A robust and versatile hot injection synthesis of catalytically active gallium-based bimetallic nanoparticles with low size polydispersity

Jimenez Sanchez MA, Englhard J, Bachmann J, Moritz M, Madubuko N, Taccardi N, Carl S, Cruz Antunes G, Apeleo Zubiri B, Spiecker E, Haumann M, Wasserscheid P, Papp C, Malgaretti P, Harting J (2026)

Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Journal article, Report

Publication year: 2026

Journal

Materials Advances Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)

DOI: 10.1039/d6ma00944a

Open Access Link: https://pubs.rsc.org/ma/article/doi/10.1039/d6ma00944a/1297563/A-robust-and-versatile-hot-injection-synthesis-of

Abstract

The fundamental study of supported catalytically active liquid metal solutions (SCALMSs) has been hampered by the limited control of particle size distribution. Here, a hot injection synthesis of Ga, PdGa, PtGa, and NiGa particles (with Pd, Pt, and Ni in low percent concentration) is introduced. In binary systems, it yields small particle diameters (15 to 25 nm depending on the system and conditions) and a tightly controlled diameter (polydispersity on the order of 5 nm). We demonstrate, using a combination of mass spectrometric analysis of the reaction mixture and analytical modeling supported by experimental parameter variation, that growth is arrested by the evolution of CO2 from the acetylacetonate precursors, which reacts with metallic Ga to generate a thin oxide layer. This layer is determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy to be 2 to 3 nm thick and decomposes at 527 °C under ultra-high vacuum conditions. In a first proof of principle, the PdGa particles exhibit much higher catalytic activity than previously available SCALMS systems for a model aqueous hydrogenation reaction.

Authors with CRIS profile

Marco Aurelio Jimenez Sanchez Lehrstuhl für Chemistry of thin film materials Jonas Englhard Lehrstuhl für Chemistry of thin film materials Julien Bachmann Lehrstuhl für Chemistry of thin film materials Michael Moritz Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie II Nnamdi Madubuko Lehrstuhl für Chemische Reaktionstechnik (CRT) Nicola Taccardi Lehrstuhl für Chemische Reaktionstechnik (CRT) Simon Carl Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Mikro- und Nanostrukturforschung) Benjamin Apeleo Zubiri Erdmann Spiecker Marco Haumann Lehrstuhl für Chemische Reaktionstechnik (CRT) Peter Wasserscheid Lehrstuhl für Chemische Reaktionstechnik (CRT) Jens Harting Professur für Multiskalen-Modellierung für kontrollierte Filmbildung (HIERN)

Related research project(s)

Catalysis at Liquid Interfaces (CLINT) (SFB 1452 CLINT) Jan. 1, 2021 - Dec. 31, 2024

Involved external institutions

Freie Universität Berlin DE Germany (DE) Helmholtz-Institut Erlangen-Nürnberg für Erneuerbare Energien (HI-ERN) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Jimenez Sanchez, M.A., Englhard, J., Bachmann, J., Moritz, M., Madubuko, N., Taccardi, N.,... Harting, J. (2026). A robust and versatile hot injection synthesis of catalytically active gallium-based bimetallic nanoparticles with low size polydispersity. Materials Advances. https://doi.org/10.1039/d6ma00944a

MLA:

Jimenez Sanchez, Marco Aurelio, et al. "A robust and versatile hot injection synthesis of catalytically active gallium-based bimetallic nanoparticles with low size polydispersity." Materials Advances (2026).

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