Monodisperse spherical colloids of Pb and their use as chemical templates to produce hollow particles

Monodisperse Pb spherical colloids are synthesized by thermally decomposing lead acetate in boiling tetra(ethylene glycol), followed by quenching with cold ethanol. These colloids are then used as chemical templates to produce core-shell or hollow Pb@PbS (see Figure) and Pb@Ag particles by reacting with sulfur vapor and an aqueous AgNO3 solution, respectively.