Radicals Are Required for Thiol Etching of Gold Particles

Etching of gold with an excess of thiol ligand is used in both synthesis and analysis of gold particles. Mechanistically, the process of etching gold with excess thiol is unclear. Previous studies have obliquely considered the role of oxygen in thiolate etching of gold. Herein, we show that oxygen or a radical initiator is a necessary component for efficient etching of gold by thiolates. Attenuation of the etching process by radical scavengers in the presence of oxygen, and the restoration of activity by radical initiators under inert atmosphere, strongly implicate the oxygen radical. These data led us to propose an atomistic mechanism in which the oxygen radical initiates the etching process.     

Surface modification of magnetic nanoparticles capped by oleic acids: characterization and colloidal stability in polar solvents

The lyophobic surface of monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles capped by oleic acid was made to be more lyophilic by ozonolysis to increase the stability of the suspension in polar solvents like ethanol. The ozone oxidatively cleaved the double bond of oleic acid to form carbonyl and carboxyl groups on the surface of the nanoparticles. Additionally, interfacial ligand exchange of the capping molecules was applied to make the hydrophobic particle surface more hydrophilic. The magnetic particles showed enhanced miscibility and short-term stability in water after interfacial ligand exchange. The structure changes of the capping molecules on the nanoparticle surfaces were investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). From these spectroscopy studies, the cleavage of the oleic acid and the formations of the carboxyl and carbonyl groups on the particle surface were confirmed. The shape and the magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were maintained after the surface modification. Ozonolysis is an effective method in modifying the lyophobic surface of the magnetic nanoparticles.     

Study on the properties and stability of ionic liquid-based ferrofluids

Ionic liquid (IL)-based ferrofluids have been prepared dispersing both bare and sterically stabilized CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles. The precipitated particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, and vibrating sample magnetometry studies. The water-absorbing property of ferrofluids at ambient temperature was estimated by weight and viscosity measurements. Colloidal dispersion stability of the ferrofluids was evaluated by particle suspension percentage. Experimental results indicate that interparticle electrostatic repulsion is not effective in stabilizing bare magnetic particles in IL. There is no significant increase on the dispersion stability when the particles were coated with a monolayer of oleic acid. The reason could be caused by the incompatibility between the nonpolar tail of surfactant and carrier liquid. When excess oleic acid was added into IL, stable magnetic colloid was achieved by a steric stabilization layer coated to be compatible with the IL.     

Magnetic fluids’ stability improved by oleic acid bilayer-coated structure via one-pot synthesis

To improve the magnetic fluids’ stability and demonstrate the relationships between the bilayercoated structure and the stability, a simple method was proposed for preparingoleic acid bilayercoated Fe₃O₄ magnetic fluids. The hydrophilic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles coated with the bilayer-oleic acid were synthesised by a one-pot process through the chemical co-precipitation under alkaline conditions. Next, the hydrophilic Fe₃O₄ particles were transformed to hydrophobic particles via carboxyl-protonated modification. Carboxyl-protonated modification was found to be a reversible process, i.e. the lipophilicity of the coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles could be controlled by protonating/ deprotonating the terminal carboxyl group. In addition, the space steric effect could be significantly enhanced by maximising the oleic acid adsorption and increasing the thickness of the coated layer, resulting in the oleic acid bilayer-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles exhibiting better performance in the stability of the hexanemagnetic fluids than oleic acid monolayer-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles.     

Supramolecular assemblies of gold nanoparticles induced by hydrogen bond interactions

The formation of two-dimensional self-assemblies of ordered, packed gold nanoparticles is described. The nanoparticles were coated by a diamide thiol ligand (DASH) that ensured the connection of the nanoparticles through hydrogen bonds. The stability of the colloidal solutions is discussed with respect to the stability of the normal dodecanethiol-coated particles.     

