Platinum nanoparticles on the surface of silica modified with silicon hydride groups

Platinum-containing nanocomposites were synthesized by the in situ reduction of hexachloroplatinate water solution with silicon hydride groups grafted to the silica surface. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the quantity of supported metal influenced the size of the formed platinum nanoparticles. A decrease of the metal content in the composite from 1.5 to 0.3 wt% resulted in the formation of particles with sizes in a range from 27 to 39 nm. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and temperature-programmed reduction were applied to investigate the state of the metal on the carrier surface.