Pt3Te4 nanoparticles from tellurium nanowires.

We report the synthesis of platinum telluride nanoparticles (Pt 3 Te 4 NPs) in the solution phase at room temperature using a template-assisted method. The dendrimeric aggregates formed are composed of several small units of Pt 3 Te 4 NPs of ~4 nm diameter. Tellurium nanowires (Te N Ws) are used as the template and the reducing agent in the growth of NPs which occurs due to the galvanic replacement reaction between Te NWs and PtCl 6 2- . Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of the dispersed Pt 3 Te 4 NPs was studied using crystal violet (CV) as the analyte. SERS sensitivity up to 10 -8 M ofCV was observed. The Raman enhancement factor (EF) of adsorbed CV on NP aggregates was calculated to be 1.74 × 10 5 . The catatytic ability of the as-synthesized Pt 3 Te 4 NPs for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol(4-NP) was studied.