Preparation of Pt/Rh bimetallic colloidal particles in polymer solutions using borohydride-reduction.

Colloidal dispersions of Pt/Rh bimetallic particles have been synthesized by the reduction of Pt(IV)/Rh(III) ionic solutions by using borohydride-reduction in the presence of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone). The size and the structure of the synthesized particles have been examined by transmission electron micrograph (TEM) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). We have succeeded in producing the bimetallic Pt/Rh particles with an average diameter of 2.8 nm in polymer solutions by the stepwise addition of sodium borohydride aqueous solution. The distribution of different metallic species in a particle tended to be "cluster-in-cluster" structure, in contrast to the bimetallic particle with an average diameter of 1.4 nm synthesized by alcohol-reduction which have a core-shell structure.