Shape and Structure-Controlled Metal Nanoparticles

Abstract

It will become clear to the reader after a perusal of this book, that the size and shape of metal nanoparticles are the main characteristics that determine their electrocatalytic properties. Generally, electrocatalytic properties are also directly related to the proportion of surface atoms with respect to the total number of atoms in the nanoparticle. The smaller the particle becomes the more surface atoms there are. For particles with diameters less of than 10 nm the proportion of surface atoms is large (about 20 % for d = 5 nm with a total number of around 6,000 atoms) and about 50 % for d = 2 nm (total number of about 300 atoms). With a diameter of 1 nm, it can be considered that all atoms of the particles are surface atoms.