Intermetallic nanoparticles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9533352-B2
Application number	US-201514931478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2015
Priority date	Sep 30, 2011
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A process for preparing intermetallic nanoparticles of two or more metals is provided. In particular, the process includes the steps: a) dispersing nanoparticles of a first metal in a solvent to prepare a first metal solution, b) forming a reaction mixture with the first metal solution and a reducing agent, c) heating the reaction mixture to a reaction temperature; and d) adding a second metal solution containing a salt of a second metal to the reaction mixture. During this process, intermetallic nanoparticles, which contain a compound with the first and second metals are formed. The intermetallic nanoparticles with uniform size and a narrow size distribution is also provided. An electrochemical device such as a battery with the intermetallic nanoparticles is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Intermetallic nanoparticles comprising:
a first metal (M1) selected from the group consisting of: Sn, Pb, Sb, In, Ga, Bi, Ge, Zn; and
a second metal (M2) selected from the group consisting of: Cu, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Ru, Ir, Fe, Co, Ni, wherein the intermetallic nanoparticles comprise a compound comprising the first metal and the second metal, and the average diameter of the intermetallic nanoparticles is from about 100 nm to about 400 nm
wherein the intermetallic nanoparticles have a chemical formula M1xM2y, wherein “x” is an integer between 1 to 8, “y” is an integer between 1 to 8.

2. The intermetallic nanoparticles of claim 1 , wherein the first metal is Sn and the second metal is Cu.

3. The intermetallic nanoparticles of claim 2 further comprising a substituted metal (MS) selected from the group consisting of Ni, Zn, Fe, wherein the intermetallic nanoparticles have a chemical formula MS 1 M1xM2y −1 , wherein “x” is an integer between 1 to 8, “y” is an integer between 1 to 8.

4. The intermetallic nanoparticles of claim 1 wherein the first metal is Sn and the second metal is Cu and further comprising a third metal (M3) selected from the group consisting of: Ag, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Ru, Ir wherein the intermetallic nanoparticles have a chemical formula M1xM2yM3z, wherein “x” is an integer between 1 to 8, “y” is an integer between 1 to 8, and z is an integer from 1 to 8.

5. Intermetallic nanoparticles comprising:
a first metal (M1) selected from the group consisting of: Sn, Pb, Sb, In, Ga, Bi, Ge, Zn; and
a second metal (M2) selected from the group consisting of: Cu, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Ru, Ir, Fe, Co, Ni; and
and a third metal (M3) selected from the group consisting of: Ag, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Ru, Ir;
wherein the intermetallic nanoparticles comprise a compound comprising the chemical formula M1xM2yM3z, wherein “x” is an integer between 1 to 8, “y” is an integer between 1 to 8, and “z” is an integer from 0 to 8.

6. The intermetallic nanoparticles of claim 5 , wherein the first metal is Sn and the second metal is Cu.

7. The intermetallic nanoparticles of claim 6 wherein the second metal is Cu.

8. The intermetallic nanoparticles of claim 6 , wherein the average diameter of the intermetallic nanoparticles is from about 100 nm to about 400 nm.

Assignees

• Uchicago Argonne Llc

Inventors

• Singh Dileep
• Yusufoglu Yusuf
• Timofeeva Elena
• Routbort Jules L

Classifications

• B22F1/056

  Submicron particles having a size above 100 nm up to 300 nm · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• H01M4/387

  Tin or alloys based on tin · CPC title

• Y10T428/12014

  having metal particles · CPC title

• B22F9/24 Primary

  starting from liquid metal compounds, e.g. solutions · CPC title