A Simple and Fast Method to Synthesize Cubic Iridium Nanoparticles with Clean Surface Free from Surfactants

Cubic Iridium nanoparticles without any surfactants on the surface have been synthesized successfully in this work. The process of synthesis was quite simple by just injecting one drop of 400 µL solution containing Iridium precursor onto Cu foil (1 cm × 1 cm), and through galvanic reaction between the Ir precursor and Cu foil, the cubic Iridium nanoparticle could be obtained quite quickly (<30 s). The Cu foil played the roles of both reducing agent and substrate. This method could also be employed to synthesize cubic nanoparticles of other Pt-group metals such as Rh. By employing this method, cubic metal nanoparticles with surfactant-free surfaces could be produced economically and efficiently, and as a result, a realistic relationship between structure and catalytic activity could be established.