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Updated: May 17, 2026
Ligand-Mediated Nucleation and Growth of Palladium Metal Nanoparticles
Published on: June 25, 2018
Ligand-Orchestrated Burst Nucleation Enables Ultrasmall Phase-Pure High-Entropy Nanoalloys with Active-Armor
Rui Ma1, Chongyuan Zhai1, Ru-Yu Zhou1
1College of Materials, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Energy, School of Life Sciences, College of Physical Science and Technology, and Discipline of Intelligent Instrument and Equipment, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
A new ligand-mediated strategy enables the synthesis of stable high-entropy alloy (HEA) nanocatalysts by preventing particle sintering and phase segregation. This method enhances electrocatalytic performance and durability for applications like fuel cells.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- High-entropy alloy (HEA) nanocatalysts offer tunable properties for electrocatalysis.
- Synthesizing stable HEA nanocatalysts is challenging due to thermodynamic-kinetic conflicts like sintering and phase segregation at high temperatures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel ligand-mediated strategy for synthesizing stable, single-phase HEA nanocatalysts.
- To overcome the thermodynamic-kinetic conflict in HEA synthesis and enhance catalytic performance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 1,10-phenanthroline as a ligand to coordinate metal precursors, retarding their reduction onset.
- Achieved in situ carbonization of the ligand to form a protective N-doped carbon layer.
- Employed rapid atomic diffusion in a high-temperature window for fast alloying and nanoparticle stabilization.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized phase-pure, single-phase solid-solution PtRuCuCoNi HEA nanocatalysts (∼2.7 nm).
- Demonstrated enhanced oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and durability in an anion-exchange membrane fuel cell.
- Achieved a peak power density of 1.92 W cm⁻² and stable operation for 100 hours at 1 A cm⁻².
Conclusions:
- The ligand-mediated approach effectively prevents sintering and phase segregation, creating resilient HEA nanocatalysts.
- The chemically coupled HEA-carbon interface actively enhances catalytic functionality and stability.
- This strategy provides a general pathway for fabricating advanced multicomponent nanomaterials with improved performance.
