Session: Nanoscience:

Thiolate-coated gold nanoclusters of sufficiently small diameters display a number of unique electrochemical properties, including a molecule-like band gap with well-defined redox potentials. Through modification of the thiolate ligand coating with fluorescent or electroactive ligands, it is possible to induce electron transfer between the core and the ligand, with the core able to act as either an electron donor or accepter depending on the ligand. The direction of electron transfer between the ligands and the core, which can be determined from shifts in the redox potentials of the clusters towards more positive or negative values that occur as a result of ligand modification, has direct applications to sensing nerve agents and electron storage for efficient solar cells. This project reports the characterization of the effect of two ligands, 6-ferrocenylhexanethiol and anthracenethiol, on two different types of gold clusters, i-Au₂₅ and bi-Au₂₅.

Nathaniel Stevens

Appearances