Uniform, Scalable, High-Temperature Microwave Shock for Nanoparticle Synthesis through Defect Engineering

Here we demonstrate a thermal shock synthesis method triggered by microwave irradiation for the rapid synthesis of nanoparticles on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) substrate. With properly controlled reduction, RGO has high electrical conductivity while maintaining functional groups, leading to an extremely efficient microwave absorption of ∼70%. The high utilization of microwaves results in the ability to raise the temperature to 1,600 K in just 100 ms, which is followed by rapid quenching to room temperature. The defects on the RGO are crucial for achieving this record-high microwave-induced temperature as these defects play a fundamental role in absorbing the radiation as well as the self-quenching mechanism. By loading precursors onto RGO, we can utilize rapid temperature change to synthesize nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are ∼10 nm with uniform distribution. This facile, rapid, and universal synthesis technique has the potential to be employed in large-scale production of nanomaterials and suggests a new direction for nanosynthesis. [Display omitted] •A facile, rapid, and universal method for synthesis of nanoparticles•Ultrahigh temperature of 1,600 K can be achieved in less than 100 ms•The number of defects is a key parameter for achieving high temperature•A unique self-quenching mechanism for nanosynthesis is proposed Despite the simplicity of conventional wet chemistry for nanosynthesis, nanoparticles fabricated by this route tend to agglomerate over the long term, particularly at high temperature and pressure, leading to a gradual loss of activity. Here we demonstrate a facile and scalable thermal shock synthesis method based on microwave irradiation for the rapid synthesis of nanoparticles on a reduced graphene oxide (RGO) substrate. Reduced at proper temperature, RGO with medium amount of defects can efficiently absorb microwaves, which leads to the rapid rise of temperature to over 1,600 K in just 100 ms. The pre-loaded precursors were easily decomposed under such high temperature and then reconstructed into nanoparticles during the subsequent rapid quenching process. Various nanoparticles were synthesized to demonstrate the feasibility and universality of this thermal shock technique. This facile, rapid, and universal synthesis method has the potential to contribute to large-scale production of nanomaterials. We demonstrate an ultrahigh-temperature thermal shock method for nanoparticle synthesis using microwave irradiation. With proper defect