In situ synthesis of carbon nanotubes decorated with palladium nanoparticles using arc-discharge in solution method

Abstract

A unique, simple, inexpensive, and one-step synthesis route to produce carbon nanotubes (CNTs) decorated with palladium nanoparticles using a simplified dc arc-discharge in solution is reported. Zero-loss energy filtered transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy confirm the presence of 3 nm palladium nanoparticles. Such palladium nanoparticles form during the reduction of palladium tetra-chloro-square-planar complex. The deconvoluted x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy envelope shows the presence of palladium on the decorated CNTs. The energy dispersive spectroscopy suggests no functionalization of atomic chlorine to the sidewall of the CNTs. The presence of dislodged graphene sheets with wavy morphology supports the formation of CNTs through the "scroll mechanism."

Synthesis of nanoparticles using a pulsed electrical discharge in a liquid

“…Mainly copper enters into the composition of the synthesized nanopowder in the form of the oxide (Cu 2 O), the hydroxychloride (Cu 2 (OH 3 )Cl), and the oxychloride (Cu 2 OCl 2 ). The difference between our data and the results of [21], which reported the absence of chlorine in the composition of material synthesized in a discharge submerged in a PdCl 2 solution, is due most likely to the different chemical properties of Cu and Pd, in particular their ability to form a chemical compound with chlorine. Metallic tungsten is found only in the nanopowder synthesized in a dc spark with a tungsten cathode.…”

“…The composition of the particles has been varied from metallic to carbon, including all possible intermediate states [20]. In [21], carbon nanotubes decorated with palladium nanoparticles could be obtained in an arc discharge between two graphite electrodes submerged in a palladium chloride solution. Many publications have been devoted to synthesis of encapsulated nanoparticles (see, for example, [22][23][24][25][26][27]).…”

“…Recently it has been demonstrated that it is possible to synthesize metallic Ni, Co, and Fe particles encapsulated in graphite shells, using an arc discharge in aqueous solutions of the following salts of the metals: NiSO 4 , CoSO 4 , and FeSO 4 [23]. In contrast to the results in [21], the S and O content in the synthesized nanopowder were measured in analysis of the chemical composition.…”

Pt nanoparticle modified single walled carbon nanotube network electrodes for electrocatalysis: Control of the specific surface area over three orders of magnitude

“…NPs can be deposited on CNTs using various methods including metal vapour deposition [16], the chemical reduction of metal salts [16,17], and electrodeposition [13,18,19]. Electrodeposition is particularly attractive, as it circumvents the need for stabilising ligands, which may both hinder the catalytic properties of the metal and introduce impurities [19].…”

Laser-induced modification of composite Cu-C nanosized particles synthesized using a pulsed electrical discharge in a liquid

“…An important direction in application of the submerged discharge method may be synthesis of decorated [10,11] and encapsulated [13] nanoparticles, which are of interest for medicine and catalysis. Thus the possibility of synthesis of metallic particles of Ni, Co, and Fe, encapsulated in graphite shells, in discharges in aqueous solutions of the salts NiSO 4 , CoSO 4 , and FeSO 4 has been demonstrated in [13].…”