Sonoelectrochemical (20 kHz) production of platinum nanoparticles from aqueous solutions

The present work describes the production of platinum nanoparticles from aqueous chloroplatinic solutions in the presence of low-frequency high-power ultrasound (20 kHz) on titanium alloy electrodes. The production of this new type of Pt nanoparticles was performed galvanostatically at (298 1) K using a newly designed experimental set-up and 'sonoelectrode' producing ultrasonic pulses triggered and followed immediately by short applied current pulses. From galvanostatic studies, it was shown that Pt mean grain size ranging from 11 to 15 nm was produced. Morphological and structural studies of the produced nanoparticles were performed by TEM. SEM, XRD and SAED and showed that Pt nanoaggregates were predominantly formed, with no redissolution of the nanoaggregates. Globular clusters had a mean size ranging between 100 and 200 nm which in turn aggregated and built complex structures. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.