Rapid Synthesis of Hollow Ag–Au Nanodendrites in 15 Seconds by Combining Galvanic Replacement and Precursor Reduction Reactions

Metallic nanomaterials displaying hollow interiors as well as sharp tips/branches at their surface (such as hollow nanodendrites) are attractive, because these features enable higher surface‐to‐volume ratios than their solid and/or rounded counterparts. This paper describes a simple strategy for the synthesis of Ag–Au nanodendrites in 15 s using Ag nanospheres prepared in a previous synthetic step as seeds. Our approach was based on the utilization of Ag nanospheres as seeds for Au deposition by a combination of galvanic replacement reaction between Ag and AuCl₄^?(aq) and AuCl₄^?(aq) reduction using hydroquinone in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a stabilizer and water as the solvent. The produced Ag–Au nanodendrites presented monodisperse sizes, and their surface morphologies could be tuned as a function of growth time. Owing to their hollow interiors and sharp tips, the Ag–Au nanodendrites performed as effective substrates for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection of 4‐MPy (4‐mercaptopyridine) and R6G (rhodamine 6G) as probe molecules. We believe that the approach described herein can serve as a protocol for the fast and one‐step synthesis of Ag–Au hollow nanondendrites with a wide range of sizes, compositions, and surface morphologies for applications in SERS and catalysis.     

Probing the Catalytic Activity of Reduced Graphene Oxide Decorated with Au Nanoparticles Triggered by Visible Light

Hybrid materials in which reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is decorated with Au nanoparticles (rGO–Au NPs) were obtained by the in situ reduction of GO and AuCl₄^?_(aq) by ascorbic acid. On laser excitation, rGO could be oxidized as a result of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) excitation in the Au NPs, which generates activated O₂ through the transfer of SPR‐excited hot electrons to O₂ molecules adsorbed from air. The SPR‐mediated catalytic oxidation of p‐aminothiophenol (PATP) to p,p′‐dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB) was then employed as a model reaction to probe the effect of rGO as a support for Au NPs on their SPR‐mediated catalytic activities. The increased conversion of PATP to DMAB relative to individual Au NPs indicated that charge‐transfer processes from rGO to Au took place and contributed to improved SPR‐mediated activity. Since the transfer of electrons from Au to adsorbed O₂ molecules is the crucial step for PATP oxidation, in addition to the SPR‐excited hot electrons of Au NPs, the transfer of electrons from rGO to Au contributed to increasing the electron density of Au above the Fermi level and thus the Au‐to‐O₂ charge‐transfer process.     

Anodic Stripping Voltammetric Detection of Arsenic(III) at Gold Nanoparticle‐Modified Glassy Carbon Electrodes Prepared by Electrodeposition in the Presence of Various Additives

The simple, fast and highly sensitive anodic stripping voltammetric detection of As(III) at a gold (Au) nanoparticle‐modified glassy carbon (GC) (nano‐Au/GC) electrode in HCl solution was extensively studied. The Au nanoparticles were electrodeposited onto GC electrode using chronocoulometric technique via a potential step from 1.1 to 0 V vs. Ag|AgCl|NaCl (sat.) in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ containing Na[AuCl₄] in the presence of KI, KBr, Na₂S and cysteine additives. Surfaces of the resulting nano‐Au/GC electrodes were characterized with cyclic voltammetry. The performances of the nano‐Au/GC electrodes, which were prepared using different concentrations of Na[AuCl₄] (0.05–0.5 mM) and KI additive (0.01–1.0 mM) at various deposition times (10–30 s), for the voltammetric detection of As(III) were examined. After the optimization, a high sensitivity of 0.32 mA cm^?2 μM^?1 and detection limit of 0.024 μM (1.8 ppb) were obtained using linear sweep voltammetry.     

Preparation of Ag Nanowire @ Au Nanoparticle Hybrid Nanowires and their Influence on the Fluorescence Properties of P3HT

In this study, the galvanic displacement reaction between silver and AuCl₄⁻ was carried out to synthesize a series of silver nanowire (Ag NW) @ gold nanoparticle (Au NP) hybrid nanowires. The influence of Ag NW @ Au NP hybrid nanowires on the fluorescence properties of the poly (3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was investigated. The particle sizes of Au NPs on the hybrid nanowires could be adjusted by varying the reaction time and the concentration of the HAuCl₄ solution. Furthermore, steady‐state fluorescence measurements showed that the fluorescence intensity of the P3HT films was higher on various Ag NW @ Au NP hybrid nanowires compared to that on a bare silicon substrate. This was due to the increase in the intensity of electromagnetic field by the localized surface plasmon resonances of Au NPs and surface plasmon polaritons of Ag NWs from the hybrid nanowires. The results were further confirmed by the Raman spectra of the P3HT films on different substrates.     

Galvanic Replacement Reactions of Active‐Metal Nanoparticles

We present a systemic investigation of a galvanic replacement technique in which active‐metal nanoparticles are used as sacrificial seeds. We found that different nanostructures can be controllably synthesized by varying the type of more noble‐metal ions and liquid medium. Specifically, nano‐heterostructures of noble metal (Ag, Au) or Cu nanocrystals on active‐metal (Mg, Zn) cores were obtained by the reaction of active‐metal nanoparticles with more noble‐metal ions in ethanol; Ag nanocrystal arrays were produced by the reaction of active‐metal nanoparticles with Ag⁺ ions in water; spongy Au nanospheres were generated by the reaction of active‐metal nanoparticles with AuCl₄^? ions in water; and SnO₂ nanoparticles were prepared when Sn²⁺ were used as the oxidant ions. The key factors determining the product morphology are shown to be the reactivity of the liquid medium and the nature of the oxidant–reductant couple, whereas Mg and Zn nanoparticles played similar roles in achieving various nanostructures. When microsized Mg and Zn particles were used as seeds in similar reactions, the products were mainly noble‐metal dendrites. The new approach proposed in this study expands the capability of the conventional nanoscale galvanic replacement method and provides new avenues to various structures, which are expected to have many potential applications in catalysis, optoelectronics, and biomedicine.     

Die Pyridinaddukte der Goldhalogenide. 1. Darstellung und Struktur von [Hpy][AuCl4], AuCl3 · py, [AuCl2(py)2]Cl · H2O und [AuCl2(py)2][AuCl2]

Pyridine Adducts of the Gold Halides. 1. Synthesis and Structure of [Hpy][AuCl₄], AuC1₃ · py, [AuCl₂(py)₂]Cl · H₂O, and [AuCl₂(py)₂] [AuCl₂] HAuCl₄ reacts with pyridine in aqueous solution to form sparingly soluble [Hpy] [AuCl₄]. This goes into solution as [AuCl₂(py)₂]⁺ on adding an excess of pyridine. [Hpy][AuCl₄] decomposes above 195°C to HCl and AuCl₃ · py, which can also be obtained from NaAuCl₄ and pyridine. AuCl₂ · py is formed by the reaction of AuCl₂ · S(CH₂C₆H₄)₂ with pyridine in CHCl₃. According to the vibrational spectrum the complex is built up of trans[AuCl₂(py)₂]⁺ cations and [AuCl₂]^? anions. The IR spectra of [Hpy][AuCl₄], AuCl₃ · py, and [AuCl₂(py)₂]Cl · H₂O are discussed and assigned with respect to the crystal structures. [Hpy][AuCl₄] crystallizes monoclinic in the space group C2/m. In its structure alternating layers of [Hpy]⁺ cations and [AuCl₄]^? anions are observed. The monoclinic AuCl₃ · py (space group C2/c) consists of molecular complexes, wherein the gold atom is surrounded by three Cl atoms and one pyridine molecule in a square planar arrangement. The coordination is completed to an elongated octahedron by two more distant Cl atoms of neighbouring complexes. [AuCl₂(py)₂]Cl · H₂O crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n. It forms planar trans[AuCl₂(py)₂]⁺ cations, weakly coordinated with an additional Cl^? ion and one H₂O molecule. The Au? Cl bond lengths in the complexes under investigation are in the range of 227 to 229 pm, the Au? N distances are between 197 and 199 pm.     

Luminescent Di‐ and Polynuclear Organometallic Gold(I)–Metal (Au2, {Au2Ag}n and {Au2Cu}n) Compounds Containing Bidentate Phosphanes as Active Antimicrobial Agents

