Formation of Sn/Zn alloy or core-shell nanoparticles via pulsed nanosecond discharges in liquid toluene

In the exploration of new techniques for the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles, the possibility to exploit elec-trical discharges in liquid has arisen as an easy, high throughput and low-cost method. This technique of syn-thesis offers an extensive playground to produce a wide range of nanostructures with composition highly dependent on that of the electrode and of the liquid medium. Here, we demonstrate the formation of a Sn-Zn nanoalloy (particle diameter <10 nm) using electrical discharge between a Sn anode and a Zn cathode immersed in liquid toluene. Core/shell nanoparticles, with diameter between 12 and 20 nm, are also produced. These particles are composed of a Sn crystalline core and a shell made of Zn, Sn and O. A third class of particles was also found, although being rarer, constituted of large (hundreds of nm) Sn particles, with a thin Sn oxide shell. Detailed structural and chemical characterizations were accomplished via TEM and STEM imaging, as well as STEM-EDX analyses on the single nanoparticles and, considering the complex variety of phenomena taking place in in-liquid plasma, a plausible mechanism of synthesis is proposed.