Platinum-Based Nanostructured Materials: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

The synthesis, properties, and applications of platinum-based nanostructured materials have been discussed. The hydrothermal processes involve a heterogeneous reaction, which takes place in aqueous solvents under high temperature and pressure conditions. The solution-gel (sol-gel) process is a wet chemical technique used to efficiently and economically fabricate platinum nanostructures. Hydrothermal and solvothermal methods are easy and reproducible processes that offer the potential to fabricate a wide variety of Pt and Pt-based nanostructured materials on various supporting materials such as titanium, silica, or carbon nanotubes. The sol-gel technique is based on hydrolyzable precursors, such as metal alkoxides, which undergo hydrolysis and polycondensation reactions and subsequent drying to form various products. Platinum nanoparticles can be fabricated on many supporting materials such as silicates, aluminum, titanium, and carbon. Sol-gel synthesis is a useful technique for creating Pt and Pt-based nanoparticles with uniform size and distribution.