Method of producing alloy nanoparticles

Abstract

A method of producing a homogenous skutterudite compound, CoSb 3 , having a crystallite diameter of 100 nm or less, by a convenient synthesis process, which is a method of producing CoSb 3 , comprising reducing Co 2+ and Sb 3+ to Co 0 and Sb 0 , respectively, in a solution including a Co-containing compound and an Sb-containing compound using a reducing agent, wherein supplied amount of the Co-containing compound and the Sb-containing compound are adjusted in order to set a ratio of a reduction rate of Co 2+ to Co 0 to a reduction rate of Sb 3+ to Sb 0 to 1:2.9 to 1:3.1.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing CoSb 3 , comprising reducing Co 2+  and Sb 3+  to Co 0  and Sb 0 , respectively, in a solution including a Co-containing compound and an Sb-containing compound using a reducing agent, wherein supplied amounts of the Co-containing compound and the Sb-containing compound are adjusted in order to set a ratio of a reduction rate of Co 2+  to Co 0  to a reduction rate of Sb 3+  to Sb 0  to 1:2.9 to 1:3.1. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the supplied amounts of the Co-containing compound and the Sb-containing compound are adjusted in order to set the ratio of the reduction rate of Co 2+  to Co 0  to the reduction rate of Sb 3+  to Sb 0  to 1:3. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one weak reducing agent selected from the group consisting of oxalic acid, ascorbic acid, and citric acid is used as the reducing agent for reducing Co 2+  and Sb 3+  to Co 0  and Sb 0 , respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one weak reducing agent selected from the group consisting of oxalic acid, ascorbic acid, and citric acid is used as the reducing agent for reducing Co 2+  and Sb 3+  to Co 0  and Sb 0 , respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , which is carried out at a reaction temperature of 250° C. to 320° C. within a reaction time of 1 hour to 10 hours. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2 , which is carried out at a reaction temperature of 250° C. to 320° C. within a reaction time of 1 hour to 10 hours. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 3 , which is carried out at a reaction temperature of 250° C. to 320° C. within a reaction time of 1 hour to 10 hours. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 4 , which is carried out at a reaction temperature of 250° C. to 320° C. within a reaction time of 1 hour to 10 hours. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a total concentration of [Co 2+ ] and [Sb 3+ ] is 0.140 mol/l to 0.770 mol/l. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein a total concentration of [Co 2+ ] and [Sb 3+ ] is 0.140 mol/l to 0.770 mol/l. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein a total concentration of [Co 2+ ] and [Sb 3+ ] is 0.140 mol/l to 0.770 mol/l. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein a total concentration of [Co 2+ ] and [Sb 3+ ] is 0.140 mol/l to 0.770 mol/l. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein a total concentration of [Co 2+ ] and [Sb 3+ ] is 0.140 mol/l to 0.770 mol/l. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein a total concentration of [Co 2+ ] and [Sb 3+ ] is 0.140 mol/l to 0.770 mol/l. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein a total concentration of [Co 2+ ] and [Sb 3+ ] is 0.140 mol/l to 0.770 mol/l. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein a total concentration of [Co 2+ ] and [Sb 3+ ] is 0.140 mol/l to 0.770 mol/l. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the total concentration of [Co 2+ ] and [Sb 3+ ] is 0.350 mol/l to 0.770 mol/l. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the total concentration of [Co 2+ ] and [Sb 3+ ] is 0.350 mol/l to 0.770 mol/l. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the total concentration of [Co 2+ ] and [Sb 3+ ] is 0.350 mol/l to 0.770 mol/l. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the total concentration of [Co 2+ ] and [Sb 3+ ] is 0.350 mol/l to 0.770 mol/l.