Brookhaven Lab scientists create novel core-shell
gold-indium oxide nanoparticles through room-temperature oxidation
Gold bars may signify great wealth, but the precious metal
packs a much more practical punch when shrunk down to just billionths of a
meter. Unfortunately, unlocking gold's potential often requires complex
synthesis techniques that produce delicate structures with extreme sensitivity
to heat.
Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's
Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered a process of creating uniquely
structured gold-indium nanoparticles that combine high stability, great
catalytic potential, and a simple synthesis process. The new
nanostructures—detailed online June 10 in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences—might enhance many different commercial and industrial
processes, including acting as an efficient material for catalytic converters
in cars.