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Formation mechanisms of metal particles (rhodium (Rh) and palladium (Pd) particles) in an aqueous ethanol solution of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) by photoreduction were investigated by UV-vis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and in situ X-ray absorption fine structure (in situ XAFS). The average diameter of the Rh and Pd particles prepared by the photoreduction was estimated from TEM to be 2.2 and 2.0 nm, respectively. In situ energy-dispersive XAFS (in situ DXAFS) measurements were performed to investigate the reduction process of Rh(III) and Pd(II) aqua chlorocomplexes as well as their particle formation process. The reduction rate of these aqua chlorocomplexes could be quantitatively evaluated from the change of X-ray absorbance assigned to the contribution of metal-chloride bonds in these complexes. The reduction rate of Rh(III) aqua chlorocomplexes was found to be slower than that of Pd(II). It was also demonstrated that the reduction process of Rh(III) complexes possessed an induction period before the onset of Rh particle formation, although the Pd(II) complexes displayed no induction period, since the reduction of Pd(II) occurred immediately after mixing of an ethanol solution of Pd(II) complexes with aqueous PVP solutions.
Harada et al. (2009) studied this question.