Pseudotemplate synthesis of copper nanoparticles in solutions of poly(acrylic acid)-pluronic blends

It was found that the reduction of copper(II) ions in solutions of poly(acrylic acid)-pluronic blends results in a stable sol of metallic copper with a particle size below 10 nm, whereas a less stable sol with coarse aggregates of particles is formed in the presence of poly(acrylic acid) alone and an insoluble complex of this polymer with copper nanoparticles is produced in the presence of pluronic alone. The addition of poly(acrylic acid) to the complex causes the transfer of a portion of nanoparticles from the precipitate into the sol. In mixed poly(acrylic acid) and pluronic solutions, no formation of a polymeric complex with reasonable stability was detected. It was assumed that such a polycomplex is stabilized in the presence of copper nanoparticles. Owing to its amphiphilic nature, the complex forms stable protective shields on the surface of nanoparticles, and the stability of the sol is determined by free fragments of poly(acrylic acid).     

Synthesis of highly crystalline and monodisperse maghemite nanocrystallites without a size-selection process.

The synthesis of highly crystalline and monodisperse gamma-Fe(2)O(3) nanocrystallites is reported. High-temperature (300 degrees C) aging of iron-oleic acid metal complex, which was prepared by the thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl in the presence of oleic acid at 100 degrees C, was found to generate monodisperse iron nanoparticles. The resulting iron nanoparticles were transformed to monodisperse gamma-Fe(2)O(3) nanocrystallites by controlled oxidation by using trimethylamine oxide as a mild oxidant. Particle size can be varied from 4 to 16 nm by controlling the experimental parameters. Transmission electron microscopic images of the particles showed 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional assembly of particles, demonstrating the uniformity of these nanoparticles. Electron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopic (TEM) images of the nanoparticles showed the highly crystalline nature of the gamma-Fe(2)O(3) structures. Monodisperse gamma-Fe(2)O(3) nanocrystallites with a particle size of 13 nm also can be generated from the direct oxidation of iron pentacarbonyl in the presence of oleic acid with trimethylamine oxide as an oxidant.     

Assessment of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine as a capping agent for gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles stabilized with 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) were prepared by ligand exchange and phase transfer (toluene/water) of functionalized gold nanoparticles. DMAP-protected gold nanoparticles are water-soluble, positively charged, and fairly monodisperse (6.2 +/- 0.9 nm). To understand the scope of this interesting system, the details of the binding of DMAP to gold nanoparticles were investigated. The adsorption of DMAP onto gold surfaces was studied by electrochemistry and surface plasmon resonance. It is concluded that of the three most likely binding modes, the one involving the pyridine nitrogen binding to the gold surface, as suggested previously (Gittins, D. I.; Caruso, F. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2001, 40, 3001), is consistent with experimental data. Other 4-substituted pyridines were also assessed as capping agents. The solubility in toluene and basicity of the incoming ligand, as well as the ability to form charged nanoparticles, determine whether ligand exchange and subsequent phase transfer of the nanoparticles occur. The solubility and stability of the DMAP-protected gold nanoparticles were studied as a function of pH using UV-visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These nanoparticles are soluble and stable over a wide pH range (5.0-12.8). It was found that excess DMAP is necessary for both the preparation and the stability of the DMAP-protected gold nanoparticles.     

Fabrication of a palladium nanoparticle/graphene nanosheet hybrid via sacrifice of a copper template and its application in catalytic oxidation of formic acid

Small and highly dispersed palladium nanoparticles supported on graphene nanosheets were fabricated via a strategy of etching a copper template with Pd(2+). The obtained hybrid exhibited significant catalytic activity for formic acid oxidation.     

