Removing polyvinylpyrrolidone from catalytic Pt nanoparticles without modification of superficial order

Herein, we report a simple methodology for cleaning Pt nanoparticles, prepared by a colloidal synthesis and coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone, without loss of crystalline surface structure. To prove the removal of the polyvinylpirrolidone from a Pt surface without disturbing the superficial order, a cleaning method using a solution of H ₂O ₂/H ₂SO ₄ was tested successfully for a Pt(111) single-crystal electrode. The decontamination method was then tested for two different types of nanoparticles by mixing the suspension of nanoparticles with H ₂O ₂/H ₂SO ₄ and subsequent centrifugation. The resulting voltammetric profiles of platinum particles synthesized by the colloidal method employing PVP show a marked presence of the adsorption-state characteristic of (111) ordered surface domains. The presence of the well-ordered domains present on the surface of the nanoparticles was confirmed by using the irreversible adsorption of bismuth, tellurium and germanium. Clean catalysts: A facile and novel chemical method is introduced for cleaning Pt nanoparticles with preferential orientation. The method is based on the idea that the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide may aid in removing organic components from the Pt-nanoparticle surface, and does not introduce any major loss of superficial structure.