Electronic Conductivity of Solid-State, Mixed-Valent, Monolayer-Protected Au Clusters

Chemical Flexibility of Atomically Precise Metal Clusters

Ligand-protected metal clusters possess hybrid properties that seamlessly combine an inorganic core with an organic ligand shell, imparting them exceptional chemical flexibility and unlocking remarkable application potential in diverse fields. Leveraging chemical flexibility to expand the library of available materials and stimulate the development of new functionalities is becoming an increasingly pressing requirement. This Review focuses on the origin of chemical flexibility from the structural analysis, including intra-cluster bonding, inter-cluster interactions, cluster-environments interactions, metal-to-ligand ratios, and thermodynamic effects. In the introduction, we briefly outline the development of metal clusters and explain the differences and commonalities of M(I)/M(I/0) coinage metal clusters. Additionally, we distinguish the bonding characteristics of metal atoms in the inorganic core, which give rise to their distinct chemical flexibility. Section 2 delves into the structural analysis, bonding categories, and thermodynamic theories related to metal clusters. In the following sections 3 to 7, we primarily elucidate the mechanisms that trigger chemical flexibility, the dynamic processes in transformation, the resultant alterations in structure, and the ensuing modifications in physical-chemical properties. Section 8 presents the notable applications that have emerged from utilizing metal clusters and their assemblies. Finally, in section 9, we discuss future challenges and opportunities within this area.

Assembly and Healing: Capacitive and Conductive Plasmonic Interfacing via a Unified and Clean Wet Chemistry Route

Solution-based nanoparticle assembly represents a highly promising way to build functional metastructures based on a wealth of synthetic nanomaterial building blocks with well-controlled morphology and crystallinity. In particular, the involvement of DNA molecular programming in these bottom-up processes gradually helps the ambitious goal of customizable chemical nanofabrication. However, a fundamental challenge is to realize strong interunit coupling in an assembly toward emerging functions and applications. Herein, we present a unified and clean strategy to address this critical issue based on a H2O2-redox-driven "assembly and healing" process. This facile solution route is able to realize both capacitively coupled and conductively bridged colloidal boundaries, simply switchable by the reaction temperature, toward bottom-up nanoplasmonic engineering. In particular, such a "green" process does not cause surface contamination of nanoparticles by exogenous active metal ions or strongly passivating ligands, which, if it occurs, could obscure the intrinsic properties of as-formed structures. Accordingly, previously raised questions regarding the activities of strongly coupled plasmonic structures are clarified. The reported process is adaptable to DNA nanotechnology, offering molecular programmability of interparticle charge conductance. This work represents a new generation of methods to make strongly coupled nanoassemblies, offering great opportunities for functional colloidal technology and even metal self-healing.

Electron transport through supercrystals of atomically precise gold nanoclusters: a thermal bi-stability effect

Nanoparticles (NPs) may behave like atoms or molecules in the self-assembly into artificial solids with stimuli-responsive properties. However, the functionality engineering of nanoparticle-assembled solids is still far behind the aesthetic approaches for molecules, with a major problem arising from the lack of atomic-precision in the NPs, which leads to incoherence in superlattices. Here we exploit coherent superlattices (or supercrystals) that are assembled from atomically precise Au103S2(SR)41 NPs (core dia. = 1.6 nm, SR = thiolate) for controlling the charge transport properties with atomic-level structural insights. The resolved interparticle ligand packing in Au103S2(SR)41-assembled solids reveals the mechanism behind the thermally-induced sharp transition in charge transport through the macroscopic crystal. Specifically, the response to temperature induces the conformational change to the R groups of surface ligands, as revealed by variable temperature X-ray crystallography with atomic resolution. Overall, this approach leads to an atomic-level correlation between the interparticle structure and a bi-stability functionality of self-assembled supercrystals, and the strategy may enable control over such materials with other novel functionalities.

Coexistent, Competing Tunnelling, and Hopping Charge Transport in Compressed Metal Nanocluster Crystals

Understanding charge transport among metal particles with sizes of approximately 1 nm poses a great challenge due to the ultrasmall nanosize, yet it holds great significance in the development of innovative materials as substitutes for traditional semiconductors, which are insulative and unstable in less than ∼10 nm thickness. Herein, atomically precise gold nanoclusters with well-defined compositions and structures were investigated to establish a mathematical relation between conductivity and interparticle distance. This was accomplished using high-pressure in situ resistance characterizations, synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the Murnaghan equation of state. Based on this precise correlation, it was predicted that the conductivity of Au25(SNap)18 (SNap: 1-naphthalenethiolate) solid is comparable to that of bulk silver when the interparticle distance is reduced to approximately 3.6 Å. Furthermore, the study revealed the coexisting, competing tunneling, and incoherent hopping charge transport mechanisms, which differed from those previously reported. The introduction of conjugation-structured ligands, tuning of the structures of metal nanoclusters, and use of high-pressure techniques contributed to enhanced conductivity, and thus, the charge carrier types were determined using Hall measurements. Overall, this study provides valuable insight into the charge transport in gold nanocluster solids and represents an important advancement in metal nanocluster semiconductor research.