Chiral inversion of gold nanoparticles

The thiolate-for-thiolate ligand exchange was performed on well-defined gold nanoparticles under an inert atmosphere without any modification of the core size. This reaction is faster than the well-known core etching. Surprisingly, if a chiral thiol is exchanged for its opposite enantiomer, the optical activity in the metal-based electronic transitions is reversed although the form of the CD spectra remains largely unchanged. The extent of inversion corresponds to the overall ee of the chiral ligand in the system. This shows that the chiral arrangement of metal atoms in the metal particle (surface) can not withstand the driving force imposed by the ligand of opposite absolute configuration. If the incoming thiol has a different structure, the electronic transitions in the metal core are slightly modified whereas the absorption onset remains unchanged. These results emphasize the influence of the thiols on the structure of the gold nanoparticles and give insight on the ligand exchange pathways.     

The effect of humidity on the ozonolysis of unsaturated compounds in aerosol particles

Atmospheric aerosol particles are important in many atmospheric processes such as: light scattering, light absorption, and cloud formation. Oxidation reactions continuously change the chemical composition of aerosol particles, especially the organic mass component, which is often the dominant fraction. These ageing processes are poorly understood but are known to significantly affect the cloud formation potential of aerosol particles. In this study we investigate the effect of humidity and ozone on the chemical composition of two model organic aerosol systems: oleic acid and arachidonic acid. These two acids are also compared to maleic acid an aerosol system we have previously studied using the same techniques. The role of relative humidity in the oxidation scheme of the three carboxylic acids is very compound specific. Relative humidity was observed to have a major influence on the oxidation scheme of maleic acid and arachidonic acid, whereas no dependence was observed for the oxidation of oleic acid. In both, maleic acid and arachidonic acid, an evaporation of volatile oxidation products could only be observed when the particle was exposed to high relative humidities. The particle phase has a strong effect on the particle processing and the effect of water on the oxidation processes. Oleic acid is liquid under all conditions at room temperature (dry or elevated humidity, pure or oxidized particle). Thus ozone can easily diffuse into the bulk of the particle irrespective of the oxidation conditions. In addition, water does not influence the oxidation reactions of oleic acid particles, which is partly explained by the structure of oxidation intermediates. The low water solubility of oleic acid and its ozonolysis products limits the effect of water. This is very different for maleic and arachidonic acid, which change their phase from liquid to solid upon oxidation or upon changes in humidity. In a solid particle the reactions of ozone and water with the organic particle are restricted to the particle surface and hence different regimes of reactivity are dictated by particle phase. The potential relevance of these three model systems to mimic ambient atmospheric processes is discussed.     

Synthesis and characterization of magnetic Co nanoparticles: A comparison study of three different capping surfactants

This paper compares the performance of three long-chain acids—oleic and elaidic (both olefinic) and stearic (aliphatic)—as a capping agent in the synthesis of magnetic Co nanoparticles. The particles were formed through thermal decomposition of dicobalt octacarbonyl in toluene in the presence of the long-chain acid, and characterized by TEM, high-resolution TEM, and SQUID measurements. Infrared spectra revealed that some of the added olefinic acid was transformed from cis- to trans-configuration (for oleic acid) or from trans- to cis- (for elaidic acid) to facilitate the formation of a densely packed monolayer on the surface of Co nanoparticles. As compared to aliphatic acids, olefinic acids are advantageous for dense packing on small particles with high surface curvatures due to a bent shape of the cis-isomer. The presence of an olefinic acid is able to control particle growth, stabilize the colloidal suspension, and prevent the final product from oxidation by air. Our results indicate that oleic acid, elaidic acid, and a mixture of oleic/stearic acids or elaidic/stearic acids have roughly the same performance in serving as a capping agent for the synthesis of Co nanoparticles with a spherical shape and narrow size distribution.     

表面引发原子转移自由基聚合方法合成Fe3O4/PMMA复合纳米微粒

采用表面引发原子转移自由基聚合方法合成了核壳结构的磁性高分子纳米微粒. 作为聚合反应引发剂的3-氯丙酸, 首先与油酸修饰的Fe3O4纳米微粒表面的部分油酸置换, 然后在Fe3O4纳米微粒表面引发甲基丙烯酸甲酯聚合, 合成的纳米复合材料用TEM, FTIR, XRD和DSC表征. 磁性测试结果表明, 所制备的磁性高分子纳米微粒仍具有超顺磁性, 但由于聚合物的存在, 其饱和磁化强度降低.     