The reaction of new dinuclear gold(I) organometallic complexes containing mesityl ligands and bridging bidentate phosphanes [Au₂(mes)₂(μ‐LL)] (LL=dppe: 1,2‐bis(diphenylphosphano)ethane 1 a , and water‐soluble dppy: 1,2‐bis(di‐3‐pyridylphosphano)ethane 1 b ) with Ag⁺ and Cu⁺ lead to the formation of a family of heterometallic clusters with mesityl bridging ligands of the general formula [Au₂M(μ‐mes)₂(μ‐LL)][A] (M=Ag, A=ClO₄^?, LL=dppe 2 a , dppy 2 b ; M=Ag, A=SO₃CF₃^?, LL=dppe 3 a , dppy 3 b ; M=Cu, A=PF₆^?, LL=dppe 4 a , dppy 4 b ). The new compounds were characterized by different spectroscopic techniques and mass spectrometry The crystal structures of [Au₂(mes)₂(μ‐dppy)] ( 1 b ) and [Au₂Ag(μ‐mes)₂(μ‐dppe)][SO₃CF₃] ( 3 a ) were determined by a single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction study. 3 a in solid state is not a cyclic trinuclear Au₂Ag derivative but it gives an open polymeric structure instead, with the {Au₂(μ‐dppe)} fragments “linked” by {Ag(μ‐mes)₂} units. The very short distances of 2.7559(6) Å (Au? Ag) and 2.9229(8) Å (Au? Au) are indicative of gold–silver (metallophilic) and aurophilic interactions. A systematic study of their luminescence properties revealed that all compounds are brightly luminescent in solid state, at room temperature (RT) and at 77 K, or in frozen DMSO solutions with lifetimes in the microsecond range and probably due to the self‐aggregation of [Au₂M(μ‐mes)₂(μ‐LL)]⁺ units (M=Ag or Cu; LL=dppe or dppy) into an extended chain structure, through Au? Au and/or Au? M metallophilic interactions, as that observed for 3 a . In solid state the heterometallic Au₂M complexes with dppe ( 2 a – 4 a ) show a shift of emission maxima (from ca. 430 to the range of 520‐540 nm) as compared to the parent dinuclear organometallic product 1 a while the complexes with dppy ( 2 b–4 b ) display a more moderate shift (505 for 1 b to a max of 563 nm for 4 b ). More importantly, compound [Au₂Ag(μ‐mes)₂(μ‐dppy)]ClO₄ ( 2 b ) resulted luminescent in diluted DMSO solution at room temperature. Previously reported compound [Au₂Cl₂(μ‐LL)] (LL dppy 5 b ) was also studied for comparative purposes. The antimicrobial activity of 1–5 and Ag[A] (A=ClO₄^?, SO₃CF₃^?) against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria and yeast was evaluated. Most tested compounds displayed moderate to high antibacterial activity while heteronuclear Au₂M derivatives with dppe ( 2 a – 4 a ) were the more active (minimum inhibitory concentration 10 to 1 μg mL^?1). Compounds containing silver were ten times more active to Gram‐negative bacteria than the parent dinuclear compound 1 a or silver salts. Au₂Ag compounds with dppy ( 2 b , 3 b ) were also potent against fungi.     

Effects of nonionic micellar aggregates on the electron transfer reaction between l‐glutamic acid and gold(III) complexes

The effect of nonionic micelles of Triton X‐100 on the oxidative decarboxylation of l ‐glutamic acid by chloroaurate(III) complexes has been investigated in acetate buffer medium. The reaction is first order with respect to Au(III), but a complex order with respect to glutamate. H⁺ ion has both accelerating and retarding effects in the pH range 3.72–4.80, whereas a Cl^? ion has an inhibiting effect in the range 0.02–0.56 mol dm^?3. Under the experimental conditions, AuCl^?₄ and AuCl₃(OH)^? are the predominant and effective oxidizing species, whereas the zwitterion (H₂A) and mononegative anion (HA^?) are the predominant reducing species of the amino acid. The reaction involves a one‐step two‐electron transfer process and passes through the intermediate formation of iminic cation. In the presence of surfactant, the reaction passes through a maximum and it appears to follow Berezin's model, where both the oxidant and the substrate are partitioned between the aqueous and the micellar phase and then react. The binding constants between the reactants and the surfactant have been evaluated at different temperatures. Compensation between substrate–water interaction and substrate–micelle interaction plays an important role in such redox reactions in the presence of a surfactant. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 482–493, 2012     

Adsorption of hydrocarbons from solutions and gas phase on silica and alumina modified with silver and gold ions

The paper reports the immobilization of Ag⁺ cations on alumina and silica and AuCl ₄ ^? anions on amino silica and alumina. The method of inverse gas chromatography have demonstrated that Ag(I)-silica is selective for the separation of alkanes, alkenes, alkines, and arenes. The dependence of the capacitance of Ag(I) and Au(III) composites with regard to phenylacetylene (PHA) on the nature of the carriers, surface concentration, and technique of immobilizing ion metals has been considered. The isotherms of the adsorption of PHA from solutions in octane have been measured. It has been revealed that the capacitance of composites with regard to toward PHA prepared by the immobilization of ammoniates of silver nitrate on silicon dioxide is several times higher than for composites based on alumina with the same silver concentration and composites prepared by the immobilization of silver nitrate on silicon dioxide. The capacitance of the Au(III) composite based on alumina for PHA is significantly higher than for that based on aluminum oxide. The highest capacitance for PHA (0.83 and 0.88 molecules per metal ion) is observed for Ag(I) silica and the Au(III) alumina composite. In the visible region, the diffuse reflection spectra of amino silica Au(III) composites have a significant shift of the maximum of adsorption band along with the decrease in the concentration of immobilized anions of AuCl ₄ ^? , which evinces the formation of coordination bonds between free amin?propyl groups of the silica carrier and gold atom. The formation of these bonds prevents the adsorption of PHA on amino silica Au(III) composites with low gold concentrations.     

Surface Changes at Platinized Platinum Based Hydrogen Gas Electrodes Following Use in Highly Saline Aqueous Solutions

Platinized platinum based hydrogen gas electrodes, Pt(Pt)|H₂(g)|H⁺(aq), and silver‐silver chloride electrodes, Ag|AgCl|Cl^? (aq), make up the Harned cell, without transfer, working in the potentiometric mode at Cl^? concentrations and ionic strengths, I, below 0.1 mol kg^?1, for assigning primary pH values to reference pH buffer solutions. This work reports on experiments performed at higher I and Cl^? solutions up to 0.7 mol kg^?1, aiming at addressing seawater conditions with results of equally high quality. In the course of measurements, the occasional occurrence of highly unstable potentials denoted electrode malfunction; Pt metal surfaces observed by SEM/EDS and XRD exhibit strong Ag and Cl peaks corresponding to the presence of AgCl crystals deposited at both surfaces.     

Highly sensitive sensor for detection of NADH based on catalytic growth of Au nanoparticles on glassy carbon electrode

In this work, an electrochemical dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) sensor based on the catalytic growth of Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) on glassy carbon electrode was developed. Catalyzed by Au NPs immobilized on pretreated glassy carbon electrode, the reduction of AuCl₄ ^? in the presence of hydroquinone and cetyltrimethyl ammonium chloride led to the formation of enlarged Au NPs on the electrode surface. Spectrophotometry and high-resolution scanning electronic microscope (SEM) analysis of the sensor morphologies before and after biocatalytic reaction revealed a diameter growth of the nanoparticles. The catalytic growth of Au NPs on electrode surface remarkably facilitated the electron transfer and improved the performance of the sensor. Under optimal conditions, NADH could be detected in the range from 1.25?×?10^?6 to 3.08?×?10^?4 M, and the detection limit was 2.5?×?10^?7 M. The advantages of the proposed sensor, such as high precision and sensitivity, fast response, low cost, and good storage stability, made it suitable for on-line detection of NADH in complex biological systems and contaminant degradation processes.

Enthalpy of formation of aqueous tungstate ion and of crystalline tungstic acid (H2WO4)

Calorimetric measurements of the enthalpy of reaction of WO₃(c) with excess OH^?(aq) have been made at 85°C. Similar measurements have been made with MoO₃(c) at both 85 and 25°C, to permit estimation of ΔH°=?13.4 kcal mol^?1 for the reaction WO₃(c)+2OH^?(aq)=WO^2?₄(aq)+H₂O(liq) at 25°C. Combination of this ΔH° with ΔH°_f for WO₃(c) leads to ΔH°_f=?256.5 kcal mol^?1 for WO^2?₄(aq). We also obtain ΔH°_f=?269.5 kcal mol^?1 for H₂WO₄(c). Both of these values are discussed in relation to several earlier investigations.     