Tunable Subnanometer Gaps in Self-Assembled Monolayer Gold Nanoparticle Superlattices Enabling Strong Plasmonic Field Confinement

Nanoparticle superlattices produced with controllable interparticle gap distances down to the subnanometer range are of superior significance for applications in electronic and plasmonic devices as well as in optical metasurfaces. In this work, a method to fabricate large-area (∼1 cm²) gold nanoparticle (GNP) superlattices with a typical size of single domains at several micrometers and high-density nanogaps of tunable distances (from 2.3 to 0.1 nm) as well as variable constituents (from organothiols to inorganic S^2-) is demonstrated. Our approach is based on the combination of interfacial nanoparticle self-assembly, subphase exchange, and free-floating ligand exchange. Electrical transport measurements on our GNP superlattices reveal variations in the nanogap conductance of more than 6 orders of magnitude. Meanwhile, nanoscopic modifications in the surface potential landscape of active GNP devices have been observed following engineered nanogaps. In situ optical reflectance measurements during free-floating ligand exchange show a gradual enhancement of plasmonic capacitive coupling with a diminishing average interparticle gap distance down to 0.1 nm, as continuously red-shifted localized surface plasmon resonances with increasing intensity have been observed. Optical metasurfaces consisting of such GNP superlattices exhibit tunable effective refractive index over a broad wavelength range. Maximal real part of the effective refractive index, n_max, reaching 5.4 is obtained as a result of the extreme field confinement in the high-density subnanometer plasmonic gaps.

Compact accumulation of superatomic silver nanoclusters with an octahedral Ag6 core ligated by trithiane

Two superatomic solids, a bi-cluster compound, [Ag₆(3S)₄(OTf)₄][Ag₆(3S)₄(CC^tBu)₄](OTf)₂ [Ag6(0)·Ag6(i)], and a homologous nanocluster, [Ag₆(3S)₄(tfa)₄] (Ag6), have been described here, which are both close-packed in the crystal lattice with the ligation of trithiane. Their aggregation-state-dependent absorption and fluorescence properties could be ascribed to the enhanced intercluster charge-transfer in the crystalline state.

Synthesis of 1T WSe2 on an Oxygen-Containing Substrate Using a Single Precursor

The metallic property of metastable 1T' WSe₂ and its promising catalytic performance have attracted considerable interest. A hot injection method has been used to synthesize 1T' WSe₂ with a three-dimensional morphology; however, this method requires two or more precursors and long-chain ligands, which inhibit the catalytic performance. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis of 1T' WSe₂ on a substrate by a simple heating-up method using a single precursor, tetraethylammonium tetraselenotungstate [(Et₄N)₂WSe₄]. The triethylamine produced after the reaction is an electron donor that yields negatively charged WSe₂, which is stabilized by triethylammonium cations as intercalants between layers and induces 1T' WSe₂. The purity of 1T' WSe₂ is higher on oxygen-containing crystalline substrates than amorphous substrates because the strong adhesion between WSe₂ and the substrate can produce sufficient triethylammonium (TEA) intercalation. Among the oxygen-containing crystal substrates, the substrate with a lower lattice mismatch with 1T' WSe₂ showed higher 1T' purity due to the uniform TEA intercalation. Furthermore, 1T' WSe₂ on carbon cloth exhibited a more enhanced catalytic performance in the hydrogen evolution reaction (197 mV at 10 mA/cm²) than has been reported previously.

Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles with a Cohesion Enhancer for Robust Flexible Electrodes

The development of conductive inks is required to enable additive manufacturing of electronic components and devices. A gold nanoparticle (AuNP) ink is of particular interest due to its high electrical conductivity, chemical stability, and biocompatibility. However, a printed AuNP film suffers from thermally induced microcracks and pores that lead to the poor integrity of a printed electronic component and electrical failure under external mechanical deformation, hence limiting its application for flexible electronics. Here, we employ a multifunctional thiol as a cohesion enhancer in the AuNP ink to prevent the formation of microcracks and pores by mediating the cohesion of AuNPs via strong interaction between the thiol groups and the gold surface. The inkjet-printed AuNP electrode exhibits an electrical conductivity of 3.0 × 10⁶ S/m and stable electrical properties under repeated cycles (>1000) of mechanical deformation even for a single printed layer and in a salt-rich phosphate-buffered saline solution, offering exciting potential for applications in flexible and 3D electronics as well as in bioelectronics and healthcare devices.

Emergent properties in supercrystals of atomically precise nanoclusters and colloidal nanocrystals

We provide a comprehensive account of the optical, electrical and mechanical properties that result from the self-assembly of colloidal nanocrystals or atomically precise nanoclusters into crystalline arrays with long-range order....

