Electrochemical Synthesis of Indium(0) Nanoparticles in Haloindate(III) Ionic Liquids

Abstract

A synthetic route to indium(0) nanoparticles via an electrochemical reduction of haloindate(III) ionic liquids to indium(I), and its subsequent disproportionation to indium(0) and indium(III) in the bulk electrolyte, is described. In this sustainable method, the ionic liquid acts simultaneously as metal source, templating agent, and stabilising agent, with the electron as the only reducing agent. The nature of the ionic liquid cation is demonstrated to strongly affect the morphology and size distribution of the indium(0) nanoparticles.

Electrodeposition of indium from non-aqueous electrolytes

“…Indium(I) is an intermediate that has been described in various electrochemical studies. 7,14 Furthermore, the standard reduction potentials of the In(III)/In(0) and In(III)/In(I) redox couples are close to each other: À0.34 V vs. SHE and À0.44 V vs. SHE, respectively. 23 Therefore, it was assumed that the occurring process is the reduction from indium(III) to indium(I).…”

“…1,2 Electrodeposition of indium from aqueous electrolytes has been extensively studied, but the co-evolution of hydrogen gas leads to low current efficiencies. [3][4][5] Electrodeposition of indium has also been investigated from non-aqueous electrolytes such as ionic liquids, [6][7][8][9] deepeutectic solvents [10][11][12][13] and molten salts 14,15 for electrowinning and formation of indium compounds. However, ionic liquids and deepeutectic solvents are often very viscous at ambient temperatures, whereas the use of high-temperature molten salts consumes a lot of energy.…”

Static Capacitance at the Electrochemical Liquid-liquid Interface Between Ionic Liquids and Eutectic Ga-In Alloy Measured Using the Pendant Drop Method

“…[59][60][61][62][63][64][65] The adsorption behavior of surface-active molecules and ions in W was compared at the interfaces of EGaIn and Hg, revealing that these two liquid electrodes show basically similar adsorption behavior with some difference. 64,65 With regard to the electrochemistry of ILs, electrodeposition of Ga [66][67][68][69][70] and In [71][72][73][74][75] in ILs has been intensively studied. We will show in the present study that the C dc behavior at the IL«EGaIn interface measured using the pendant drop method reproduces that at the IL«Hg interface, supporting that the phenomena observed at the IL«Hg interface are universal for the EDL in ILs.…”

Ionothermal, microwave-assisted synthesis of indium(iii) selenide

“…29 To date, chlorometallate ionic liquids have been used in dual roles of solvents and precursors to prepare a range of inorganic materials: Cu I Cl nanoplatelets, 30 In 0 , 31 Au 0 and Pd 0 nanoparticles 32 34 In many cases it is emphasised that the cation plays a signicant role, acting as a templating and/or stabilising agent. [30][31][32]35 Microwave-assisted synthesis may, in many cases, dramatically reduce the reaction time, and has been successfully implemented in the preparation of a variety of inorganic materials. 36 Ionic liquids readily absorb microwave irradiation and do not increase vapour pressure upon rapid heating, hence are particularly suitable for fast-paced microwave-assisted synthesis.…”