A Method for Low Temperature Preparation of a Noble Metal Alloy

Abstract:
A method for producing fine, essentially contamination-free, noble metal alloys is disclosed. The alloys comprise particles in a size range of 5 to 500nm. The method comprises 1. A method for preparing a noble metal alloy at low temperature, the method comprising the steps of forming solution of organometallic compounds by dissolving the compounds into a quantity of a compatible solvent medium capable of solvating the organometallic, mixing a portion of each solution to provide a desired molarity ratio of ions in the mixed solution, rapidly quenching droplets of the mixed solution to initiate a solute-solvent phase separation as the solvent freezes, removing said liquid cryogen, collecting and freezing drying the frozen droplets to produce a dry powder, and finally reducing the powder to a metal by flowing dry hydrogen over the powder while warming the powder to a temperature of about 150 degrees C.