Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 March 2011
A procedure is described that yields uniform spherical colloidal palladium particles of modal diameters ranging between 0.1 and 0.7 μm. The process consists of two stages. First a monodispersed solid composite precursor is precipitated in solutions containing PdCl2, urea, and a nonionic surfactant. The resulting particles are then reduced in aqueous media, either by hydrazine or ascorbic acid in the presence of a protective agent. No change in particle shape occurred during the transformation to pure metals.