Abstract

Bi or Bi–Te alloy/ceramic xerogel nanocomposites can be conveniently prepared at high total metal loading by hydrogen reduction of appropriate mixed-metal ceramic gels. Bi–Te nanoparticles having hexagonal shapes are formed and can be isolated free of the ceramic host matrix by chemical etching. These results serve as proof-of-concept (1) that nanostructured bismuth or bismuth alloy compositions can be synthesized in ceramic matrices at high loading utilizing selective reduction of mixed-metal oxide intermediates, and (2) that nanostructured bismuth phases in Bi/ceramic nanocomposites prepared via this synthesis strategy can be exposed through chemical etching of the ceramic phase.