Surfactant-free synthesis of colloidal Pt nanoparticles with a wide size range from 2 to 10 nm for studying size effect.

Size effect of Pt nanoparticle (NPs) on electrocatalysis should be investigated in a wide size range and a narrow distribution. The surfactants used for size control were detrimental to exploring size effect. However, the largest size of Pt colloidal NPs was limited to ∼5 nm without surfactant, which is insufficient for investigating size effect. In this work, surfactant-free Pt colloidal NPs with a wider size range from 1.8 to 10.0 nm were synthesized by controlling the ratio of NaOH and Pt salts in the ethylene glycol by oil-bath heating. Assisted by the precise control of Pt size, the size effect on the electrooxidation of CO, methanol and ethanol was studied, showing that the optimal size varied from the specific catalytic reaction. The synthesis extended the upper limit of large Pt NPs by surfactant-free method, showing potentials in preparing other precious metal NPs with a wide size range. [Display omitted] • Wide size range synthesis of surfactant-free colloidal Pt nanoparticles in alkaline ethylene glycol. • Water accelerates the rate of particle formation. • Temperature increases the conversion of Pt precursor rather than the size. • The wide range is sufficient to study size effect on electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]