Adding two active silver atoms on Au₂₅ nanoparticle

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Atomic monodispersity in alloy nanoparticles is essential for fundamental research, particularly for understanding active sites.
• Controlled synthesis of such monodisperse alloy nanoparticles presents a significant challenge in materials science.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel and efficient method for synthesizing atomically monodisperse alloy nanoparticles.
• To characterize the structure and properties of the newly synthesized alloy nanoparticles.

Main Methods:

• Antigalvanic reduction (AGR) was employed for nanoparticle synthesis.
• Experimental techniques and computational calculations were used to determine the atomic arrangement within the alloy nanoparticles.

Main Results:

• Atomically monodisperse Au25Ag2(SC2H4Ph)18 nanoparticles were synthesized with high yield (89%) in just 2 minutes using AGR.
• Experimental and computational data confirmed that the two silver atoms collocate on the Au25 core rather than substituting gold atoms.
• The incorporated silver atoms were found to stabilize the alloy nanoparticle, enhance its fluorescence, and catalyze the hydrolysis of 1,3-diphenylprop-2-ynyl acetate.

Conclusions:

• Antigalvanic reduction (AGR) is a highly effective method for the rapid, high-yield synthesis of atomically monodisperse alloy nanoparticles.
• The unique structure of Au25Ag2(SC2H4Ph)18, with collocated silver atoms, imparts valuable properties for stabilization, fluorescence, and catalysis.
• This work overcomes a major challenge in nanoparticle synthesis and opens avenues for new applications in catalysis and materials science.