Nanostructured gold–palladium electrodeposited in dimethyl sulfoxide solutions

• Au–Pd deposits were electrodeposited on glassy carbon surface in dimethyl sulfoxide.
• Pulse time of 6 and pause of 300 ms were chosen as conditions for electrodeposition.
• The bimetallic nanoparticles in range of 20–120 nm were identified by SEM.
• Increase in the potential value resulted to higher palladium content in the deposits.
• Longer electrodeposition finally led to complete nanostructured Au–Pd films.

The main purpose of the research was to obtain bimetallic nanodeposits by a simple electrochemical method. Gold and palladium were chosen as the objects for simultaneous electrodeposition. Gold–palladium deposits were obtained by pulse potentiostatic electrolysis on a glassy carbon surface in dimethyl sulfoxide solution with (0.001–0.004) M HAuCl4, 0.004 M PdCl2 and 0.05 M Bu4NClO4 at the constant temperature of 35 °C. The bimetallic nanoparticles were found in the potential range of –(0.3–1.5) V vs Ag/AgCl in saturated KCl during pulse time of 6 ms and pause of 300 ms. Increase in the potential value resulted in higher palladium content in the deposits. Depending on the electrodeposition time discrete bimetallic nanoparticles transformed into complete nanostructured films made of gold and palladium.

graphical abstractSEM images of bimetallic nanodeposits obtained by pulse electrolysis on glassy carbon surface in DMSO solution with 0.004 M HAuCl4, 0.004 M PdCl2 and 0.05 M Bu4NClO4 at potential of –0.3 (a); –0.5 (b) and –1.0 (c) V vs Ag/AgCl in saturated KCl. Number of pulse cycles was predicted to install 0.0015 mA h amount of electricity.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide