An Effective Route for the Room Temperature Formation of Pd Coatings on Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes in Aqueous Solutions

We present an easy one-pot synthesis route for the production of palladium nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)-supported Pd-nanomaterial composites by a simple proton beam irradiation process in an aqueous solution at room temperature. Pristine and surface-modified MWCNTs were used to prepare MWCNT–Pd hybrids. Pd nanoparticles on the surfaces of MWCNTs were produced in situ in an aqueous solution without the addition of any harsh reducing agent. Pristine and thiolated MWCNTs were both densely decorated with spherical Pd nanoparticles and eventually Pd nanowire formation on MWCNTs was realized when reaction times exceeded 60 min. The thicknesses of Pd coatings on MWCNT surfaces were controlled by varying the concentration of MWCNTs in the reaction mixture. MWCNT-Pd composites were characterized by time-resolved transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and the results obtained showed that Pd coatings were continuous, and resulted in a MWCNT-supported Pd nanowire structure.