Electrochemical reduction of metal salts as a method of preparing highly dispersed metal colloids and substrate fixed metal clusters by electrochemical reduction of metal salts

US5620584A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Studiengesellschaft Kohle gGmbH · DE

Inventors

• Manfred T. Reetz · Mülheim an der Ruhr, DE
• Wolfgang Helbig · Mülheim an der Ruhr, DE
• Stefan Quaiser · Schifferstadt, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 9, 1995
• Grant date: Apr 15, 1997
• Expiry date: Mar 9, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/2991
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The object of the invention is a method for the electrochemical preparation of metal colloids with particle sizes of less than 30 nm, characterized in that one or more salts of one or more metals of groups Ib, IIb, III, IV, V, VI, VIIb, VIII, lanthanoides, and/or actinoides of the periodic table are cathodically reduced in the presence of a stabilizer, optionally with a supporting electrolyte being added, in organic solvents or in solvent mixtures of organic solvents and/or water within a temperature range of between -78.degree. C. and +120.degree. C. to form metal colloidal solutions or redispersible metal colloid powders, optionally in the presence of inert substrates and/or soluble metal salts of the respective metals. The invention further relates to soluble or redispersible colloids as well as application on substrates and immobilization thereof, in particular for the preparation of catalysts.