https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2009-00061-5
Synthesis and characterization of gold atomic clusters by the two-phase method
Laboratory of Magnetism and Nanotechnology, Institute of Technological Research, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Corresponding author: a mary.rodriguez.vazquez@usc.es
Received:
19
September
2008
Published online:
18
February
2009
In this work we present a simple procedure for the production of gold atomic clusters by means of a modification of the Brust's two-phase method, using tetrahexylammonium bromide as capping agent. The gold atomic clusters obtained have the following formula: Aun, with 
, where n is the number of gold atoms per cluster. We report the formation of different species at different stages of the reduction reaction. Au clusters were characterized by TEM, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and UV-vis spectroscopy. Gold clusters are stable in solution after several years of preparation.
PACS: 36.40.Mr – Spectroscopy and geometrical structure of clusters / 36.40.Vz – Optical properties of clusters
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2009
