We present the energy and heterogeneous electron transfer properties of molecule-like gold nanoparticles (NPs), whose diameter is ~1.1 nm. As prepared by the modified Brust's method, the core of a gold NP consists of about 25 gold atoms and its surface is protected by ~18 phenylethanethiol ligands. We modified the NP surface with various alkanethiolates for our studies: n-C6H13S-; n-C7H15S-; n-C8H17S-; n-C9H19S-; n-C10H21S-; n-C11H23S-; and n-C12H25S-. These NPs were prepared by ligand exchange reactions, and ~50 % of the original phenylethanetholates was replaced with alkyltholates. Heterogeneous electron transfer properties were investigated with cyclic voltammetry and digital simulations, measuring heterogeneous electron transfer rate constants which decrease exponentially with increasing the ligand length. Homogeneous energy transfer properties were examined with fluorescence quenching by surface-modified gold NPs. A laser dye, PBBO, was used to determine quenching rate constants which also decrease exponentially with increasing the ligand lengths.

Heterogeneous electron transfer and homogeneous energy transfer of molecule-like gold nanoparticles

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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