Sn Particles Research Articles

Revealing the origin of dendritic deposition regulated solid electrolyte interphase enabled by cation receptor in Zn-ion batteries

Aqueous Zn-metal batteries open up promising prospects for large-scale energy storage due to the advantages of ample components, cost-effectiveness, and safety features. However, the notorious dendritic development and unavoidable hydrogen evolution reaction of Zn have grown to be one of the main barriers inhibiting its further commercialization. Despite substantial studies, the mechanism of nucleation and deposition of Zn2+ ions on zinc layer surfaces remains elusive. Here, inspired by additive, the SnCl2 additive is introduced to initiate the in-situ formation of the ZnS-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer on the Zn anode, which creates a protective “shielding effect” that hinders direct contact between water and the zinc surface, suppressing the random growth of Zn dendrites in the whole process. The mechanism of Zn nucleation was revealed by employing high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, consecutive electron diffraction coupled with finite element method (FEM) simulations. Moreover, spontaneously formed 3D architecture consists of micorsized hemispherical Sn particles not only suppresses the Zn dendrite growth by reducing the local current density, but also enables the lateral growth of Zn crystals by increasing the average surface energy. Such an electrolyte enables a long cycle life of over 2000 h in the Zn||Zn cell. Importantly, the assembled Zn||MnVO full cells with SnCl2 electrolyte also delivers substantial capacity (171.1mA h g−1 at 1 A h g−1), presenting a promising application. These discoveries not only deepen the comprehension of fundamental scientific knowledge regarding the microscopic reaction mechanism of the Zn anode but also offer significant insights for optimizing performance.

Tin oxides as a negative electrode material for Mg-Ion batteries

Abstract In this study, SnO as a negative electrode material for Mg-ion batteries exhibits a larger capacity of 540 mA h g−1 at the first cycle than that of pure Sn, despite the lower 88 wt.% Sn content. XRD patterns and XPS spectra reveal alloying/de-alloying, with Sn formed by the reduction during the first charging. The greater capacity is attributed to the shorter Mg diffusion length in the resulting fine Sn particles. The MgO matrix played a role in maintaining the high capacity for more than 10 cycles by diminishing the Sn agglomeration.

Hydrothermal synthesis of SnO2/MoO3-x/rGO ternary nanocomposites as a high-performance anode for lithium ion batteries

The theoretical specific capacity of tin dioxide (SnO2) as a lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) anode material is up to 1494 mAh·g−1, far exceeding that of graphite. However, the low conductivity, volume expansion, crushing failure and particles agglomeration during charge/discharge cycles limit its application in LIBs. In this work, the SnO2/MoO3-x/rGO composite material was synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method, with SnO2 and amorphous MoO3-x tightly and uniformly anchored at the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The results of structural characterization and electrochemical performance evaluation show that amorphous MoO3-x can increase the reactive active sites, inhibit Sn particles aggregation, and promote the reversible reaction of SnO2. rGO effectively improves the electrical conductivity of the composite and buffers the volume change of Li-Sn alloying/dealloying during cycles. In addition, due to introduction of MoO3-x and rGO a stable SEI film can be formed at the material's surface to improve the cycle stability. SnO2/MoO3-x/rGO exhibits excellent rate performance and cycle performance. When the rGO content is 10.9 wt%, the reversible capacity of the composite reach 813 mAh·g−1 after 800 cycles at current density of 1.0 A·g−1, and 450.6 mAh·g−1 after 1000 cycles at current density of 5.0 A·g−1, with the capacity retention rate of 96.9%.

Investigation into the mechanical properties of heat-treated magnesium metal matrix composites reinforced with TiO2 and Sn particles

Investigation into the mechanical properties of heat-treated magnesium metal matrix composites reinforced with TiO2 and Sn particles

Sn/Graphite/Cu reinforced aluminum: An experimental study on fabrication of hybrid surface composite as journal bearing material by friction stir processing

