Controllable Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles for Electrocatalytic Activity Enhancement - Atomically-Precise Methods for Synthesis of Solid Catalysts - page 243

d n 9 r 4 n g | 5

Figure 9.13 TEM images of (a) the 8 nm Au NPs. (b) Potential-dependent FEs of the
C-Au on electrocatalytic reduction of CO 2 to CO. (c) Current densities
for CO formation (mass activities) on the C-Au at various potentials. (d)
Density of adsorption sites (yellow, light orange, dark orange, or red
symbols for (111), (001), edge, or corner on-top sites, respectively) on
closed-shell cuboctahedral Au clusters vs. the cluster diameter. The
weight fraction of Au bulk atoms is marked with gray dots.
Reprinted from ref. 69 with permission by American Chemical Society.

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9.5 Summary and Perspectives
The worldwide increase in energy demand has driven the intensive research
on next-generation electrochemical energy conversion and storage technol-
ogies, including fuel cells, batteries, and water electrolyzers. Metal NPs
prepared via solution phase reactions with controlled sizes, shapes, and
compositions are considered essential in developing commercially viable
catalysts for applications in energy conversion devices.
This chapter summarizes the general concept in preparing monodisperse
NPs. It provides some typical examples, mostly from the authors' laboratory,
on using solution phase reactions to control NP nucleation and growth.
Specifically, the chapter highlights the syntheses of noble metal (Pt or Au)
based multi-metallic NPs with controlled sizes, shapes, compositions, and
structures. Such synthetic controls allow the fine tuning of both surface and
electronic features, as well as chemical stability, of the NPs, making it