The Generation of Size-Controlled Palladium Nanoclusters Inside Gel-Type Functional Resins: Arguments and Preliminary Results

Precise control of metal nanoparticle size is demonstrated to be possible for metal nanoclusters grown on resin supports. The final size and size distribution of the nanoclusters are shown to be limited by steric restrictions imposed by the three-dimensional polymer network (see Figure). This is because the nanoclusters grow inside the swollen polymer network.