Hemoglobin-like NiO nanostructures as potential carriers to support noble metals with enhanced catalytic performance

Abstract

Size and shape-tunable NiO nanocrystals have been successfully synthesized via a simple solvothermal method followed by a calcination treatment. Here, DMF plays the important role of a solvent as well as a precipitant. Interestingly, it is found that such synthesis is highly sensitive to the concentration of Ni(NO3)2. Sub-200 nm, 500 nm hemoglobin-like NiO and 1 μm nanospheres are prepared. Finally, sub-2.5 nm Pt NPs are formed on the surface of NiO by an in situ growth method. The as-obtained Pt–NiO hybrid nanocatalysts exhibit size-dependent catalytic performance. Especially, Pt–200 nm NiO has the highest activity in CO oxidation reaction.