Synthesis,Optical Properties,and Sensing Applications of Gold Nanodots

In this Personal Account, we briefly address our journey in developing photoluminescent nanomaterials for sensing purposes, with a focus on gold nanodots (Au NDs). Their synthetic strategies, optical properties, and sensing applications are emphasized. The Au NDs can be simply prepared from the etching of small‐sized Au nanoparticles (<3 nm in diameter) by thiol compounds such as 11‐mercaptoundecanoic acid under alkaline conditions. This simple approach allows the preparation of various functional Au NDs by choosing different thiol compounds as etching agents. Since the optical properties of Au NDs are highly dependent on the core and shell of each Au ND, the selection of etching reagents is important. Over the years we have developed various sensing systems using Au NDs for the detection of metal ions, anions, and proteins, based on analyte‐induced photoluminescence quenching/enhancement of Au NDs as a result of changes in their oxidation state, shell composition, and structure.     

Understanding mercapto ligand exchange on the surface of FePt nanoparticles

Tailoring the surface of nanoparticles is essential for biological applications of magnetic nanoparticles. FePt nanoparticles are interesting candidates owing to their high magnetic moment. Established procedures to make FePt nanoparticles use oleic acid and oleylamine as the surfactants, which make them dispersed in nonpolar solvents such as hexane. As a model study to demonstrate the modification of the surface chemistry, stable aqueous dispersions of FePt nanoparticles were synthesized after ligand exchange with mercaptoalkanoic acids. This report focuses on understanding the surface chemistry of FePt upon ligand exchange with mercapto compounds by conducting X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies. It was found that the mercapto end displaces oleylamine on the Pt atoms and the carboxylic acid end displaces the oleic acid on the Fe atoms, thus exposing carboxylate and thiolate groups on the surface that provide the necessary electrostatic repulsion to form stable aqueous dispersions of FePt nanoparticles.     

Improving Lanthanide Nanocrystal Colloidal Stability in Competitive Aqueous Buffer Solutions using Multivalent PEG-Phosphonate Ligands

The range of properties available in the lanthanide series has inspired research into the use of lanthanide nanoparticles for numerous applications. We aim to use NaLnF(4) nanoparticles for isotopic tags in mass cytometry. This application requires nanoparticles of narrow size distribution, diameters preferably less than 15 nm, and robust surface chemistry to avoid nonspecific interactions and to facilitate bioconjugation. Nanoparticles (NaHoF(4), NaEuF(4), NaGdF(4), and NaTbF(4)) were synthesized with diameters from 9 to 11 nm with oleic acid surface stabilization. The surface ligands were replaced by a series of mono-, di-, and tetraphosphonate PEG ligands, whose synthesis is reported here. The colloidal stability of the resulting particles was monitored over a range of pH values and in phosphate containing solutions. All of the PEG-phosphonate ligands were found to produce non-aggregated colloidally stable suspensions of the nanoparticles in water as judged by DLS and TEM measurements. However, in more aggressive solutions, at high pH and in phosphate buffers, the mono- and diphosphonate PEG ligands did not stabilize the particles and aggregation as well as flocculation was observed. However, the tetraphosphonate ligand was able to stabilize the particles at high pH and in phosphate buffers for extended periods of time.     