Flexible Plasmonic Biosensors for Healthcare Monitoring: Progress and Prospects

The noble metal nanoparticle has been widely utilized as a plasmonic unit to enhance biosensors, by leveraging its electric and/or optical properties. Integrated with the "flexible" feature, it further enables opportunities in developing healthcare products in a conformal and adaptive fashion, such as wrist pulse tracers, body temperature trackers, blood glucose monitors, etc. In this work, we present a holistic review of the recent advance of flexible plasmonic biosensors for the healthcare sector. The technical spectrum broadly covers the design and selection of a flexible substrate, the process to integrate flexible and plasmonic units, the exploration of different types of flexible plasmonic biosensors to monitor human temperature, blood glucose, ions, gas, and motion indicators, as well as their applications for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and colorimetric detections. Their fundamental working principles and structural innovations are scoped and summarized. The challenges and prospects are articulated regarding the critical importance for continued progress of flexible plasmonic biosensors to improve living quality.

Nanoparticle-Based Electrodes with High Charge Transfer Efficiency through Ligand Exchange Layer-by-Layer Assembly

Organic-ligand-based solution processes of metal and transition metal oxide (TMO) nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely studied for the preparation of electrode materials with desired electrical and electrochemical properties for various energy devices. However, the ligands adsorbed on NPs have a significant effect on the intrinsic properties of materials, thus influencing the performance of bulk electrodes assembled by NPs for energy devices. To resolve these critical drawbacks, numerous approaches have focused on developing unique surface chemistry that can exchange bulky ligands with small ligands or remove bulky ligands from NPs after NP deposition. In particular, recent studies have reported that the ligand-exchange-induced layer-by-layer (LE-LbL) assembly of NPs enables controlled assembly of NPs with the desired interparticle distance, and interfaces, dramatically improving the electrical/electrochemical performance of electrodes. This emerging approach also demonstrates that efficient surface ligand engineering can exploit the unique electrochemical properties of individual NPs and maximize the electrochemical performance of the resultant NP-assembled electrodes through improved charge transfer efficiency. This report focuses on how LE-LbL assembly can be effectively applied to NP-based energy storage/conversion electrodes. First, the basic principles of the LE-LbL approach are introduced and then recent progress on NP-based energy electrodes prepared via the LE-LbL approach is reviewed.

The role of ligands in electron transport in nanocrystal solids

We investigate theoretically the transport of electrons and holes in crystalline solids consisting of three-dimensional arrays of semiconductor nanocrystals passivated by two types of organic ligands-linear chain carboxylates and functionalized aromatic cinnamates. We focus on a critical quantity in transport: the quantum-mechanical overlap of the strongly confined electron and hole wavefunctions on neighboring nanocrystals. Using results from density-functional-theory (DFT) calculations, we construct a one-dimensional model system whose analytic wavefunctions reproduce the full DFT numerical overlap values. By investigating the analytic behavior of this model, we reveal several important features of electron transport. The most significant is that the wavefunction overlap decays exponentially with ligand length, with a characteristic decay length that depends primarily on properties of the ligand and is almost independent of the size and type of nanocrystal. Functionalization of the ligands can also affect the overlap by changing the height of the tunneling barrier. The physically transparent analytic expressions we obtain for the wavefunction overlap and its decay length should be useful for future efforts to control transport in nanocrystal solids.

Hexadecyltrimethylammonium hydroxide promotes electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction

The oxygen evolution reaction is an essential factor in many renewable energy technologies, such as water splitting, fuel cells, and metal-air batteries. Here we show a unique solution to improve the oxygen evolution reaction rate by adjusting the electrolyte composition via the introduction of hexadecyltrimethylammonium hydroxide into an alkaline electrolyte. The strong adsorption of hexadecyltrimethylammonium cations on the surface of electrocatalysts provides the increased absolute number of OH^- ions near the electrocatalyst surface, which effectively promotes the oxygen evolution reaction performance of electrocatalysts, such as Fe_1-yNi_yS₂@Fe_1-xNi_xOOH microplatelets and SrBaNi₂Fe₁₂O₂₂ powders. Meanwhile, we present an electrochemical conditioning approach to engineering the electrochemically active surface area of electrocatalysts, by which the resultant Fe_1-yNi_yS₂@Fe_1-xNi_xOOH microplatelets have a larger electrochemically active surface area after the electrochemical conditioning of the as-synthesized Fe_1-yNi_yS₂ microplatelets using ammonia borane than those obtained after the conventional electrochemical conditioning without ammonia borane, presumably due to the appropriate conversion rate of Fe_1-xNi_xOOH shells.

Macroscopic two-dimensional monolayer films of gold nanoparticles: fabrication strategies, surface engineering and functional applications

In the last few decades, two-dimensional monolayer films of gold nanoparticles (2D MFGS) have attracted increasing attention in various fields, due to their superior attributes of macroscopic size and accessible fabrication, controllable electromagnetic enhancement, distinctive optical harvesting and electron transport capabilities. This review will focus on the recent progress of 2D monolayer films of gold nanoparticles in construction approaches, surface engineering strategies and functional applications in the optical and electric fields. The research challenges and prospective directions of 2D MFGS are also discussed. This review would promote a better understanding of 2D MFGS and establish a necessary bridge among the multidisciplinary research fields.

