Structural, electrical, and rheological properties of palladium/silver bimetallic nanoparticles prepared by conventional and ultrasonic-assisted reduction methods

Polyvinylpyrrolidone stabilized Pd/Ag bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) with average particle sizes of 9 and 6 nm were synthesized by simultaneous reduction in the presence and absence of ultrasound waves, respectively. The prepared NPs were characterized by six methods including X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution-TEM (HRTEM), UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The rheological properties of Pd/Ag NPs in ethylene glycol as a base fluid with various mass fractions of NPs from 2% to 5% at different temperatures were studied experimentally and theoretically. The experimental results showed that viscosity of Pd/Ag NPs in ethylene glycol increases with increasing particle mass fraction and decreases with increasing temperature. A maximum of 31.58% increase in viscosity of ethylene glycol at 20 degrees C was observed when 5% Pd/Ag NPs was added. Measurement of the electrical conductivity of nanofluids of Pd/Ag bimetallic NPs in distilled water at different mass fractions and temperatures was performed. A 3841% increase in electrical conductivity of distilled water at 25 degrees C was observed when 1% Pd/Ag NPs was added. Both the rheological and electrical properties of Pd/Ag bimetallic NPs were measured in ethylene glycol and distilled water, respectively for the first time. (C) 2013 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.