(659c) Synthesis of Platinum and Palladium Nanostructures Using a Solid State Reduction Method

Platinum and palladium nanoparticles and nanowires have been synthesized inside zeolite mordenite using a solid-state reduction method. The metal salts were introduced into the pores via incipient wetness impregnation and were reduced using powder sodium borohydride. With this method it was possible to obtain single crystal nanowires along the edges of the zeolite particle and nanoparticles by adjusting the amount of metal loading and the sodium borohydrate to metal ratio. The results are compared to other nanowire synthesis methods in templates.To the best of the author's knowledge this is the first time sodium borohydride in its solid form is used as a reducing agent to form nanostructures and this is also the first time a solid-state method is used to form nanostructures in a zeolite.