Unravelling the formation mechanism of alkynyl protected gold clusters: a case study of phenylacetylene stabilized Au144 molecules

Despite recent progress in the preparation of alkynyl protected Au clusters with molecular purity (e.g., Na[Au₂₅(C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CAr)₁₈, Ar = 3,5-(CF₃)₂C₆H₃^-, Au₃₆(C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CPh)₂₄, Au₄₄(C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CPh)₂₈, and Au₁₄₄(C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CAr)₆₀, Ar = 2-F-C₆H₄^-), the formation mechanism still remains elusive. Herein, a new molecule-like alkynyl Au cluster was successfully prepared, and its formula was determined as Au₁₄₄(PA)₆₀ (PA = PhC[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-, phenylacetylene). In the formation of Au₁₄₄(PA)₆₀, the introduction of ethanol in post-synthesis treatment to manipulate the aggregation state of the precursor was found to play a critical role in producing the Au144 clusters. During the Au₁₄₄(PA)₆₀ formation process, the contents of PA, (PA)₂ and (PA)₄ were monitored by absorbance and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), disclosing that Au₁₄₄(PA)₆₀ molecules were generated in sync with (PA)₄. Finally, the formation mechanism of Au₁₄₄(PA)₆₀ molecules has been tentatively proposed, of which three major stages are involved. This study can shed light on the formation mechanism that may be exploited for the precise control of the synthesis of alkynyl protected coinage metal clusters.

Aerosol-Phase Synthesis and Processing of Luminescent Silicon Nanocrystals

Silicon quantum dots are attractive materials for luminescent devices and bioimaging applications. For these light-emitting applications, higher photoluminescence efficiency is desired in order to achieve better device performance. Nonthermal plasma synthesis successfully allows for the continuous production of silicon nanocrystals, but postprocessing is necessary to improve photoluminescence quantum yields so that nanocrystals can be used for luminescence applications. In this work, we demonstrate an all-aerosol-phase synthesis and processing route that integrates nonthermal plasma synthesis, plasma-assisted surface functionalization with alkene ligands, and in-flight annealing within one flow stream. Here, luminescent silicon nanocrystals are synthesized and postprocessed on a time scale of only 100 ms, which is orders of magnitude faster than previous synthesis and functionalization schemes. The as-produced silicon nanocrystals have photoluminescence quantum yields exceeding 20%, which is a 5-fold increase compared to previous silicon nanocrystals synthesized with all-aerosol-phase approaches. We attribute the enhanced photoluminescence to the reduced "dark" nanocrystal fraction due to reduction of dangling bond density and desorption of surface silyl species induced by the in-flight annealing. We also demonstrate that the ligand coverage plays a minor role for the photoluminescence properties, but that the nature of the silicon hydride surface groups is a major factor.

Highly Conductive Paper/Textile Electrodes Using Ligand Exchange Reaction-Induced in Situ Metallic Fusion

Here, we report that metal nanoparticle (NP)-based paper/textile electrodes with bulk metallic conductivity can be prepared via organic linker-modulated ligand exchange reaction and in situ room-temperature metallic fusion without additional chemical or thermal treatments. For this study, amine-functionalized molecule linkers instead of bulky polymer linkers were layer-by-layer (LbL)-assembled with tetraoctylammonium bromide (TOABr)-stabilized Au NPs to form Au NP multilayered films. By conversion of the amine groups of the organic molecule linkers from -NH₃⁺ to the -NH₂ groups, as well as by a decrease in the size of the organic linkers, the LbL-assembled Au NPs became highly interconnected and fused during LbL deposition, resulting in Au NP multilayers with adjustable conductivity and transport behavior. These phenomena were also predicted by a density functional theory investigation for the model system. Particularly, LbL-assembled films composed of TOABr-Au NPs and diethylenetriamine ( M_w: ∼104) exhibited a remarkable electrical conductivity of 2.2 × 10⁵ S·cm^-1, which was higher than the electrical conductivity of the metal NP-based electrodes as well as the carbon material-based electrodes reported to date. Furthermore, based on our approach, a variety of insulating flexible papers and textiles were successfully converted into real metal-like paper and textile electrodes with high flexibility preserving their highly porous structure. This approach can provide a basis for further improving and controlling the electrical properties of flexible electrodes through the control of organic linkers.

Fabrication of Strain Gauges via Contact Printing: A Simple Route to Healthcare Sensors Based on Cross-Linked Gold Nanoparticles

In this study, we developed a novel and efficient process for the fabrication of resistive strain gauges for healthcare-related applications. First, 1,9-nonanedithiol cross-linked gold nanoparticle (GNP) films were prepared via layer-by-layer (LbL) spin-coating and subsequently transferred onto flexible polyimide foil by contact printing. Four-point bending tests revealed linear response characteristics with gauge factors of ∼14 for 4 nm GNPs and ∼26 for 7 nm GNPs. This dependency of strain sensitivity is attributed to the perturbation of charge carrier tunneling between neighboring GNPs, which becomes more efficient with increasing particle size. Fatigue tests revealed that the strain-resistance performance remained nearly the same after 10.000 strain/relaxation cycles. We demonstrate that these sensors are well suited to monitor muscle movements. Furthermore, we fabricated all-printed strain sensors by directly transferring cross-linked GNP films onto soft PDMS sheets equipped with interdigitated electrodes. Due to the low elastic modulus of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), these sensors are easily deformed and, therefore, they respond sensitively to faint forces. When taped onto the skin above the radial artery, they enable the well-resolved and robust recording of pulse waves with diagnostically relevant details.