Photochemical instability of CdSe nanocrystals coated by hydrophilic thiols

The photochemical instability of CdSe nanocrystals coated by hydrophilic thiols was studied nondestructively and systematically in water. The results revealed that the photochemical instability of the nanocrystals actually included three distinguishable processes, namely the photocatalytic oxidation of the thiol ligands on the surface of nanocrystals, the photooxidation of the nanocrystals, and the precipitation of the nanocrystals. At first, the thiol ligands on the surface of a nanocrystal were gradually photocatalytically oxidized using the CdSe nanocrystal core as the photocatalyst. This photocatalytic oxidation process was observed as a zero-order reaction in terms of the concentration of the free thiols in the solution. The photogenerated holes in a nanocrystal were trapped onto the thiol ligands bound on the surface of the nanocrystal, which initiated the photooxidation of the ligands and protected the nanocrystal from any photooxidation. After nearly all of the thiol ligands on the surface of the nanocrystals were converted into disulfides, the system underwent several different pathways. If the disulfides were soluble in water, then all of the disulfides fell into the solution at the end of this initial process, and the nanocrystals precipitated out of the solution without much variation over their size and size distribution. When the disulfides were insoluble in water, they likely formed a micelle-like structure around the nanocrystal core and kept it soluble in the solution. In this case, the nanocrystals only precipitated after severe oxidation, which took a long period of time. If the system contained excess free thiol ligands, they replaced the photochemically generated disulfides and maintained the stability and solubility of the nanocrystals. The initiation stage of the photooxidation of CdSe nanocrystals themselves increased as the thickness and packing density of the ligand shell increased. This was explained by considering the ligand shell on the surface of a nanocrystal as the diffusion barrier of the oxygen species from the bulk solution into the interface between the nanocrystal and the surface ligands. Experimental results clearly indicated that the initiation stage of the photooxidation was not caused by the chemical oxidation of the system kept in air under dark conditions or the hydrolysis of the cadmium-thiol bonds on the surface of the nanocrystals, both of which were magnitudes slower than the photocatalytic oxidation of the surface ligands if they occurred at all. The results described in this contribution have already been applied for designing new types of thiol ligands which dramatically improved the photochemical stability of CdSe nanocrystals with a ligand shell that is as thin as approximately 1 nm.     

Mutual enhancement of the complexing properties of components in tertiary systems containing copper nanoparticles, poly(acrylic acid), and poly(ethylene glycol)

It is shown that nonstoichiometric interpolymer complexes composed of high-molecular-mass poly( acrylic acid) and PEG of various molecular masses are more efficient stabilizers of copper sols than each component of the complex taken separately. This conclusion is based on comparison of dimensions of copper nanoparticles in sols formed via reduction of copper(II) ions in solutions of poly (acrylic acid), PEG, and their blends and on the enhanced stability of sols protected by the interpolymer complex against aggregation and oxidation of metal particles. Much shorter PEG chains than those necessary for formation of corresponding interpolymer complexes in the absence of nanoparticles can be involved in formation of tertiary complexes including copper nanoparticles, poly(acrylic acid), and PEG. On the basis of the experimental data, it is inferred that the mutual enhancement of the complexing behavior of components occurs in tertiary complexes containing copper nanoparticles and both polymers.     

Formation of Cu and Cu2O nanoparticles by variation of the surface ligand: preparation, structure, and insulating-to-metallic transition

Copper and copper (I) oxide nanoparticles protected by self-assembled monolayers of thiol, carboxyl, and amine functionalities [X(CH(2))(n)-CH(3), where X can be -COOH, -NH(2), or -SH] have been prepared by the controlled reduction of aqueous copper salts using Brust synthesis. The optical absorption spectrum (lambda(max)=289 nm) is found to be invariant with the nature of the capping molecule while the particle shape and distribution are found to depend strongly on it. A comparison of the protection efficiency for different capping agents such as dodecanethiol (DDT), tridecylamine (TDA), and lauric acid (LA) suggests that although zerovalent Cu is initially formed for dodecanethiol, all other cases allow oxidation to Cu(2)O nanoparticles. Despite the variation in particle size and relative stability, nanoparticles have been found to form oxides after a few days, especially for the case of LA and TDA surface capping. For all the samples studied, the size has been found to be 4-8 nm by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The protective ability is found to be better for dodecanethiol SAM (similar to the case of Au and Ag nanoparticles), while the order of capping efficiency varies as Cu-DDT>Cu-TDA>Cu-LA. In the present study we also demonstrate a reversible metal-insulator transition (MIT) in capped nanoparticles of Cu using temperature-dependent electrical resistivity measurement. However, the LA-capped sample does not show any such transition, possibly due to the oxide formation.     

