Two-dimensional self-organization of 1-nonanethiol-capped gold nanoparticles

A two-dimensional (2D) ordered hexagonal close-packed structure, formed by 1-nonanethiol-capped gold nanoparticles, is reported. The structure was constructed only by dipping the gold nanoparticle colloidal solution on flat substrate. The gold nanoparticles were synthesized as follows: First, AuCl₄^-1 was transferred from aqueous solution to toluene by the phase-transfer reagent of tetraoctylammonium bromide. Then it was reduced with aqueous sodium borohydride in the presence of a given amount of 1-nonanethiol molecules which was used to control the nucleation and growth of the gold nanoparticles for the desired size. The experimental techniques, such as UV-Vis, FT-IR, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were employed to characterize the obtained product. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurement demonstrated the size of the gold nanoparticle and the formation of two-dimensional ordered hexagonal close-packed gold nanoparticle structure.