Controllable assembly of a hierarchical multiscale architecture based on silver nanoparticle grids/nanowires for flexible organic solar cells

In this work, an effective and facile strategy was developed to assemble a flexible hierarchical multiscale architecture by incorporating microscale silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) grids into random silver nanowires (AgNWs) networks combined with a room-temperature chemical sintering mechanism. The microscale AgNPs grids was fabricated by assemble AgNPs into a series of twin lines directly on a hydrophilic PET substrate based on coffee-ring effect with ink-jet printing technique. By regulating the assembly architecture, a flexible hierarchical multiscale conductor based on AgNPs grids/AgNWs was successfully fabricated and demonstrated a high transmittance of 87.5%, low sheet resistance of 16.5 Ω/sq and excellent mechanical flexibility. The hierarchical multiscale architecture was fairly favorable to efficiently collect free charges among the gaps in the AgNWs network, as well as to enhance the stability of conductivity by creating continuous conduction pathways. As an anode electrode in a flexible organic solar cell, the hierarchical multiscale AgNPs grids/AgNWs conductor demonstrated a more power photoelectric conversion efficiency, which was even superior to the corresponding properties of the ITO network at a similar transmittance. This simple, low-cost and nonlithographic solution-based approach would further enhance current fabrication approaches to create patterned microstructures, and have great potential to fabricate multifarious functional patterns in flexible electronic devices.

Switchable counterion gradients around charged metallic nanoparticles enable reception of radio waves

Mechanically flexible, easy-to-process, and environmentally benign materials capable of current rectification are interesting alternatives to "hard" silicon-based devices. Among these materials are metallic/charged-organic nanoparticles in which electronic currents though metal cores are modulated by the gradients of counterions surrounding the organic ligands. Although layers of oppositely charged particles can respond to both electronic and chemical signals and can function even under significant mechanical deformation, the rectification ratios of these "chemoelectronic" elements have been, so far, low. This work shows that significantly steeper counterion gradients and significantly higher rectification ratios can be achieved with nanoparticles of only one polarity but in contact with a porous electrode serving as a counterion "sink." These composite structures act as rectifiers even at radio frequencies, providing a new means of interfacing counterions' dynamics with high-frequency electronic currents.

Modulating the hierarchical fibrous assembly of Au nanoparticles with atomic precision

The ability to modulate nanoparticle (NP) assemblies with atomic precision is still lacking, which hinders us from creating hierarchical NP organizations with desired properties. In this work, a hierarchical fibrous (1D to 3D) assembly of Au NPs (21-gold atom, Au21) is realized and further modulated with atomic precision via site-specific tailoring of the surface hook (composed of four phenyl-containing ligands with a counteranion). Interestingly, tailoring of the associated counterion significantly changes the electrical transport properties of the NP-assembled solids by two orders of magnitude due to the altered configuration of the interacting π-π pairs of the surface hooks. Overall, our success in atomic-level modulation of the hierarchical NP assembly directly evidences how the NP ligands and associated counterions can function to guide the 1D, 2D, and 3D hierarchical self-assembly of NPs in a delicate manner. This work expands nanochemists' skills in rationally programming the hierarchical NP assemblies with controllable structures and properties.

Towards wireless highly sensitive capacitive strain sensors based on gold colloidal nanoparticles

We designed, produced and characterized new capacitive strain sensors based on colloidal gold nanoparticles. The active area of these sensors, made up of a 1 mm2 close-packed assembly of gold nanoparticles between interdigitated electrodes, was designed to achieve measurable capacitance (>∼1 pF) and overcome parasitic capacitances. Electro-mechanical experiments revealed that the sensitivity of such capacitive sensors increases in relation to the size of the nanoparticles. In the case of 14 nm gold NPs, such sensors present a relative capacitance variation of -5.2% for a strain of 1.5%, which is more than 5 times higher than that observed for conventional capacitive strain gauges. The existence of two domains (pure capacitive domain and mixed capacitive-resistance domain) as a function of the frequency measurement allows for the adaptation of sensitivity of these capacitive sensors. A simple low-cost circuit based on a microcontroller board was finally developed to detect the capacitance variations of such NP based strain sensors. This low-cost equipment paves the way for the development of an entirely wireless application set-up.

