Gold nanoparticles formed directly on a membrane by ultraviolet light irradiation
- National Institute for Nanotechnology, NRC, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2M9 (Canada)
- Department of Chemical and Material Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2M9 (Canada)
- JEOL USA Inc., 11 Dearbon Road, Peabody, Massachusetts 01960 (United States)
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1 (Canada)
There have been numerous research efforts directed towards the synthesis of gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) and the understanding of their formation, so that their size, shape, and stability can be well controlled for desired applications. Here, we report a dry photo-reduced method of Au NP formation directly on a membrane, such as a carbon thin film or a quartz slide. The evolution of Au NP formation was revealed by ex-situ experiments in an aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope. The membranes were immersed in Au{sup 3+} solution before being taken out and quickly dried in ambient air at room temperature, then irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) light with wavelengths of 189 nm and 254 nm in a low-pressure chamber. The results show that Au{sup 3+} ions and ion clusters self-assembled on the membrane surface before UV irradiation and that solid Au NPs with sizes of 3 nm–12 nm were formed after UV irradiation. Annealing at 40 °C for about 30 min helped to further stabilize the nanoparticles. The Au NPs were uniform and well dispersed, and should find applications in the electron microscopy field, for example.
- OSTI ID:
- 22412563
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 106, Issue 23; Other Information: (c) 2015 CANADA-Crown; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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