Colloidal preparation of functional nanoparticles and applications

• Main Author: Teo, Wee Siang
• Other Authors: Dong Zhili
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/66441
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Well-defined functional nanostructures are of fundamental importance in the advancement of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In this project, monodisperse ruthenium nanoparticles were synthesized using colloidal synthesis approach and its size and morphology were studied in electrochemical water splitting. Various parameters such as synthetic time, temperature and stabilizers were tuned and the resulting nanoparticles were optimized for enhanced electrocatalytic performance. In addition, the effects of annealing temperature on thin films of ruthenium nanoparticles was studied. Thin films deposited on FTO substrates were annealed at 150 °C -700 ° C under argon atmosphere and subsequently characterized by SEM, TEM imaging, XRD analysis and LSV. In all, monodispersed ruthenium nanoparticles were synthesized by a facile method using oleylamine reduction and small amount of ruthenium nanoparticles in thin films effectively catalyzed electrochemical water splitting reactions, in particular, the amorphous ruthenium nanoparticle thin film exhibited optimal electrocatalytic performances.