
AbstractThere are few studies of mass transfer to nanospheres (1 nm ≤ dp ≤ 100 nm). We have experimentally investigated the electrocatalytic reduction of hexacyanoferrate (III) to hexacyanoferrate (II) on gold nanospheres. The surface flux is insensitive to particle sizes of dp ≥ 30 nm and is essentially identical to that for a diffusion‐limited system. However, the measured fluxes in the range 5 nm ≤ dp ≤ 30 nm were one to three orders of magnitude smaller than predicted by a purely diffusion‐limited model. Using mathematical modeling, we evaluated six mechanisms affecting mass transfer to a nanoparticle in our experimental system. Among potential acceleratory effects, the curvature effect sharply increased the surface flux by a factor of 20. Other acceleratory effects of Brownian advection and enhanced surface reactivity played negligible roles, the latter due to screening by a charged stabilizing layer. Deceleratory effects of increased tortuosity by stabilizing layers and particle aggregation also played negligible roles. Electrostatic repulsion dominated mass transfer for dp ≤ 30 nm. This finding suggests tuning the charge and the tortuosity of the stabilizer layer to potentiate the flux will be useful in engineering nanosuspensions.
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 0 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