选择性刻蚀制备铜锰复合氧化物及其CO催化氧化性能

由于在工业、环保和能源等诸多领域的潜在应用,低温CO催化氧化催化剂的研发引起了广泛关注.尽管贵金属表现出优越的CO氧化活性和稳定性,但是其有限储量和高昂价格一直限制着它们的实际应用.铜锰氧化物是著名的霍加拉特催化剂的主组分,价格低廉,催化氧化CO活性高,可高效替代贵金属催化剂.大量研究已证实, CO在铜锰氧化物上的氧化遵循氧化-还原机理,因此调变铜锰氧化物催化剂的氧化-还原性能对于改善其CO氧化活性至关重要.本文报道了一种简单的选择性刻蚀技术,即在铜、锰前驱物共沉淀过程中引入氨水作为刻蚀剂,利用氨水与铜离子的强络合作用选择性刻蚀铜组分,调变铜锰氧化物的铜锰比,有效改善了铜锰氧化物的氧化-还原特性,从而提高了其CO氧化性能. X射线粉末衍射(XRD)测试结果表明,初始制备的样品结晶弱,主要物相包含铜锰复合氧化物和氧化锰,此外还存在少量碳酸锰.不同浓度氨水刻蚀几乎未改变铜锰氧化物的物相组成.透射电子显微(TEM)照片中几乎没有发现晶格相,进一步证实这些铜锰氧化物的弱结晶本质.扫描电子显微(SEM)照片显示初始制备的铜锰复合氧化物主要由1.5?m左右的球形颗粒堆积而成,氨水刻蚀后颗粒形状变得不规则,表面更加粗糙,样品比表面积也从刻蚀前的85 m2/g增加到139 m2/g.理论上,氨水与铜的络合作用更强,样品主体和表面组成分析结果显示,随着氨刻蚀量增加,铜含量逐步降低,这清晰证实了氨有效地选择性刻蚀了铜组分. 进一步运用X射线光电子能谱(XPS)、氢程序升温还原(H2-TPR)、CO程序升温还原(CO-TPR)和氧程序升温脱附(O2-TPD)等测试手段表征了铜锰氧化物的氧化和还原特性,特别是氨刻蚀后催化剂氧化-还原性能. XPS分析显示铜锰氧化物中铜和锰物种的氧化态分别为+2和+3,氨刻蚀并没有改变两物种的氧化态. H2-TPR和CO-TPR证实氨刻蚀有效促进了铜锰氧化物中晶格氧从锰到铜物种的迁移,氨刻蚀同时还增强了与铜和锰键合的晶格氧物种的反应活性. O2-TPD结果进一步表明,氨刻蚀显著改善了铜锰氧化物中与铜键合晶格氧的释放.综合来看,氨刻蚀可有效促进铜锰氧化物的晶格氧迁移、释放和反应等氧化-还原特性. CO氧化反应研究显示,氨刻蚀大幅度促进了铜锰氧化物的催化活性.当反应温度在30?C时,相比于初始制备的铜锰氧化物催化剂,氨水刻蚀的样品上CO转化率提高了30%,达到90%转化率时的温度降低了20?C.关联催化剂结构表征和CO氧化性能数据发现,以表面Cu量归一化的CO氧化反应速率与催化剂的氧化-还原性能正相关.这一结果清晰证实氨刻蚀能显著改善铜锰氧化物的氧化-还原特性,进而有效促进其CO氧化活性.