Opposites Attract and Inspire Electrocatalyst
Monday, May 24, 2010 - 13:20
in Physics & Chemistry
(PhysOrg.com) -- Tiny gold particles will surround themselves with even smaller platinum bits, creating a complex structure that could turn a common preservative, formic acid, into electricity in a fuel cell, according to scientists from China's Harbin Institute of Technology and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The team used a novel electrostatic self-assembly method to create platinum-surrounded gold nanomaterial. This method relies on the attraction between positive and negative charges to inspire nanoparticles to form new structures on their own.