Abstract
The nascent field of nanotechnology-enabled metallurgy has great potential. However, the role of eutectic alloys and the nature of alloy solidification in this field are still largely unknown. To demonstrate one of the promises of liquid metals in the field, we explore a model system of catalytically active Bi-Sn nano-alloys produced using a liquid-phase ultrasonication technique and investigate their phase separation, surface oxidation, and nucleation. The Bi-Sn ratio determines the grain boundary properties and the emergence of dislocations within the nano-alloys. The eutectic system gives rise to the smallest grain dimensions among all Bi-Sn ratios along with more pronounced dislocation formation within the nano-alloys. Using electrochemical CO2 reduction and photocatalysis, we demonstrate that the structural peculiarity of the eutectic nano-alloys offers the highest catalytic activity in comparison with their non-eutectic counterparts. The fundamentals of nano-alloy formation revealed here may establish the groundwork for creating bimetallic and multimetallic nano-alloys.
Highlights
The nascent field of nanotechnology-enabled metallurgy has great potential
Ambient-temperature and non-directionally solidified Bi–Sn bulk alloys were fractured after liquid nitrogen cooling and the microstructures of their cross-sections were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX)
Using the Bi–Sn alloy system as a model, we have demonstrated some of the fundamental principles governing nanotechnologyenabled alloys in a facile synthesis process
Summary
The nascent field of nanotechnology-enabled metallurgy has great potential. the role of eutectic alloys and the nature of alloy solidification in this field are still largely unknown. The single-phase-like transition behaviour of eutectic systems has been shown to be advantageous for many technologically important applications, such as heat exchange and electronic switches[9,10,11] While these applications mostly concern liquid metals in their bulk form, in recent years more knowledge regarding the properties in low dimensions, has been gained, thanks to advancements in electron microscopy and other spectroscopic capabilities[12]. Ultrasonication induces high intensity shear stress by ultrasonic irradiation to achieve fragmentation of liquid specimen[21] It is a high-throughput, readily scalable method for the synthesis of micro-material and nano-material from liquid metals[22,23,24]. Combining ultrasonication with traditional metallurgy practices could be a potential strategy to realise liquid metal pathways for scalable synthesis of high value microalloys and nano-alloys, which could be promising for catalysis, optoelectronics, and biodiagnostics[25,26,27,28]
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