One-step synthesis and stabilization of gold nanoparticles and multilayer film assembly

Au nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized in the one-pot procedure in water at room temperature with the wheel-shaped V^V-V^IV mixed-valence tungstovanadate [P₈W₄₈O₁₈₄{V₄^VV₂^IVO₁₂(H₂O)₂}₂]³²⁻ (V12) acting as both reducing and stabilizing agents. The V12 stabilized Au NPs (Au@V12 NPs) were characterized by SEM, TEM, DLS, UV-vis spectroscopy, XPS, and XRD analyses and the negatively charged surface of the Au@V12 NPs was proved by the zeta potential analysis. Based on the layer-by-layer assembly (LbL), the Au@V12 NPs-containing multilayer films have been fabricated on ITO-coated glass slide and quartz substrates with poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI). The regular growth of the multilayer films was monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry, the composition was characterized by XPS. The Au@V12 NPs based composite films showed electrocatalytic activities towards the reduction of dioxygen and the oxidation of methanol. This approach is expected to open the way towards procedures aimed at the one-step fabrication of Au NPs and polyoxometalates (POMs) into the multilayer films.