Friction stir processing (FSP) is an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technique that provides tailored manufacturing possibilities for surface composites in solid-state conditions. This study focuses on manufacturing solid lubricant-reinforced aluminum matrix surface composite (AMSC) through FSP, which can be used as a journal-bearing material. Composite fabrications are performed utilizing Sn, Cu, and graphite particles (hybrid powder) with four passes of FSP. The cross-sectional macro and microstructures of obtained surface composites are investigated via optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The stir zone (SZ) chemistry is analyzed with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The microhardness measurements show the effects of hybrid powder as reinforcement and FSP parameters on the mechanical features of the composite cross-sections. Wettability and tribological tests are also conducted to determine the surface properties of the fabricated composites. According to the findings, the wear rate is decreased by 8 % with the reduction of average CoF to 0.75, while a hardness increment is achieved over ∼35 % in manufactured surface composites compared to the base material. It is observed that the content and amount of the hybrid powder and FSP parameters employed can ensure the fabrication of desired characteristics compatible with the aim in surface composites.

In situ growth and shrinkage of coated voids in aluminium

Voids can be detrimental to the mechanical and electrical properties of materials but may also find applications in catalysis and plasmonics. Key to the performance of materials containing voids are the sizes and morphologies of the voids, which can be tuned by heat treatment. The present work investigates the morphological evolution of voids, with solute segregation at their surfaces, in an aluminium‑copper‑tin alloy during in situ heating in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). These voids exhibited complex morphological changes that included growth or shrinkage, in contrast to voids in pure Al, which all shrank and disappeared (as reported in an earlier study). Without electron irradiation, the voids never grew. Nearly one fourth of the voids grew under certain heating and electron irradiation conditions, showing distinct growth stages. Growth and shrinkage of the voids both occurred primarily along the surface of the Sn particles to which they were attached. The voids exhibited faceting as they grew and gained morphological isotropy while they shrank. The growth and shrinkage fronts were both found to be primarily the curved surfaces and not the facets at the void surfaces. Growth followed by shrinkage led to a well-defined rounded triangular shape, in projection, with smooth boundaries. This work is, to the best of our knowledge, the first to characterise the growth of nanoscale voids in aluminium using in situ heating TEM. The dual effect of heating and electron irradiation could be utilised to switch the voids between growth and shrinkage to manipulate the void size and shape. This work provides useful insights into tuning void morphologies in the development of advanced materials such as for applications in engineering, catalysis and plasmonics.

Self-Adaptive Graphdiyne/Sn Interface for High-Performance Sodium Storage.

Efficiently reconciling the substantial volume strain with maintaining the stabilities of both interfacial protection and three-dimensional (3D) conductive networks is a scientific and technical challenge in developing tin-based anodes for sodium ion storage. To address this issue, a proof-of-concept self-adaptive protection for the Sn anode is designed, taking advantage of the arbitrary substrate growth of graphdiyne. This protective layer, employing a flexible chain doping strategy, combines the benefits of 2D graphdiyne and linear chain structures to achieve 2D mechanical stability, electronic and ion conductions, ion selectivity, adequate elongation, and flexibility. It establishes close contact with the Sn particles and can adapt to dynamic size changes while effectively facilitating both electronic and ion transports. It successfully mitigates the detrimental effects of particle pulverization and coarsening induced by large-volume changes. The as-obtained Sn electrodes demonstrate exceptional stability, enduring 1800 cycles at a high current density of 2.5 A g-1. This strategy promises to address the general issues associated with large-strain electrodes in next-generation of high-energy-density batteries.

Pressure Tuning and Sn Particle Size Optimization for Enhanced Performance in PbSnF4-Based All-Solid-State Fluoride Ion Batteries.

All-solid-state fluoride ion batteries (ASSFIBs) show remarkable potential as energy storage devices due to their low cost, superior safety, and high energy density. However, the poor ionic conductivity of F- conductor, large volume expansion, and the lack of a suitable anode inhibit their development. In this work, PbSnF4 solid electrolytes in different phases (β- and γ-PbSnF4) are successfully synthesized and characterized. The ASSFIBs composed of β-PbSnF4 electrolytes, a BiF3 cathode, and micrometer/nanometer size (µ-/n-) Sn anodes, exhibit substantial capacities. Compared to the μ-Sn anode, the n-Sn anode with nanostructure exhibits superior battery performance in the BiF3/β-PbSnF4/Sn battery. The optimized battery delivers a high initial discharge capacity of 181.3 mAh g-1 at 8mA g-1 and can be reversibly cycled at 40mA g-1 with a high discharge capacity of over 100.0 mAh g-1 after 120 cycles at room temperature. Additionally, it displays high discharge capacities over 90.0 mAh g-1 with excellent cyclability over 100 cycles under -20°C. Detailed characterization has confirmed that reducing Sn particle size and boosting external pressure are crucial for achieving good defluorination/fluorination behaviors in the Sn anode. These findings pave the way to designing ASSFIBs with high capacities and superior cyclability under different operating temperatures.