Fabrication and characterisation of ligand-functionalised ultrapure monodispersed metal nanoparticle nanoassemblies employing advanced gas deposition technique

Here, we report for the first time the fabrication of ligand-functionalised ultrapure monodispersed metal nanoparticles (Au, Cu, and Pt) from their pure metal precursors using the advanced gas deposition technique. The experimental conditions during nanoparticle formation were adjusted in order to obtain ultrafine isolated nanoparticles on different substrates. The morphology and surface analysis of the as-deposited metal nanoparticles were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, which demonstrated the formation of highly ordered pure crystalline nanoparticles with a relatively uniform size distribution of ∼10 nm (Au), ∼4 nm (Cu) and ∼3 nm (Pt), respectively. A broad range of organic ligands containing thiol or amine functional groups were attached to the nanoparticles to form continuous networks of nanoparticle-ligand nanoassemblies, which were characterised by scanning electron microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrical resistance of the functional nanoassemblies deposited in the gap spacing of two microfabricated parallel Au electrodes patterned on silicon substrates ranged between tens of kΩ and tens of MΩ, which is suitable for use in many applications including (bio)chemical sensors, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and molecular electronic rectifiers.

Shell-binary nanoparticle materials with variable electrical and electro-mechanical properties

Nanoparticle (NP) materials with the capability to adjust their electrical and electro-mechanical properties facilitate applications in strain sensing technology. Traditional NP materials based on single component NPs lack a systematic and effective means of tuning their electrical and electro-mechanical properties. Here, we report on a new type of shell-binary NP material fabricated by self-assembly with either homogeneous or heterogeneous arrangements of NPs. Variable electrical and electro-mechanical properties were obtained for both materials. We show that the electrical and electro-mechanical properties of these shell-binary NP materials are highly tunable and strongly affected by the NP species as well as their corresponding volume fraction ratio. The conductivity and the gauge factor of these shell-binary NP materials can be altered by about five and two orders of magnitude, respectively. These shell-binary NP materials with different arrangements of NPs also demonstrate different volume fraction dependent electro-mechanical properties. The shell-binary NP materials with a heterogeneous arrangement of NPs exhibit a peaking of the sensitivity at medium mixing ratios, which arises from the aggregation induced local strain enhancement. Studies on the electron transport regimes and micro-morphologies of these shell-binary NP materials revealed the different mechanisms accounting for the variable electrical and electro-mechanical properties. A model based on effective medium theory is used to describe the electrical and electro-mechanical properties of such shell-binary nanomaterials and shows an excellent match with experiment data. These shell-binary NP materials possess great potential applications in high-performance strain sensing technology due to their variable electrical and electro-mechanical properties.

The role of ligands in coinage-metal nanoparticles for electronics

Coinage-metal nanoparticles are key components of many printable electronic inks. They can be combined with polymers to form conductive composites and have been used as the basis of molecular electronic devices. This review summarizes the multidimensional role of surface ligands that cover their metal cores. Ligands not only passivate crystal facets and determine growth rates and shapes; they also affect size and colloidal stability. Particle shapes can be tuned via the ligand choice while ligand length, size, ω-functionalities, and chemical nature influence shelf-life and stability of nanoparticles in dispersions. When particles are deposited, ligands affect the electrical properties of the resulting film, the morphology of particle films, and the nature of the interfaces. The effects of the ligands on sintering, cross-linking, and self-assembly of particles in electronic materials are discussed.

Inter-cluster distance dependence of electrical properties in single crystals of a mixed-valence polyoxometalate

The electrical conductivity of mixed-valence [MoMoO₅₄(SO₃)₂]^6- tetraalkylammonium salts was investigated through dependence on the inter-cluster distance that is controlled by tetraethylammonium, tetrapropylammonium, and tetrabutylammonium cations. The crystallographic analysis of single crystals revealed that the inter-cluster distances are dependent on the chain length of the alkyl groups on the counter cations. In addition, the electrical conductivities of the single crystals were found to be dependent on both temperature and chain length. Mixed-valence polyoxometalate (POM) clusters are considered to be a molecular particle of Mo bronze by which highly ordered networks will be developed using single crystals, where POMs are rather small and have a well-organized structure compared to colloidal nanostructures.

Synergistic Effect of Cobalt and Iron in Layered Double Hydroxide Catalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Co-based layered double hydroxide (LDH) catalysts with Fe and Al contents in the range of 15 to 45 at % were synthesized by an efficient coprecipitation method. In these catalysts, Fe³⁺ or Al³⁺ ions play an essential role as trivalent species to stabilize the LDH structure. The obtained catalysts were characterized by a comprehensive combination of surface- and bulk-sensitive techniques and were evaluated for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) on rotating disk electrodes. The OER activity decreased upon increasing the Al content for the Co- and Al-based LDH catalysts, whereas a synergistic effect in Co- and Fe-based LDHs was observed, which resulted in an optimal Fe content of 35 at %. This catalyst was spray-coated on Ni foam electrodes and showed very good stability in a flow-through cell with a potential of approximately 1.53 V at 10 mA cm^-2 in 1 m KOH for at least 48 h.

Gold Nanoparticle Monolayers with Tunable Optical and Electrical Properties

Centimeter-scale gold nanoparticle (Au NP) monolayer films have been fabricated using a water/organic solvent self-assembly strategy. A recently developed approach, drain to deposit, is demonstrated to be most effective in transferring the Au NP films from the water/organic solvent interface to various solid substrates while maintaining their integrity. The interparticle spacing was tuned from 1.4 to 3.1 nm using alkylamine ligands of different lengths. The ordering of the films increased with increasing ligand length. The surface plasmon resonance and the in-plane electrical conductivity of the Au NP films both exhibit an exponential dependence on the interparticle spacing. These findings show great potential in scaling up the manufacturing of high-performance optical and electronic devices based on two-dimensional metallic nanoparticle superlattices.

