Oxidative Etching of PD Decahedral Nanocrystals
Oxidative Etching of PD Decahedral Nanocrystals
Oxidative Etching of PD Decahedral Nanocrystals
pubs.acs.org/cm
■ INTRODUCTION
Oxidative etching is a commonly occurring electrochemical
and co-workers used in situ transmission electron microscopy
(TEM) to investigate the oxidative etching of various Au
process, which is exemplified by the formation of iron rust in nanocrystals inside a graphene pocket.16 Notably, the authors
the presence of water and air. When applied to metallic observed a nonequilibrium intermediate during the etching of a
nanocrystals, the power of this process can be harnessed to Au nanocube, before the intermediate was converted to the
manipulate the properties of nanocrystals, including their size, expected spherical shape. In principle, one would expect to
shape, internal structure, and composition.1,2 This is typically glean more information when moving from single-crystal
achieved by employing an etchant pair, such as O2/halide, to nanocubes to nanocrystals with more complex internal twin
systematically remove atoms from a nanocrystal. Over the past structures. To this end, Pd decahedral nanocrystals would
decade or so, this approach has resulted in metal nanocrystals provide a rich platform for the study of oxidative etching due to
with a diverse array of morphologies, including octapods,3,4 the presence of a diversified set of surface features.8,17 These
nanocages,5−8 and nanoframes.9−11 The preferential etching of include the presence of twin boundaries, different types of
multitwinned products has facilitated the preparation of single- facets, and multiple subtypes of edges and vertices. Such a wide
crystal and single-twinned Ag nanocrystals with high purity.12,13 variety of surface features potentially allows for the
Moreover, the coupling of oxidative etching with reduction- identification of sites most prone to oxidative etching, as well
based regrowth has allowed for the creation of a variety of as a systematic study of etching in terms of initiation and
structures from a single type of Pd nanocrystal.14 A related propagation. Furthermore, Pd decahedra have shown potential
approach has also been used to create Ag−Au alloyed as electrocatalysts,18 as well as a platform material for the
nanostructures with hollow interiors, which would be otherwise creation of more complex structures, such as core−shell
difficult to fabricate.15 nanocrystals7 and pentagonal nanorods,19−21 with notable
Because metal nanocrystals are typically synthesized in an catalytic and optical properties. Taken together, it can be
oxygenated environment, and often from halide-based
precursors, oxidative etching is inevitable. As such, it would Received: May 1, 2017
be sensible to systematically explore its impacts on the physical Revised: May 27, 2017
properties of metal nanocrystals. In a recent study, Alivisatos Published: May 30, 2017
concluded that understanding the effects of oxidative etching collected precipitate was redispersed in DI water and centrifuged three
on decahedral nanocrystals is critical to their effective use in times at 16 500 rpm for 25 min.
real-world applications. Instrumentation. TEM images were obtained on a Hitachi HT-
Here we report a systematic study of oxidative etching of Pd 7700 microscope operated at 120 kV. HRTEM and HAADF-STEM
images were collected with a Hitachi HD-2700 operated at 200 kV. An
decahedra by the O2/I− etchant pair. This pair was chosen Eppendorf centrifuge (5430) was used for the centrifugation and
owing to its ability to effectively etch Pd nanocrystals at a washing of all samples. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)
controllable rate,14 allowing us to analyze the etching process measurements were carried out using a spectrometer (Thermo
over a reasonable time frame. The etched samples were Scientific, KAlpha) with Al Kα X-ray (1486.6 eV) as the light source.
characterized using TEM, high-resolution TEM (HRTEM),
and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission
electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) to ascertain the
■ RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Figure 1 shows the effects of O2/I−-based oxidative etching on
initiation and propagation of etching over time. The effects of Pd decahedral nanocrystals. Figure 1A shows a TEM image of
the etching environment were also explored by conducting
experiments in diethylene glycol (DEG) and deionized (DI)
water, in conjunction with the introduction of various types of
additives. Finally, we demonstrated the use of oxidative etching
to modulate the growth behavior of Pd decahedral seeds in
generating nanocrystals with more complex structures.
■ EXPERIMENTAL SECTION
Chemicals and Materials. DEG (≥99.0%, lot no. BCBP6902V),
poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP, MW ≈ 55 000), sodium sulfate
(Na2SO4, ≥99.0%), sodium iodide (NaI, ≥99.5%), sodium chloride
(NaCl, ≥99.0%), iron(III) chloride (FeCl3, 97%), and ascorbic acid
(AA, ≥99.0%) were all procured from Sigma-Aldrich. Sodium
tetrachloropalladate (Na2PdCl4, ≥99.0%) was obtained from Acros
Organics. All chemicals were used as received. DI water with a
resistivity of 18.2 MΩ·cm was used throughout the experiment.