Analysis of initial stage of liquid-phase sintering by combined multi-phase-field/discrete-element method

A combined multi-phase-field/discrete-element method in two dimensions is applied to the liquid phase sintering process of blended elemental powders. The boundary migration, diffusion of elements, and phase transformation between two dissimilar particles are calculated using a multi-phase-field method for sintering based on Gibbs energy functions. The sintering shrinkage is computed with the discrete-element method taking account of the neck size and sintering force, which are obtained from a multi-phase-field simulation. In this study, a pair or small cluster consisting of two elemental powders in a binary eutectic alloy is used as a model system. First, the formation of a liquid phase around the contact area between two dissimilar particles above the eutectic temperature of the system, and the motions of the particles due to grain boundary sliding along the liquid films are confirmed. Second, an Sn–Bi system is selected as the real eutectic system, and the sintering behavior of powder compacts with various mixing ratios of Sn and Bi particles is demonstrated. Finally, transient liquid-phase sintering of Sn–Bi system is simulated, that is, the generation and extinction of the liquid phase due to interdiffusion between Sn and Bi particles are calculated.

Tin-antimony/carbon composite porous fibers: electrospinning synthesis and application in sodium-ion batteries

In this work, tin-antimony/carbon composites porous fibers were successfully synthesized by an electrospinning method combined with two-step heat treatment processes, in which SnCl2 and SbCl3 were used as tin and antimony sources, and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were used as binders and pore-forming agents. The as-synthesized tin-antimony/carbon composites were systematically characterized by x-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy-Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), x-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Thermogravimetric Analysis-Differential Scanning Calorimetry (TG-DSC). The results indicate that the composite material consists of one-dimensional nitrogen-doped carbon porous fibers as the main matrix, with a three-dimensional network structure in which Sn, SnO2, and SnSb particles are encapsulated. Furthermore, the tin-antimony/carbon composites porous fibers were utilized as self-supported negative electrode for sodium-ion batteries. The results showed that the SNbM-2 sample electrode calcined at 800 °C demonstrated the best cycling stability and rate capability among all the sample electrodes, with a discharge capacity of 319.5 mAh·g−1 maintained after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.1 A·g−1. The excellent electrochemical performance of the SNbM-2 sample electrode is benefited from its unique porous structure and the carbon fiber network structure encapsulating Sn, SnO2, and SnSb particles, which could effectively shorten the Na+ ion transport distance and mitigate electrode volume expansion.

A metal-based microencapsulated phase change material (MEPCM) with high thermal conductivity, electrical insulation and flame retardancy and its application in epoxy resin

Using the “double-layer coating, sacrificial inner layer” method, MEPCM with a thermal expansion void was prepared by encapsulating Sn particles into a magnesium hydroxide shell. The results showed that MEPCM exhibited better thermal reliability than those without a thermal expansion void. More importantly, the Sn was selected as the core material that MEPCM was enabled to have large volume latent heat (425.2 J/cm3) and high thermal conductivity (10.06 W/m·K), and magnesium hydroxide was chosen as the shell material that MEPCM was given great heat absorption ability (260 J/g), excellent electrical insulation performance and flame retardancy. By adding 20 vol% MEPCM to EP, the thermal conductivity of the composite improved 164.9 %. The volume resistivity of EP/MEPCM composites was 2.1 × 1012 Ω·cm. The pHRR and THR of EP/MEPCM composites were only 471.64 kW/m2 and 12.95 m2, respectively. The existence of MEPCM enhanced the thermal conductivity, electrical insulation performance and flame retardancy of EP.

