Synthesis of Palladium Nanodendrites Using a Mixture of Cationic and Anionic Surfactants
Journal article, 2020

Surfactants are used widely to control the synthesis of shaped noble-metal nanoparticles. In this work, a mixture of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), a cationic surfactant; sodium oleate (NaOL), an anionic surfactant; palladium chloride; and a reducing agent were used in the seed-mediated synthesis of palladium nanoparticles. By controlling the surfactant mixture ratio, we initially discovered that palladium nanodendrites with narrow size distribution were formed instead of the traditional nanocubes, synthesized with only CTAB. In order to investigate the optimal ratio to produce Pd nanodendrites with a high yield and narrow size distribution, samples synthesized with multiple molar ratios of the two surfactants were prepared and studied by transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, conductance, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. We propose that the addition of NaOL alters the arrangement of surfactants on the Pd seed surface, leading to a new pattern of growth and aggregation. By studying the nanodendrite growth over time, we identified the reduction period of Pd2+ ions and the formation period of the nanodendrites. Our further experiments, including the replacement of CTAB with hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) and the replacement of NaOL with sodium stearate, showed that CTA+ ions in CTAB and OL- ions in NaOL play the main roles in the formation of nanodendrites. The formation of palladium nanodendrites was robust and achieved with a range of temperatures, pH and mixing speeds.

Author

Xin Wen

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Sarah Lerch

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Zhihang Wang

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Bassem Aboudiab

American University of Beirut

Ali Tehrani

American University of Beirut

Eva Olsson

Chalmers, Physics, Nano and Biophysics

Kasper Moth-Poulsen

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Langmuir

07437463 (ISSN) 15205827 (eISSN)

Vol. 36 7 1745-1753

Areas of Advance

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Subject Categories

Physical Chemistry

Materials Chemistry

Other Physics Topics

Infrastructure

Chalmers Materials Analysis Laboratory

DOI

10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b03804

PubMed

32032489

More information

Latest update

4/5/2022 1