Synthesis of Pd Decahedra. In a typical synthesis, 174 mg of
Na2SO4 was added into a 50 mL three-neck flask. Next, 8 mL of DEG-
based PVP solution (a colloidal stabilizer, 20 mg/mL) was introduced,
along with a 6 × 25 mm polygonal, Teflon-coated stirring bar. The
flask was then placed in an oil bath set to 117.5 °C under magnetic
stirring (450 rpm). Note that, at this oil bath temperature, the
temperature of the reaction solution was only measured to be 103.3
°C. Immediately after the stirring began in the flask, 4 mL of a DEG- Figure 1. TEM and HAADF-STEM images of Pd decahedral
based Na2PdCl4 solution (a precursor to elemental Pd, 15.5 mg/mL) nanocrystals (A, B) before and (C, D) after oxidative etching with
was introduced and the timer was started. The reaction was terminated O2/I− in DEG at 90 °C for 30 min. The etched nanocrystals show a
after 3 h by immersing the flask in an ice bath. The product was significantly rounded profile while retaining the penta-twinned
collected by adding acetone in a 3:1 ratio to the reaction solution and structure. The red arrows denote examples of initial decahedra (A)
centrifuging the mixture at 6 000 rpm for 10 min. The precipitate was and rounded particles (C) imaged from the side.
redispersed in DI water, centrifuged three times at 16 000 rpm for 25
min, and finally stored in DI water.
Etching of Pd Decahedra. In a standard procedure, 52.5 mg of the initial Pd decahedra used for the etching studies, which had
PVP and 10 mg of NaI were dissolved in 3.5 mL of DEG. The an average size of ∼17 nm, defined as the distance (d) between
resultant solution was placed in a 20 mL dram vial with a 10 × 15 mm two vertices of a decahedron (see Figure S1). For clarity, we
polygonal stirring bar. The vial was loosely closed and then heated in will henceforth refer to the five in-plane vertices as “equatorial”
an oil bath set to 90 °C for 10 min under stirring (450 rpm). After the and the two remaining vertices as “axial”. The red arrows in
preheating was complete, 0.5 mL of the Pd decahedra suspension Figure 1A denote an example of a decahedral nanocrystal
(1.35 mg of Pd/mL) was injected with a pipet and the vial was capped imaged from the side. Figure 1B shows the HAADF-STEM
again. The etching was allowed to proceed for 30 min and was
terminated by immersion in an ice bath. The product was collected by
image of an initial decahedron, highlighting the flat edges
adding acetone in a 3:1 ratio to the reaction solution and centrifuging running along the equator of the structure, as well as the slight
at 6 000 rpm for 10 min. The precipitate was redispersed in DI water, truncation at the equatorial vertices. Exposing the decahedra to
centrifuged three times at 16 000 rpm for 25 min, and then stored in O2/I− in DEG for 30 min at 90 °C yielded particles with a
DI water. notably rounded profile, compared to the initially well-defined
Synthesis of Tapered, Penta-Twinned Pd Nanorods. In a decahedra, as shown in Figure 1C and D. Moreover, the
typical process, 7 mL of DEG containing 105 mg of PVP, 100 mg of rounded particles that were imaged from the side (for example,
AA, and 100 mg of NaI was added into a 20 mL vial equipped with a denoted by the red arrows in Figure 1C) showed evidence of
10 × 15 mm polygonal, Teflon-coated stirring bar. The vial was then noticeable rounding at the axial vertices as well. Crucially, the
capped and placed in an oil bath held at 160 °C under magnetic
penta-twinned structure of the starting nanocrystals was clearly
stirring (450 rpm). After 10 min, 1 mL of rounded particles in DEG
was added, immediately followed by the introduction of 3 mL of a preserved. After the etching, the average size of the rounded
DEG solution of Na2PdCl4 (10 mg/mL). The reaction was allowed to particles decreased by 2−3 nm, although the size polydispersity
proceed for 1 h and terminated by immersing the vial in an ice-water of the initial decahedra made an accurate comparison difficult.