A transparent flexible z-axis sensitive multi-touch panel based on colloidal ITO nanocrystals

Bottom-up fabrication of a flexible multi-touch panel prototype based on transparent colloidal indium tin oxide (ITO) nanocrystal (NC) films is presented. A series of 7% Sn(4+) doped ITO NCs protected by oleate, octanoate and butanoate ligands are synthesized and characterized by a battery of techniques including, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, (1)H, (13)C and (119)Sn nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and the related diffusion ordered spectroscopy. Electrical resistivities of transparent films of these NCs assembled on flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates by convective self-assembly from their suspension in toluene decrease with the ligand length, from 220 × 10(3) for oleate ITO to 13 × 10(3)Ω cm for butanoate ITO NC films. A highly transparent, flexible touch panel based on a matrix of strain gauges derived from the least resistive film of 17 nm butanoate ITO NCs sensitively detects the lateral position (x, y) of the touch as well as its intensity over the z-axis. Being compatible with a stylus or bare/gloved finger, a larger version of this module may be readily implemented in upcoming flexible screens, enabling navigation capabilities over all three axes, a feature highly desired by the display industry.

Impedance Spectroscopy of Ionic Ligand-Modulated Charge Transport of Gold Nanoparticle Films

Assembled monolayer-protected nanoparticles (NPs) possess unique electrical properties that are determined by the coupled effects of their nano-sized electroactive inorganic cores that are capable of donating and accepting electrons and the organic shells. Core and ligand engineering for NP conductance modulation has been extensively explored; however, most studies focus on electron transport and not the interplay between the ion and electron transport processes. It is demonstrated here that electronic- and ionic-conducting properties of nanoparticle assemblies can be controlled by engineering the charge and flexibility of the ligand shell. By using impedance spectroscopy, the electronic, mixed ionic and electronic, and responsive conductance of the nanoparticle film and structure-function correlation are systematically investigated, and this correlation is used to provide a prototype volatile gas sensor based on the combined ionic and electronic conductance behavior of ionic ligand-functionalized gold NPs.

Electrical conductivity in two mixed-valence liquids

Two different room-temperature liquid systems were investigated, both of which conduct a DC electrical current without decomposition or net chemical transformation. DC electrical conductivity is possible in both cases because of the presence of two different oxidation states of a redox-active species. One system is a 1 : 1 molar mixture of n-butylferrocene (BuFc) and its cation bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide salt, [BuFc(+)][NTf2(-)], while the other is a 1 : 1 molar mixture of TEMPO and its cation bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide salt, [TEMPO(+)][NTf2(-)]. The TEMPO-[TEMPO(+)][NTf2(-)] system is notable in that it is an electrically conducting liquid in which the conductivity originates from an organic molecule in two different oxidation states, with no metals present. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction of [TEMPO(+)][NTf2(-)] revealed a complex structure with structurally different cation-anion interactions for cis- and trans [NTf2(-)] conformers. The electron transfer self-exchange rate constant for BuFc/BuFc(+) in CD3CN was determined by (1)H NMR spectroscopy to be 5.4 × 10(6) M(-1) s(-1). The rate constant allowed calculation of an estimated electrical conductivity of 7.6 × 10(-5)Ω(-1) cm(-1) for BuFc-[BuFc(+)][NTf2(-)], twice the measured value of 3.8 × 10(-5)Ω(-1) cm(-1). Similarly, a previously reported self-exchange rate constant for TEMPO/TEMPO(+) in CH3CN led to an estimated conductivity of 1.3 × 10(-4)Ω(-1) cm(-1) for TEMPO-[TEMPO(+)][NTf2(-)], a factor of about 3 higher than the measured value of 4.3 × 10(-5)Ω(-1) cm(-1).

Charging and discharging at the nanoscale: Fermi level equilibration of metallic nanoparticles

The redox properties of metallic nanoparticles are discussed, in particular the relationships between excess charge, size and the Fermi level of the electrons. The redox potentials are derived using simple electrostatic models to provide a straightforward understanding of the basic phenomena. The different techniques used to measure the variation of Fermi level are presented. Finally, redox aspects of processes such as toxicity, electrochromicity and surface plasmon spectroscopy are discussed.

