@article{Wang2025, 
author = {Xiaoxiao Wang and Zhongshuang Xu and Hao Yang and Zerui Mu and Zhaojun Liu and Qikui Fan and Tao Cheng and Chuanbo Gao},
title = {Oxidative etching and regrowth route to icosahedral gold nanocrystals with strain-enhanced electrocatalytic properties},
year = {2025},
journal = {Nano Research},
volume = {18},
number = {8},
pages = {94907662},
keywords = {strain engineering, shape control, oxidative etching, electrocatalytic CO2 reduction, icosahedral Au nanocrystals},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/NR.2025.94907662},
doi = {10.26599/NR.2025.94907662},
abstract = {Icosahedral metal nanocrystals, with their inherent strain, offer exceptional catalytic properties. However, synthesizing these nanocrystals with high morphological yield remains a significant challenge, limiting the potential of strain engineering for catalyst design. In this study, we introduce a robust oxidative etching and regrowth strategy to synthesize high-yield (~ 90%) icosahedral Au nanocrystals with tunable sizes (12–43 nm). By employing triiodide (I3−) as an oxidative agent, we selectively enrich multiply twinned seeds—the required seed type for icosahedral formation—by removing impurity seeds. Additionally, sulfite ions (SO32−) selectively cap the Au {111} facet, directing crystal growth toward the desired icosahedral shape. The resulting Au nanocrystals demonstrate strain-enhanced electrocatalytic performance in CO2 reduction, achieving a Faradaic efficiency of 97.5% for CO production, significantly higher than their non-strained counterparts. This strategy offers a promising pathway for creating well-defined metal nanocrystals, opening new possibilities for both fundamental catalysis research and practical applications.}
}