Rational Design of Environmentally Compatible Nickel Hexacyanoferrate Mesocrystals as Catalysts

Abstract

The interplay between citrate concentration and total supersaturation on the growth of nickel hexacyanoferrate (NiHCF) nanocrystals is investigated. Herein, control over the crystallization conditions enables the precise tuning of the nanocrystal (NC) dimensions toward their self-assembly into colloidal mesocrystals with unique features. The exploration of the early stages of crystallization reveals insights into the controlled in situ assembly of preformed NCs. Our work introduces new concepts related to the synthesis of NiHCF NCs and colloidal mesocrystals as efficient and applicable catalysts. This is successfully demonstrated for the degradation of the organic contaminant caffeine