Thiolate-protected gold clusters (AuNPs) are a highly versatile nanomaterial, with electronic, optical, and other physical properties dependent on the thiolate staple groups and gold core size. Due to this complexity, they have found applications in catalysis, optoelectronics, and biosensing, among others. Raman spectroscopy is a powerful technique for probing the structure of molecules, and it has previously been used once to probe the Au-S interface of AuNPs. However, shortcomings remain, as the computationally predicted low-energy vibrations of Au-Au bonds within the Au core have yet to be observed. In addition, the so-called magic numbers of AuNPs are also intimately related to the structures of their cores. Here, the fundamental vibrations of a series of AuNPs are investigated at low temperatures using Raman spectroscopy to provide insight on their core structures.

Fundamental structural studies of thiolate-protected gold clusters using Raman spectroscopy

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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