title: Low-temperature polyol synthesis of AuCuSn2 and AuNiSn2: using solution chemistry to access ternary intermetallic compounds as nanocrystals.
abstract: Ternary intermetallic compounds, which possess a wide variety of important properties with both academic and technological relevance, are typically synthesized using traditional high-temperature methods. Here, we demonstrate that the polyol method, which is used extensively to synthesize nanocrystals and nanocrystalline powders of metals and simple binary compounds, serves as an effective low-temperature exploratory medium for synthesizing new ordered ternary intermetallics as nanocrystals. Accordingly, we describe the synthesis and structural characterization of AuCuSn2 and AuNiSn2, which adopt an ordered NiAs-type superstructure that is not observed using equilibrium synthetic methods. AuCuSn2 forms in solution of 120 degrees C as well-formed nanocrystals, and the ordered phase is stable up to 450 degrees C. AuNiSn2 behaves similarly to AuCuSn2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77842-3012, USA.
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: Nattamai S P
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Bhuvanesh
authors.forename: Raymond E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Schaak