Heterointerface-Induced Fast Na+ Transport of Sn Anode Using a Yolk-Shell Structure for Fast-Charging and Stable Sodium-Ion Batteries

Sodium-ion battery (SIB) is a promising next-generation secondary battery system that uses inexpensive sodium resources, which can lower battery production costs. Moreover, based on similar chemical and electrochemical reaction mechanisms as conventional lithium-ion battery (LIB), it is expected that technology development can be rapidly achieved by utilizing existing battery manufacturing processes. However, because of the larger ionic radius (1.02 Å) and weight of sodium compared to those of lithium (0.76 Å), SIBs inevitably have lower energy and power densities compared to LIB. Therefore, to address these challenges, developing suitable host material with superior electrochemical performance (high capacity/high power density/long cyclability) is urgently required.In this regard, metallic Sn has attracted attention as a promising anode material with a high theoretical capacity of 870 mAh/g through the reversible electrochemical (de)alloying reaction with sodium, which could overcome the low energy density limit of hard carbon anode. Nevertheless, due to the interfacial instability of Sn particles upon cycling and the slow alloying reaction rate during the sodiation process, the Sn anode exhibits poor rate performance and insufficient long-term cycling stability. Additionally, the structural degradation caused by significant volume variations further limits its practical implementation in SIBs.Here, to solve the above issues, we propose a hierarchically designed composite anode consisting of Sn yolk and multifunctional C/SiOC shell (denoted as Sn@C/SiOC) via a simple pyrolysis method using the suspension of the Sn precursor in silicone oil. We conducted various physical, chemical, and electrochemical characterization, and we further carried out an in-depth investigation including post-mortem and in-situ EIS analyses to reveal the heterointerface-induced improved sodium-ion storage performance. We expect that the heterointerface modification strategy will contribute to the realization of advanced electrode materials in SIBs and other next-generation energy storage devices.

Tunable composition of Sn/SnO2@C composites for lithium-ion batteries

Sn-based anodes are the most viable option for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), but their widespread implementation is hindered by suboptimal kinetics properties and structural failures. Herein, an effective anode material has been synthesized for LIBs, consisting of a carbon-encapsulated matrix with particles of Sn and SnO2 (Sn/SnO2@C) composites. The synergistic effect between SnO2 and Sn significantly improves both mechanical stability and kinetic properties. Additionally, the presence of a carbon matrix enhanced electronic conductivity as well as effectively mitigating volume expansion during cycling. As expected, the Sn/SnO2@C electrode realizes decent cycle stability and impressive rate performance. The work offers a promising approach for enhancing the performance of tin-carbon composites.

Thermal conductivity and fractal texture formation in β-Si3N4/polyvinylidene fluoride composites

Additive incorporation into polymers can enhance properties, such as the dielectric constant and thermal conductivity. The improved properties of polymer composites have largely been attributed to aggregate and network formation, but the influence of material texture requires clarification. Herein, the relationship between the texture of composite materials and thermal conductivity was investigated based on the fractal nature of composites consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with β-Si3N4 (SN) as a high-thermal-conductivity filler. The SN particle groups were found to contribute to the formation of thermal conduction paths in the composite material and, thus, improve the thermal conductivity. The characteristics of the particle group clusters involved in SN particle percolation were elucidated by analyzing the interactions between multiple particles as a function of the amount of each fractal dimension. In addition, based on the statistical relationships obtained from the multifractal analysis, the strengths of the interactions between particles during thermal conduction path formation were estimated. Overall, the texture of the SN/PVDF material was characterized by local particle group formation (self-assembly) and subsequent global particle group network construction (self-organization), depending on the amount of SN added. These results suggest that multifractal dimensions can be used as material design indices for the texture of polymer composites.

