Nanoengineering a library of metallic nanostructures using a single microfluidic reactor

Abstract

Microfluidic synthesis in a microfabricated reactor enables fast and facile synthesis of a wide library of metallic nanostructures: monometallic, bimetallic, anisotropic growth and heterostructures. Specific nanostructures are realized by selection of flow pattern and synthesis parameters. The technique is shown to have advantages over conventional batch technologies. Not only does it allow faster scalable synthesis, but also realization of nanostructures hitherto not reported such as Pt–Ru, Pt–Ni and Pt–Co nanodendrites, Pt–Pd heterostructures, Ag–Pd core–shell NPs, Au–Pd nanodumbbells and Au–Pd nanosheets.