Electrochemical deposition of gold at liquid–liquid interfaces studied by thin organic film-modified electrodes

The unique physico-chemical properties of gold nanoparticles portrayed in their chemical stability, the size-dependent electrochemistry, and the unusual optical properties make them suitable modifiers of various surfaces used in the fields of optical devices, electronics, and biosensors. In this work we present two different methods to obtain metallic gold nanoparticles at a liquid–liquid interface, and to control their growth by adjusting the experimental conditions. Decamethylferrocene (DMFC), used as an oxidizable compound dissolved in an organic solvent that is spread as a thin film on the surface of graphite electrode, serves as a redox partner to exchange electrons across the liquid–liquid interface with the other redox counter-partner [AuCl₄]^? present in the conjoined water phase. The interfacial electron transfer between the DMFC and the [AuCl₄]^? ions leads to deposition of metallic gold nanoparticles at the liquid–liquid interface. The structure and features of the deposited Au nanoparticles were studied by means of microscopic and voltammetric techniques. The morphology of the Au deposit depends on the concentration ratio of redox partners and both electrode and liquid–liquid interfacial potential differences. Depending on whether the Au deposit was obtained by ex situ (at open circuit potential) or by “in situ” (by cycling of the electrode potential) approach, we observed quite different effects to the ion transfer reactions probed by the thin-film electrode set-up. The possible reasons for the different behavior of the Au nanoparticles are discussed in terms of the structure and the properties of the obtained Au deposit. In separate experiments, we have demonstrated catalytic effects of the Au nanoparticles towards enhancing the electron transfer between DMFC and two aqueous redox substrates, hexacyanoferrate and hydrogen peroxide.     

All‐Metal Clusters that Mimic the Chemistry of Halogens

Owing to their s²p⁵ electronic configuration, halogen atoms are highly electronegative and constitute the anionic components of salts. Whereas clusters that contain no halogen atoms, such as AlH₄, mimic the chemistry of halogens and readily form salts (e.g., Na⁺(AlH₄)^?), clusters that are solely composed of metal atoms and yet behave in the same manner as a halogen are rare. Because coinage‐metal atoms (Cu, Ag, and Au) only have one valence electron in their outermost electronic shell, as in H, we examined the possibility that, on interacting with Al, in particular as AlX₄ (X=Cu, Ag, Au), these metal atoms may exhibit halogen‐like properties. By using density functional theory, we show that AlAu₄ not only mimics the chemistry of halogens, but also, with a vertical detachment energy (VDE) of 3.98 eV in its anionic form, is a superhalogen. Similarly, analogous to XHX superhalogens (X=F, Cl, Br), XAuX species with VDEs of 4.65, 4.50, and 4.34 eV in their anionic form, respectively, also form superhalogens. In addition, Au can also form hyperhalogens, a recently discovered species that show electron affinities (EAs) that are even higher than those of their corresponding superhalogen building blocks. For example, the VDEs of M(AlAu₄)₂^? (M=Na and K) and anionic (FAuF)? Au? (FAuF) range from 4.06 to 5.70 eV. Au‐based superhalogen anions, such as AlAu₄^? and AuF₂^?, have the additional advantage that they exhibit wider optical absorption ranges than their H‐based analogues, AlH₄^? and HF₂^?. Because of the catalytic properties and the biocompatibility of Au, Au‐based superhalogens may be multifunctional. However, similar studies that were carried out for Cu and Ag atoms have shown that, unlike AlAu₄, AlX₄ (X=Cu, Ag) clusters are not superhalogens, a property that can be attributed to the large EA of the Au atom.     

Synthesis of Hollow Mesoporous TiO2 Microspheres with Single and Double Au Nanoparticle Layers for Enhanced Visible‐Light Photocatalysis

A facile method was used to prepare hollow mesoporous TiO₂ and Au@TiO₂ spheres using polystyrene (PS) templates. Au nanoparticles (NPs) were simultaneously synthesized and attached on the surface of PS spheres by reducing AuCl₄^? ions using sodium citrate which resulted in the uniform deposition of Au NPs. The outer coating of titania via sol‐gel produced PS@Au@TiO₂ core–shell spheres. Removing the templates from these core–shell spheres through calcination produced hollow mesoporous and crystalline Au@TiO₂ spheres with Au NPs inside the TiO₂ shell in a single step. Anatase spheres with double Au NPs layers, one inside and another outside of TiO₂ shell, were also prepared. Different characterization techniques indicated the hollow mesoporous and crystalline morphology of the prepared spheres with Au NPs. Hollow anatase spheres with Au NPs indicated enhanced harvesting of visible light and therefore demonstrated efficient catalytic activity toward the degradation of organic dyes under the irradiation of visible light as compared to bare TiO₂ spheres.     

Kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of aurate(I) by peroxydisulphate in aqueous hydrochloric acid

The reaction between Au(I), generated by reaction of thallium(I) with Au(III), and peroxydisulphate was studied in 5 mol dm^?3 hydrochloric acid. The reaction proceeds with the formation of an ion‐pair between peroxydisulphate and chloride ion as the Michealis–Menten plot was linear with intercept. The ion‐pair thus formed oxidizes AuCl₂^? in a slow two‐electron transfer step without any formation of free radicals. The ion‐pair formation constant and the rate constant for the slow step were determined as 113 ± 20 dm^?3 mol^?1 and 5.0 ± 1.0 × 10^?2 dm³ mol^?1 s^?1, respectively. The reaction was retarded by hydrogen ion, and formation of unreactive protonated form of the reductant, HAuCl₂, causes the rate inhibition. From the hydrogen ion dependence of the reaction rate, the protonation constant was calculated to be as 0.6 ± 0.1 dm³ mol^?1. The activation parameters were determined and the values support the proposed mechanism. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 34: 589–594, 2002     

Polymer‐Supported Bimetallic Ag@AgAu Nanocomposites: Synthesis and Catalytic Properties

Supported noble bimetallic nanomaterials have attracted great interest owing to their applications in catalysis. Herein, polystyrene‐supported Ag@AgAu bimetallic nanocomposites were synthesized by using a seed‐growth route. The size and degree of coverage of the Ag@AgAu NPs could be controlled by changing the experimental parameters. SEM, TEM, STEM, EDS, and XPS analysis was used to characterize the morphology, structure, and composition of these nanocomposites. We found that the bimetallic nanoparticles on the polystyrene beads had a core–shell structure that was comprised of a Ag core and a AgAu alloy shell. The optical properties of the nanocomposites were also studied by UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy, which indicated that the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorptions of the nanocomposites could be tailored over a large scale from 450 nm to 950 nm. The catalytic properties of the nanocomposites were studied by using the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP) by NaBH₄ as a model system. The results showed that the catalytic activity of the polystyrene‐supported Ag@AgAu bimetallic nanocomposites was remarkably superior to that of polystyrene‐supported monometallic Ag and Au nanocomposites with the same nanoparticle size. In addition, an investigation of the recycling catalytic activity of the PS‐Ag@AgAu nanocomposites revealed that the catalyst possessed good stability. The enhancement of the catalytic activity was proposed to be due to the ligand and strain effects between Ag and Au.     

Urchin‐like Ag Nanowires as Non‐enzymatic Hydrogen Peroxide Sensor

Urchin‐like Ag nanowires were prepared by reacting AgNO₃(aq) with Cu metal in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride and HNO₃(aq) on a screen printed carbon electrode at room temperature. The diameters of the nanowires were about 100 nm, while the lengths were up to 10 μm. Cyclic voltammetric experiments using the Ag nanowires as the working electrode showed electrocatalytic H₂O₂ reduction. The electrode exhibited a high sensitivity of 4705 μA mM^‐1 mg^‐1 cm^‐2 from 50 μM to 10.35 mM and a measurable detection limit of 10 μM in amperometric detection. This is the first report on Ag NWs for non‐enzymatic H₂O₂ sensing.     

Mechanism of oxidation of alanine by chloroaurate(III) complexes in acid medium: Kinetics of the rate processes

The kinetics of the oxidation of alanine by chloroaurate(III) complexes in acetate buffer medium has been investigated. The major oxidation product of alanine has been identified as acetaldehyde by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Under the experimental conditions, AuCl and AuCl₃(OH)^? are the effective oxidizing species of gold(III). The reaction is first order with respect to Au(III) as well as alanine. The effects of H⁺ and Cl^? on the second‐order rate constant k₂′ have been analyzed, and accordingly the rate law has been deduced: k₂′ = (k₁[H⁺][Cl^?] + k₃K₄K₅)/(K₄K₅ + [H⁺][Cl^?]). Increasing dielectric constant of the medium has an accelerating effect on the reaction rate. Activation parameters associated with the overall reaction have been calculated. A mechanism involving the two effective oxidizing species of gold(III) and zwitterionic species of alanine, consistent with the rate law, has been proposed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 41: 473–482, 2009     

分级结构AgAu纳米合金用于高效电催化乙醇氧化

乙醇由于具有无毒、理论能量密度高、易存储等优点,被广泛用于直接醇类燃料电池研究.乙醇电氧化是直接醇类燃料电池中重要的阳极反应,通常涉及C1和C2反应路径.C1路径中乙醇分子主要转化成二氧化碳,但该过程涉及C-C键断裂,会有COad和CH(x)ad等中间体产生;C2路径中乙醇分子转化成乙醛,最终转化成乙酸或乙酸根.为提升...