Controllable Fabrication of Sn/Sb Nanodomains Improved Sb2SnO5 Anodes for Sodium Ion Batteries

AbstractEmbedding the metal phase and modifying the microstructure is an important way to improve the storage capability of Sb2SnO5 (SSO) anodes. Pertaining to sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs), we design and fabricate Sb and Sn embedding porous carbon wires (PCWs) with SSO encapsulated (SSO@Sn/Sb‐PCWs) composite as a high capability anode in this study. Not only accelerate the Na+ ions diffusion, but also augment the stress resistance and the electrochemical reaction reversibility for the multiphase composite. Furthermore, the porous structure finely increases the ions diffusion kinetics, preventing the aggregation of Sn, Sb, and SSO particles, which achieves high reversible capacity while eliminating structure damage. As a consequence, the fabricated SSO@Sn/Sb‐PCWs electrode exhibited exceptional cycling stability, maintaining a high reversible capacity of 448 mAh g−1 after 150 charge/discharge cycles, and good rate capability with current density up to 5.0 A g−1. This new composite material studied in current work could shed light for the creation of sodium ion batteries with high specific energies in the near future.

Relaxation of Stress Propagation in Alloying-Type Sn Anodes for K-Ion Batteries.

Alloying-type metallic tin is perceived as a potential anode material for K-ion batteries owing to its high theoretical capacity and reasonable working potential. However, pure Sn still face intractable issues of inferior K+ storage capability owing to the mechanical degradation of electrode against large volume changes and formation of intermediary insulating phases K4 Sn9 and KSn during alloying reaction. Herein, the TiC/C-carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is prepared as an effective buffer matrix and composited with Sn particles (Sn-TiC/C-CNTs) through the high-energy ball-milling method. Owing to the conductive and rigid properties, the TiC/C-CNTs matrix enhances the electrical conductivity as well as mechanical integrity of Sn in the composite material and thus ultimately contributes to performance supremacy in terms of electrochemical K+ storage properties. During potassiation process, the TiC/C-CNTs matrix not only dissipates the internal stress toward random radial orientations within the Sn particle but also provides electrical pathways for the intermediate insulating phases; this tends to reduce microcracking and prevent considerable electrode degradation.

Mechanical and tribological characteristics of hypo eutectic Al-7Si alloy-based composite reinforced with Sn metal powder and Al2O3 using bottom pouring stir casting technique

The present work highlights the significant effects of varying wt% of Sn metal powder in the hypo eutectic Al-7Si/10 wt% Al2O3 composite. The composites were manufactured through a multi-stage stir casting route and characterized for mechanical and wear behavior using ASTM standards. The results revealed that the increase in Sn content up to 4 wt% in the matrix enhanced the microhardness, tensile properties, and reduced the porosity. The Al-7Si/10 wt% Al2O3 composite with 4% Sn particle reinforcement shows the highest tensile strength and hardness of 132 MPa and 90 BHN, respectively. All composites exhibited a ductile mode of failure, as evidenced by the tear ridges and dimples on the tensile fracture surface. By adding of Sn metal powder to the material system, the wear rate and coefficient of friction were reduced. At 1000 m of sliding distance and 1 ms−1 of sliding velocity, the wear loss of 8 wt% Sn composite was decreased by 88.8% as compared to Al-7Si base alloy at a normal load of 10 N whereas, at 40 N of normal load, the wear loss was decreased by 66.6%. During the wear process, the Sn metal powder surfaced and formed a thin tribo film that mechanically mixed with the surface, resulting in reduced friction. The layer at the interface prevented direct contact between asperities on the mating surface, which reduced wear loss. The composites without Sn metal powder exhibited adhesive wear and delamination as the primary wear mechanisms, while composites with Sn showed predominantly adhesive wear. Regression analysis followed by a desirability function approach was carried out to develop the model and optimize the operating conditions of the experiments.

Role of dislocations on Sn diffusion during low temperature annealing of GeSn layers

A study of the mechanism of Sn out-diffusion was performed by annealing Ge0.905Sn0.095 layers at 300 °C. The changes in Sn composition and strain state were confirmed by x-ray diffraction and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Surface defects, appearing as Sn particles, with the highest density of 3.5 × 108 cm−2 were detected by atomic force microscopy after annealing for 2 h. The strain in the GeSn layer stabilized for more prolonged annealing, while the density of particles decreased and their size increased. Annealing results are discussed in terms of Sn segregation and subsequent diffusion along dislocation lines, enhanced out-diffusion by dislocations migration, and surface particle coalescence.

