Ultrafast Flame Exsolution of High-Density Metal Nanoparticles on Perovskite Oxides
Exsolution of metal nanoparticles (NPs) is a powerful strategy for creating strongly attached catalysts for various energy-related applications, but the conventional exsolution methods based on thermal reduction are typically conducted at high temperatures for several hours to achieve sufficient NPs formation. Here, we introduce a new flame exsolution method that is exceptionally simple and rapid for decorating perovskite oxide surfaces with a high density of metal NPs under ambient conditions. By exposing perovskite oxides to a controlled fuel-rich methane-air flame (equivalence ratio, Φ = 1.45), we produced dense Ni NPs (∼500-550 μm<sup>-2</sup>) in just 1 min on both (La<sub>0.6</sub>Sr<sub>0.4</sub>)(Co<sub>0.2</sub>Fe<sub>0.8</sub>Ni<sub>0.05</sub>)O<sub>3-x</sub> (LSCF-5Ni) thin films and La<sub>0.43</sub>Ca<sub>0.37</sub>Ti<sub>0.94</sub>Ni<sub>0.06</sub>O<sub>3-x</sub> (LCTN) pellets. We further demonstrated that similar exsolution results were obtained for both perovskites using a common propane torch within 20 s, demonstrating the method's easy accessibility. This work establishes an ultrafast and transformative pathway to produce high-density metal NPs on perovskite oxides, overcoming the primary limitations of conventional exsolution techniques.
Authors
- Dongwon Ka (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8194-7949)
- Dongjae Kong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2845-8406)
- Jihwan An
- Kyoungjae Ju
- X. Y. Zheng
- Yuzhe Li
Institutions
- Pohang University of Science and Technology (KR)
- Stanford University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nano Letters
- Published
- 2026-02-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c06215
- Primary Topic
- Energetic Materials and Combustion
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00