Cobalt-iron (oxy)hydroxide oxygen evolution electrocatalysts: the role of structure and composition on activity, stability, and mechanism

Cobalt oxides and (oxy)hydroxides have been widely studied as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). For related Ni-based materials, the addition of Fe dramatically enhances OER activity. The role of Fe in Co-based materials is not well-documented. We show that the intrinsic OER activity of Co(1-x)Fe(x)(OOH) is ∼100-fold higher for x ≈ 0.6-0.7 than for x = 0 on a per-metal turnover frequency basis. Fe-free CoOOH absorbs Fe from electrolyte impurities if the electrolyte is not rigorously purified. Fe incorporation and increased activity correlate with an anodic shift in the nominally Co(2+/3+) redox wave, indicating strong electronic interactions between the two elements and likely substitutional doping of Fe for Co. In situ electrical measurements show that Co(1-x)Fe(x)(OOH) is conductive under OER conditions (∼0.7-4 mS cm(-1) at ∼300 mV overpotential), but that FeOOH is an insulator with measurable conductivity (2.2 × 10(-2) mS cm(-1)) only at high overpotentials >400 mV. The apparent OER activity of FeOOH is thus limited by low conductivity. Microbalance measurements show that films with x ≥ 0.54 (i.e., Fe-rich) dissolve in 1 M KOH electrolyte under OER conditions. For x < 0.54, the films appear chemically stable, but the OER activity decreases by 16-62% over 2 h, likely due to conversion into denser, oxide-like phases. We thus hypothesize that Fe is the most-active site in the catalyst, while CoOOH primarily provides a conductive, high-surface area, chemically stabilizing host. These results are important as Fe-containing Co- and Ni-(oxy)hydroxides are the fastest OER catalysts known.

Highly conductive ribbons prepared by stick-slip assembly of organosoluble gold nanoparticles

Precisely positioning and assembling nanoparticles (NPs) into hierarchical nanostructures is opening opportunities in a wide variety of applications. Many techniques employed to produce hierarchical micrometer and nanoscale structures are limited by complex fabrication of templates and difficulties with scalability. Here we describe the fabrication and characterization of conductive nanoparticle ribbons prepared from surfactant-free organosoluble gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). We used a flow-coating technique in a controlled, stick-slip assembly to regulate the deposition of Au NPs into densely packed, multilayered structures. This affords centimeter-scale long, high-resolution Au NP ribbons with precise periodic spacing in a rapid manner, up to 2 orders-of-magnitude finer and faster than previously reported methods. These Au NP ribbons exhibit linear ohmic response, with conductivity that varies by changing the binding headgroup of the ligands. Controlling NP percolation during sintering (e.g., by adding polymer to retard rapid NP coalescence) enables the formation of highly conductive ribbons, similar to thermally sintered conductive adhesives. Hierarchical, conductive Au NP ribbons represent a promising platform to enable opportunities in sensing, optoelectronics, and electromechanical devices.

Controllability of the Coulomb charging energy in close-packed nanoparticle arrays

We studied the electronic transport properties of metal nanoparticle arrays, particularly focused on the Coulomb charging energy. By comparison, we confirmed that it is more reasonable to estimate the Coulomb charging energy using the activation energy from the temperature-dependent zero-voltage conductance. Based on this, we systematically and comprehensively investigated the parameters that could be used to tune the Coulomb charging energy in nanoparticle arrays. We found that four parameters, including the particle core size, the inter-particle distance, the nearest neighboring number, and the dielectric constant of ligand molecules, could significantly tune the Coulomb charging energy.

A molecular-gap device for specific determination of mercury ions

Specific determination/monitoring of trace mercury ions (Hg(2+)) in environmental water is of significant importance for drinking safety. Complementarily to conventional inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and atomic emission/absorption spectroscopy, several methods, i.e., electrochemical, fluorescent, colorimetric, and surface enhanced Raman scattering approaches, have been developed recently. Despite great success, many inevitably encounter the interferences from other metal ions besides the complicated procedures and sophisticated equipments. Here we present a molecular-gap device for specific determination of trace Hg(2+) in both standardized solutions and environmental samples based on conductivity-modulated glutathione dimer. Through a self-assembling technique, a thin film of glutathione monolayer capped Au nanoparticles is introduced into 2.5 μm-gap-electrodes, forming numerous double molecular layer gaps. Notably, the fabricated molecular-gap device shows a specific response toward Hg(2+) with a low detection limit actually measured down to 1 nM. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the specific sensing mechanism greatly depends on the electron transport ability of glutathione dimer bridged by heavy metal ions, which is determined by its frontier molecular orbital, not the binding energy.

Nanocrystal shape and nanojunction effects on electron transport in nanocrystal-assembled bulks

Bulk nanostructured materials are made from the assembly of octahedral PbSe nanocrystals. After thermal annealing, the artificial bulk demonstrates a large difference in behavior depending on the temperature, and a large variation of room-temperature resistivity of up to seven orders of magnitude. This variation originates from the high-indexed sharp edges of the octahedral nanocrystals. As the nanocrystals are arranged in the edge-to-edge configuration, which was observed in scanning electron microscopy images, the inter-nanocrystal capacitance is small due to the small parallel area between the nanocrystals. The small capacitance results in a high thermal fluctuation voltage and drives electron transport. The temperature-dependent resistivity and the electric field-dependent current are highly in agreement with the model of fluctuation-induced tunneling conduction. Thermal annealing reduces the inter-nanocrystal separation distance, creating a large variation in the electrical properties. Specifically, octahedral-shaped PbSe nanocrystals are employed in tailoring the electron transport in bulk nanostructured materials.