High Capacity Sn Metal Anode for Aqueous Proton-Based Batteries

Aqueous proton-based batteries (APBs) as a good choice to respond battery diversity, delivering safety, cost, environmental friendliness and high-power necessary for renewable energy storage.1 However, most promising conventional aqueous battery anodes have relatively poor compatibility in acid. The limited existing anode options like Pb and MoO3 can hardly match the high-performance of advanced cathodes, leading low-voltage and unsatisfactory energy density of APBs.2-4 Therefore, the exploration of high-performance anode materials is thus of critical issue for the APB assembling.Sn metal should be one of the most suitable APB anode choices due to its relatively high hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) overpotential, large theoretical capacity (451.6 mAh g−1) and negative redox potential (−0.14 V vs. SHE). With a body-centered tetragonal crystal structure and similar facet surface energy, Sn metal deposit in polyhedral morphology isotropically. This may cause serious “dead Sn” issue when deposition capacity increases because large Sn particle has limited contact with the substrate and easily to shed from the electrode, resulting in low Coulombic efficiency and short lifespan.We will present our efforts of developing Sn anode with high capacity and long lifespan by an interfacial alloying regulation approach. Smaller grain size and more uniform Sn deposition can be achieved by higher propensity for nucleation and Sn migration energy barrier. Extra interfacial interaction suppresses shedding of Sn polyhedron particles, thus prohibiting the formation of “dead” Sn. Based on the optimized Sn metal anode, we propose several promising designs for APBs, with high performance such as high output voltages, good specific energy densities, fast kinetics, and long life. References X. Wu, J. J. Hong, W. Shin, L. Ma, T. Liu, X. Bi, Y. Yuan, Y. Qi, T. W. Surta, W. Huang, J. Neuefeind, T. Wu, P. A. Greaney, J. Lu, X. Ji. Nat. Energy 2019, 4, 123-130.W. Chen, G. Li, A. Pei, Y. Li, L. Liao, H. Wang, J. Wan, Z. Liang, G. Chen, H. Zhang, J. Wang, Y. Cui. Nat. Energy 2018, 3, 428-435.Y. Liang, Y. Jing, S. Gheytani, K. Y. Lee, P. Liu, A. Facchetti, Y. Yao. Nat. Mater. 2017, 16, 841-848.X. Wang, Y. Xie, K. Tang, C. Wang, C. Yan. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 11569-11573.

Temporal Evolution of Morphology, Composition, and Structure in the Formation of Colloidal High-Entropy Intermetallic Nanoparticles.

Morphology-controlled nanoparticles of high entropy intermetallic compounds are quickly becoming high-value targets for catalysis. Their ordered structures with multiple distinct crystallographic sites, coupled with the "cocktail effect" that emerges from randomly mixing a large number of elements, yield catalytic active sites capable of achieving advanced catalytic functions. Despite this growing interest, little is known about the pathways by which high entropy intermetallic nanoparticles form and grow in solution. As a result, controlling their morphology remains challenging. Here, we use the high entropy intermetallic compound (Pd,Rh,Ir,Pt)Sn, which adopts a NiAs-related crystal structure, as a model system for understanding how nanoparticle morphology, composition, and structure evolve during synthesis in solution using a slow-injection reaction. By performing a time-point study, we establish the initial formation of palladium-rich cube-like Pd-Sn seeds onto which the other metals deposit over time, concomitant with continued incorporation of tin. For (Pd,Rh,Ir,Pt)Sn, growth occurs on the corners, resulting in a sample having a mixture of flower-like and cube-like morphologies. We then synthesize and characterize a library of 14 distinct intermetallic nanoparticle systems that comprise all possible binary, ternary, and quaternary constituents of (Pd,Rh,Ir,Pt)Sn. From these studies, we correlated compositions, morphologies, and growth pathways with the constituent elements and their competitive reactivities, ultimately mapping out a framework that rationalizes the key features of the high entropy (Pd,Rh,Ir,Pt)Sn intermetallic nanoparticles based on those of their simpler constituents. We then validated these design guidelines by applying them to the synthesis of a morphologically pure variant of flowerlike (Pd,Rh,Ir,Pt)Sn particles as well as a series of (Pd,Rh,Ir,Pt)Sn particles with tunable morphologies based on control of composition.