Process to prepare metal nanoparticles or metal oxide nanoparticles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9695521-B2
Application number	US-201113810804-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2011
Priority date	Jul 19, 2010
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

The invention is directed to a process to prepare metal nanoparticles or metal oxide nanoparticles by applying a cathodic potential as an alternating current (ac) voltage to a solid starting metal object which solid metal object is in contact with a liquid electrolyte comprising a stabilizing cation. The invention is also directed to the use of the nanoparticles as a catalyst.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process to prepare metal nanoparticles or metal oxide nanoparticles by applying a cathodic potential as an alternating current (ac) voltage to a solid starting metal object, wherein the solid metal object is in contact with a liquid electrolyte comprising a stabilising cation, wherein the applied voltage is between 0.1 V and 30 V more cathodic than the onset of the hydrogen evolution reaction, wherein two electrodes are in contact with the liquid electrolyte and wherein one electrode is composed of the solid starting metal and wherein only to that electrode is a cathodic potential applied.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid electrolyte comprises water.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the metal or metals of the solid metal object are chosen from the groups of the Periodic Table of Elements according to IUPAC starting at 3 to and including group 15.

4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the metal of the solid metal object is chosen from the group consisting of Y, Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Ag, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Al, Si, Ga, Ge, As, In, Sn, Sb, Te, Tl, Pb and Bi.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the solid starting metal is an alloy of two or more metals.

6. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the alloy is chosen from the group consisting of PtNi, PtIr, PtRh, PtRu, PtCo, PtMo, PtAu, PtAg, PtRuMo, PtFe, AuCu, PtCu, PtOs, PtSn, PtBi, CuNi, CoNi, AgCu, AgAu, NiSn and SnAg, SnAgCu.

7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the alloy is a SnAg or SnAgCu alloy.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the stabilising cation is an alkali, alkaline earth, ammonium or an alkyl ammonium cation.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles are separated from the liquid electrolyte.

Assignees

• Yanson Alexei
• Koper Marcus
• Rodriguez Paramaconi
• Garcia-Araez Nuria
• Univ Leiden

Inventors

• Yanson Alexei
• Koper Marcus
• Rodriguez Paramaconi
• Garcia-Araez Nuria

Classifications

• B01J23/89

  combined with noble metals · CPC title

• B22F2998/00

  Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy · CPC title

• B01J23/468

  Iridium · CPC title

• C25C5/00

  Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metal powders or porous metal masses · CPC title

• B01D53/94

  by catalytic processes · CPC title