Pd-Ni nanowires prepared by electrochemical step-edge decoration

The arrays of Pd-Ni nanowires were prepared on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite by electrochemical step-edge decoration under the control of successive potentiostatic triple-pulse. The affecting factors on the composition of Pd-Ni alloy were investigated. The experimental results showed that the alloy composition of palladium and nickel could be adjusted by changing the ratio of Ni2+ and Pd2+ concentrations. The diameters of nanowires were controlled by adjusting the growing time and the growing potential. In the mixture of 7 mmol center dot L-1 PdCl2, 3 mmol center dot L-1 NiSO4 and 0.2 mol center dot L-1 NH4Cl, at pH 8.5, the arrays of Pd-Ni alloy nanowires with mean diameter of 210 nm, length about 400 mu m and composition of Ni mass fraction of 12.4% were synthesized with the nucleating pulse of -2.0 V, 0.2 s and growing pulse of -0.4 V, 1 h.