Synthesis of platinum nanostructures in zeolite mordenite using a solid-state reduction method

Platinum nanoparticles and nanowires have been synthesized inside zeolite mordenite using a solid-state reduction method. Tetrammine platinum nitrate was introduced into the pores via incipient wetness impregnation and it was reduced using powder sodium borohydride. With this method it was possible to obtain single crystal nanowires along the edges of the zeolite particle. The molar ratio of the reducing agent to platinum atoms was a critical parameter for the formation of either uniform nanoparticles or nanowires. Using a regular aqueous sodium borohydride solution reduction it was not possible to obtain nanowires in this zeolite. To the best of the author's knowledge this is the first time sodium borohydride in its solid form is used as a reducing agent to form nanostructures and this is also the first time a solid-state method is used to form nanostructures in a zeolite. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.