bath. The product was collected by adding acetone in a 3:1 ratio to the As a control experiment, Ar gas was bubbled through the DEG
reaction solution and centrifuging at 6 000 rpm for 10 min. The solutions prior to heating. The resultant particles maintained a
5395 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b01776
Chem. Mater. 2017, 29, 5394−5400
Chemistry of Materials Article
■ CONCLUSION
In summary, we have carried out a systematic study to
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■
(9) McEachran, M.; Keogh, D.; Pietrobon, B.; Cathcart, N.;
ASSOCIATED CONTENT Gourevich, I.; Coombs, N.; Kitaev, V. Ultrathin Gold Nanoframes
through Surfactant-Free Templating of Faceted Pentagonal Silver
*
S Supporting Information Nanoparticles. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 8066−8069.
This material is available free of charge at The Supporting (10) Chen, C.; Kang, Y.; Huo, Z.; Zhu, Z.; Huang, W.; Xin, H. L.;
Information is available free of charge on the ACS Publications Snyder, J. D.; Li, D.; Herron, J. A.; Mavrikakis, M.; Chi, M.; More, K.
website at DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b01776. L.; Li, Y.; Markovic, N. M.; Somorjai, G. A.; Yang, P.; Stamenkovic, V.
R. Highly Crystalline Multimetallic Nanoframes with Three-dimen-
Schematic showing the definition of size of a decahedral
sional Electrocatalytic Surfaces. Science 2014, 343, 1339−1343.
nanocrystal; TEM image of the etching products (11) Wang, X.; Ruditskiy, A.; Xia, Y. Rational Design and Synthesis of
obtained under Ar gas protection; HRTEM and Noble-metal Nanoframes for Catalytic and Photonic Applications.
HAADF-STEM images of a rounded Pd decahedron Natl. Sci. Rev. 2016, 3, 520−533.
without overlay; XPS results obtained from the initial Pd (12) Wiley, B.; Herricks, T.; Sun, Y.; Xia, Y. Polyol Synthesis of Silver
decahedra and the final etching products in DEG and Nanoparticles: Use of Chloride and Oxygen to Promote the
aqueous environments (PDF) Formation of Single-Crystal, Truncated Cubes and Tetrahedrons.
■
Nano Lett. 2004, 4, 1733−1739.
(13) Wiley, B. J.; Xiong, Y.; Li, Z.-Y.; Yin, Y.; Xia, Y. Right
AUTHOR INFORMATION Bipyramids of Silver: A New Shape Derived from Single Twinned
Corresponding Author Seeds. Nano Lett. 2006, 6, 765−768.
*E-mail: [email protected]. (14) Wang, Z.; Wang, H.; Zhang, Z.; Yang, G.; He, T.; Yin, Y.; Jin, M.
Synthesis of Pd Nanoframes by Excavating Solid Nanocrystals for
ORCID Enhanced Catalytic Properties. ACS Nano 2017, 11, 163−170.
Aleksey Ruditskiy: 0000-0002-1146-827X (15) Yang, Y.; Zhang, Q.; Fu, Z.-W.; Qin, D. Transformation of Ag
Madeline Vara: 0000-0001-8968-8734 Nanocubes into Ag−Au Hollow Nanostructures with Enriched Ag
Younan Xia: 0000-0003-2431-7048 Contents to Improve SERS Activity and Chemical Stability. ACS Appl.
Mater. Interfaces 2014, 6, 3750−3757.
Notes (16) Ye, X.; Jones, M. R.; Frechette, L. B.; Chen, Q.; Powers, A. S.;
The authors declare no competing financial interest.
■
Ercius, P.; Dunn, G.; Rotskoff, G. M.; Nguyen, S. C.; Adiga, V. P.;
Zettl, A.; Rabani, E.; Geissler, P. L.; Alivisatos, A. P. Single-particle
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Mapping of Nonequilibrium Nanocrystal Transformations. Science
This work was supported in part by a grant from the NSF 2016, 354, 874−877.
(DMR-1506018) and startup funds from the Georgia Institute (17) Marks, L. D.; Peng, L. Nanoparticle Shape, Thermodynamics
and Kinetics. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 2016, 28, 053001.
of Technology. A.R. was also supported by a Graduate Research (18) Choi, S.-I.; Herron, J. A.; Scaranto, J.; Huang, H.; Wang, Y.; Xia,
Fellowship from the NSF.
■
X.; Lv, T.; Park, J.; Peng, H.-C.; Mavrikakis, M.; Xia, Y. A
Comprehensive Study of Formic Acid Oxidation on Palladium
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