Mono- and bi-functional arenethiols as surfactants for gold nanoparticles: synthesis and characterization.

Floriana Vitale, Ilaria Fratoddi, Chiara Battocchio, Emanuela Piscopiello, Leander Tapfer, Maria Vittoria Russo, Giovanni Polzonetti, Cinzia Giannini

Index: Nanoscale Res. Lett. 6(1) , 103, (2011)

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Abstract

Stable gold nanoparticles stabilized by different mono and bi-functional arenethiols, namely, benzylthiol and 1,4-benzenedimethanethiol, have been prepared by using a modified Brust's two-phase synthesis. The size, shape, and crystalline structure of the gold nanoparticles have been determined by high-resolution electron microscopy and full-pattern X-ray powder diffraction analyses. Nanocrystals diameters have been tuned in the range 2 ÷ 9 nm by a proper variation of Au/S molar ratio. The chemical composition of gold nanoparticles and their interaction with thiols have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In particular, the formation of networks has been observed with interconnected gold nanoparticles containing 1,4-benzenedimethanethiol as ligand.