Measuring the Solubility of Ligated Gold Nanoparticles in Hydrocarbon Solvents
By Jeffrey Powell
Physics REU Summer 2009
Partially Funded Through NSF
Nanotechnology
Reside at the edge of quantum
mechanics and condensed matter
Can act and behave as a
“supermolecule”
Large ratio of surface area to volume
Tip of the Iceberg
Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles
Inverse Micelle Method-Soaps and Salts
Reduction of Gold Salt to grow
nanocrystals
Ligands added to stabilize
Micellar Diffusion structures nanocrystals
Digestive Ripening
Reflux solution of polydisperse particles
Forms monodisperse solution
Post Digestive Ripening
Pre Digestive Ripening
Alkane Ligated Gold Particle
Au
Au3850(C12SH)350
Solubility Tests
Dissolved in alkane solvents
Centrifuge at 12000g acceleration
Take UV-Vis absorbance data on the
supernatant
Raw data converted into concentration of
gold in solution
Data
Data
“Like Dissolves Like”
Thiol chain length influences
solubility
Gold concentration peaks where
solvent similar to ligand
Data
Data
“Like Does Not ALWAYS Dissolve Like”
Peaks not where expected
Unknown forces at work
Struggles
Separation of two-phase system
Melting point of hexadecane thiol
Stability of particles
Conclusion
Suspension of particles acting as a
thermal reversible solution
Future Work
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