulk iridium face-centered cubic (fcc) structure but show decahedral and icosahedral structures. The formation route is highly dependent on the precursor salt used. Using IrCl₃ or IrCl₄, metallic iridium nanoparticles form rapidly from Ir_xCl_y^n- complexes, whereas using H₂IrCl₆ or Na₂IrCl₆, the iridium nanoparticle formation follows a sudden growth after an induction period and the brief appearance of a crystalline phase. With H₂IrCl₆, the formation of different Ir_n (n = 55, 55, 85, and 116) nanoparticles depends on the nature of the cation in the base (LiOH, NaOH, KOH, or CsOH, respectively) and larger particles are obtained with larger cations. As the particles grow, the nanoparticle structure changes from partly icosahedral to decahedral. The results show that the synthesis of iridium nanoparticles from Ir_xCl_y is a valuable iridium nanoparticle model system, which can provide new compositional and structural insights into iridium nanoparticle formation and growth.

Osmium and OsO x nanoparticles: an overview of syntheses and applications

Precious metal nanoparticles are key for a range of applications ranging from catalysis and sensing to medicine. While gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd) or ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticles have been widely studied, other precious metals are less investigated. Osmium (Os) is one of the least studied of the precious metals. However, Os nanoparticles are interesting materials since they present unique features compared to other precious metals and Os nanomaterials have been reported to be useful for a range of applications, catalysis or sensing for instance. With the increasing availability of advanced characterization techniques, investigating the properties of relatively small Os nanoparticles and clusters has become easier and it can be expected that our knowledge on Os nanomaterials will increase in the coming years. This review aims to give an overview on Os and Os oxide materials syntheses and applications.