The colloidal synthesis of unsupported nickel‐tin bimetallic nanoparticles with tunable composition that have high activity for the reduction of nitroarenes

Ni‐Sn bimetallic nanoparticles with controllable size and composition were prepared by facile method in ambient air using inexpensive metal salts. Adjusting stoichiometric ratio of Ni and Sn precursors afforded nanoparticles with different compositions, such as Ni 100 , Ni 74 ‐Sn 26 , Ni 59 ‐Sn 41 , and Ni 50 ‐Sn 50 . The characterization of nanoparticles was performed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Ni 75 ‐Sn 25 and Ni 60 ‐Sn 40 nanoparticles showed enhanced catalytic activity towards 2-nitroaniline reduction as compared with Ni nanoparticles. Furthermore, Ni 75 ‐Sn 25 nanocatalyst exhibited excellent activity for the reduction of a number of nitro aromatic compounds under mild conditions along with high level of reusability.