Yolk@Shell Nanoreactors Carrying a Cluster of Metal Nanocrystals Stabilized Inside the Hollow Carbon Shell

Abstract

Synthesis and stabilization of ultrasmall metal nanocrystals at high temperature have always been challenging due to their self-aggregating behavior. Here, we introduce a strategy to synthesize a cluster of tiny metal nanocrystals (similar to 3 nm) inside a hollow carbon shell as yolk@shell-type architecture following a metal-coordination-based nanocrystal stabilization at high temperature (500 degrees C). The successful catalytic reduction of 2-amino-4-nitrophenol demonstrates the efficiency of such nanoreactor in chemical transformation. Further adaptation of this strategy helps in synthesizing bimetallic (Au/Pt, Au/Pd, and Au/Ru) nanocrystals, which unfolds the possibilities to design advanced new-generation catalysts.